DESCENTS
THE RETURN OF THE CATARACTS OF THE KERN RIVER, CALIFORNIA, USA, APRIL 2019
It's April, and the Kern River is waking from its winter slumber. With a healthy snowpack and warm days in the future, the Kern will undoubtedly be the destination of many paddling pilgrimages this year. Several sections are readily available around Kernville, creating a popular destination for paddlers of all skill levels. Yet, it is what lies downstream of Kernville that has the paddling world buzzing come spring. Roughly 25 miles downstream lies the Cataracts section of the Kern. Touting over 12 miles of world-class roadside whitewater and dramatic high desert scenery, the Cataracts of the Kern is in a class of its own. In 2017, Evan Moore, Johnny Chase, and Tad Dennis thrust the Cataracts of the Kern River back into the paddling world spotlight with the highest recorded descent of the section and intrigue piqued in this rarely-run stretch. Their descent was all the more extraordinary given the Cataracts had not reached paddleable flows in nearly a decade. Evan noted, “I never thought that the river would make it to those levels again so soon.” As the river continues to rise, some of the world’s best paddlers have already made their pilgrimage to the Cataracts. The takeaway for each has been the same: this place is special. Peak flows on the Cataracts of the Kern are forecasted for the middle of May, which will undoubtedly continue to draw the world's best paddlers to experience this world-class section potentially opening up new lines and more possibilities than ever. You can be sure: the return of the Cataracts of the Kern will captivate the paddling world once again.
Report and photography: Casey Bryant-Jones
