Royal Gorge (Soda Springs To Tadpole Creek)
The American River, North Fork begins it's life just behind Squaw Valley ski resort on the west facing slopes of the sierras. Professional kayakers have scoped out and started adding this run to their repertoir. The north fork is very steep and small up here and contains a handful of sizable waterfalls. Portaging is common (even for the best kayakers) but for those who choose to run (and have the ability to) these drops can say they've completed the "Royal Flush" of the Royal Gorge.
Suggested river levels for paddling this section of the American River, North Fork are between a bare minimum of 750cfs and a high of 2,000cfs.
River conditions sourced from USGS 10344505, the Truckee R A Boca Bridge Nr Truckee Ca
Remember only watercraft are permitted
at Royal Gorge (Soda Springs to Tadpole Creek).
Run Stats
| Status | Too Low |
| Class Level | V to V+ |
| Elevation | 5,493 ft |
| Run Length | 25.0 Mi |
| Streamflow Discharge | 253 cfs |
| Gage Height | 5.9 ft |
| Air Temperature | 47° |
| River | American River, North Fork |
| Reporting Streamgage |
Truckee R A Boca Bridge Nr Truckee Ca
USGS 10344505 |
|
Upper Heath Falls
Class V to V+ |
|
Lower Heath Falls
Class V to V+ |
|
Rattlesnake Falls
Class V to V+ |
|
Scott's Drop
Class V to V+ |
|
Wabena Falls
Class V to V+ |
| Gauge | Streamflow | Stage |
|---|---|---|
|
Donner C A Donner Lk Nr Truckee Ca
USGS 10338500 |
25 cfs | 3.3 ft |
|
Pilot C Ab Stumpy Meadows Res Ca
USGS 11431800 |
3 cfs | 4.1 ft |
|
Edgewood Ck At Stateline
USGS 10336760 |
2 cfs | 3.7 ft |
|
Kings Canyon Creek Near Carson City
USGS 10311100 |
1 cfs | 3.7 ft |
|
Carson River Near Carson City
USGS 10311000 |
237 cfs | 2.6 ft |
|
Clear Creek Near Carson City
USGS 10310500 |
7 cfs | 1.4 ft |
|
Hunter C Nr Reno
USGS 10347600 |
4 cfs | 6.9 ft |
|
Logan House Ck Nr Glenbrook
USGS 10336740 |
0 cfs | 4.1 ft |
|
Little Truckee R Bl Div Dam Nr Sierraville Ca
USGS 10341950 |
3 cfs | 1.0 ft |
|
Incline Ck Nr Crystal Bay
USGS 10336700 |
4 cfs | 1.6 ft |
| Snotel Site | Snowpack | 24hr Change |
|---|---|---|
|
Horse Meadow
SNOTEL 1050 |
42" | 0" |
|
Css Lab
SNOTEL 428 |
76" | -1" |
|
blue canyon
SNOTEL BLU |
50" | -1" |
|
dagget pass
SNOTEL DAGN2 |
31.09" | -0.3" |
|
tahoma .5 s, ca
SNOTEL CA-ED-9 |
31.67" | -0.15" |
|
Independence Lake
SNOTEL 541 |
92" | 0" |
|
Rubicon #2
SNOTEL 724 |
52" | 0" |
|
Truckee #2
SNOTEL 834 |
44" | -1" |
|
Big Meadow
SNOTEL 340 |
51" | 0" |
|
Marlette Lake
SNOTEL 615 |
51" | 0" |
|
Blue Lakes
SNOTEL 356 |
47" | 0" |
|
boca
SNOTEL BOCC1 |
29.99" | -0.12" |
|
alpine meadows-base
SNOTEL AMBC1 |
61.09" | -0.57" |
|
Hagan'S Meadow
SNOTEL 508 |
38" | -1" |
|
susanville 3.2 ssw, ca
SNOTEL CA-LS-1 |
9.76" | -0.02" |
|
Tahoe City Cross
SNOTEL 809 |
34" | 0" |
|
Independence Creek
SNOTEL 540 |
32" | 0" |
|
bloods creek
SNOTEL BLCC1 |
57.57" | -0.53" |
|
Little Valley
SNOTEL 1242 |
36" | 0" |
|
Fallen Leaf
SNOTEL 473 |
29" | 0" |
|
alpha
SNOTEL ALPHA_MADIS |
45.06" | -0.34" |
|
Burnside Lake
SNOTEL 1051 |
47" | 0" |
|
soda springs 1.5 ssw, ca
SNOTEL CA-PC-1 |
65.68" | -0.47" |
|
Echo Peak
SNOTEL 463 |
66" | -1" |
|
Ward Creek #3
SNOTEL 848 |
65" | 0" |
|
Ebbetts Pass
SNOTEL 462 |
50" | 0" |
|
Forestdale Creek
SNOTEL 1049 |
58" | -1" |
|
Mt Rose Ski Area
SNOTEL 652 |
82" | -1" |
|
Independence Camp
SNOTEL 539 |
55" | 0" |
|
black springs
SNOTEL BLSC1 |
56.94" | -0.49" |
|
Carson Pass
SNOTEL 1067 |
52" | -1" |
|
Heavenly Valley
SNOTEL 518 |
48" | -1" |
|
Squaw Valley G.C.
SNOTEL 784 |
52" | -1" |
|
blue canyon alert
SNOTEL BLUC1 |
50.4" | -0.55" |
|
Spratt Creek
SNOTEL 778 |
16" | 0" |
| Campground | Campsites | Reservations | Toilets | Showers | Elevation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ahart | 12 | 5,341 ft | |||
| Sterling Lake | 8 | 7,023 ft | |||
| Northshore | 15 | 6,411 ft | |||
| French Meadows | 75 | 5,330 ft | |||
| Goose Meadow | 24 | 5,970 ft | |||
| Hell Hole | 10 | 5,167 ft | |||
| Hampshire Rocks | 30 | 5,921 ft | |||
| Wentworth Springs | 8 | 6,153 ft | |||
| Donner Memorial State Park | 54 | 5,951 ft | |||
| Lower Little Truckee | 15 | 6,141 ft | |||
| Independence Lake | 20 | 6,957 ft | |||
| Pleasant Dispersed | 10 | 6,413 ft | |||
| Lewis | 40 | 5,280 ft | |||
| Airport Flat | 16 | 5,383 ft | |||
| Upper Little Truckee | 26 | 6,187 ft | |||
| Sterling lake- dispersed | None | 7,036 ft | |||
| Gerle Creek | 50 | 5,272 ft |
| Ski Area | Snowpack | Air Temperature | 5 Day Forecast |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sierra at Tahoe | 66" | 40° | 0" |
| Northstar | 44" | 45° | 0" |
| Donner Ski Ranch | 76" | 43° | 0" |
| Alpine Meadows Ski Area | 65" | 41° | 0" |
| Soda Springs | 76" | 43° | 0" |
| Tahoe Donner | 76" | 43° | 0" |
| Granlibakken Ski Resort | 65" | 41° | 0" |
| Boreal Mountain Resort | 76" | 43° | 0" |
| Squaw Valley | 53" | 40° | 0" |
| Sugar Bowl Resort | 44" | 45° | 0" |
| Kirkwood | 52" | 38° | 0" |
| Homewood Mountain Resort | 65" | 41° | 0" |
| River Run | Streamflow | Length | Class |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tahoe City to River Ranch | 85.1cfs | None Mi | I |
| Generation and Giant Gaps (Tadpole to Colfax-Iowa Hill Road) | 808.0cfs | 26.8 Mi | IV to IV+ |
| Royal Gorge (Soda Springs to Tadpole Creek) | 249.0cfs | 25.0 Mi | V to V+ |