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The shows of the day, the dewy morning, the rainbow, mountains, orchards in blossom, stars, moonlight, shadows in still water, and the like, if too eagerly hunted, become shows merely, and mock us with their unreality. --Ralph Waldo Emerson
I have paddled Lake Clementine many times before. The Northern California's narrow Sierra foothills reservoir is a jewel to the area's paddling community. The lake with its four-mile-long tapered waterway in the Auburn State Recreation Area has been enchanting boaters and hikers for decades. Fed by the North Fork American River, the reservoir was formed in 1939 when the Army Corps of Engineers built the dam to prevent gold mining debris from flowing downstream.
"Thus, the reservoir's water level remains the same year round," stated in an excerpt from The American River Insider's Guide to Recreation, Ecology and Cultural History of the North Middle and South Forks, "Wildlife tucks itself into the quiet forested water along the shore; riparian plant growth is thick an lush. There are precious few reservoirs in all California that have and hold their beauty like Clementine, whose stillness contrasts elegantly with the surging wild waters upstream."
Paddling here is relatively easy on these still and transparent waters. There is almost no current except at the upper part of the lake. Even then on most of the times I've have visited, the current has been just a gentle tug where the clear and cool North Fork begins to intertwine with the lake body.
On the lower part, Robber's Roost towering 1,457-foot piece of limestone outcropping dominates the view. Under this giant rock, the lake pools in a calmness before rushing over the spillway of the dam. It's winter, and gone are the speedboats and skiers, who usually come here to play.
When paddling here, it's best to come early or stay late to dodge those blustery winds that tend to kick up usually in the early afternoon. They have a way of tiring out paddlers on the return trip to the boat ramp. But this past weekend, the sky was clear and breathless. The waters of a lake were absolutely still. There was not so much as ripple as the lake reflected the trees, hills, the sky, and everything around it perfectly.
My Bayside Adventure Sports paddling partner John Taylor welcomed the quiet placidity of the lake. In a message on Facebook, he wrote, "Usually, this lake is very windy in the afternoons, but we got lucky what with a very calm day without much of a breeze. Once the sun was clouded over the temperature dropped over 15 degrees at the end. Great day paddling, 10+ miles paddled, and my arms feel it too!!!"
Over the Bow is a feature from Outside Adventure to the Max, telling the story behind the image. If you have a great picture with a great story, we would love to see it. Submit it to us at nickayak@gmail.com
Duncan Mine: Class V Kayaking With Carson Lindsay
Outside Adventure to the Max friend Scott Blankenfeld is excited about his new projects showcasing athletes doing their thing on their home turf. Along with Robby Hogg, he created Duncan Mine, a Northern California Production Company, last year and began producing videos
In the first of their series, they profiled area world-class kayaker Carson Lindsay on the South Fork of the Yuba River near Donner Summit in California's Sierra Nevada.
"It's was pretty impressive watching him paddle these rapids at ease, considering he was basically paddling solo the entire time," wrote Blankenfeld in an email, "Growing up in Truckee, CA, this run is where he honed his whitewater kayaking skills and first started running Class V whitewater."
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| Courtesy of Scott Blankenfled |
"We are looking to take this series across several different sports including Skiing/Snowboarding, Mountain Biking, Running, Surfing, etc," wrote Blankenfeld, "Each segment will highlight a new personality, sport, and location."
You can learn about Ducan Mine at www.duncanmine.com. To follow Blankenfled and to check out more of his images go to www.scottblankenfeld.com.
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