Chili Bar

Just after the putin is a small rapid with a fairly retentive but playable hole.  Eddy access on the left.  Many commercial rafts pile up here to give their customers a "stern squirt" splash.

This is a long continuous rocky rapid.  The biggest hits are towards the bottom near the right hand bank where most of the water funnels. Several different play spots are located in this rapid for the kayakers.

Read and run

This is a longer rapid as the river makes a river left turn.  Rocky at certain levels.  Follow the main wave train around to the left.  Watch the right bank at the bottom of the rapid as most of the flow runs up against it.  Lot's of lateral waves throughout this rapid can easily flip IK's or hard shells.  Not too bad though if you keep your eye on them.

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Class II waves lead into a drop (III ish at certain levels) on river right at the bottom of this rapid.  At higher flows a drop on the left opens up as well.  Surfing the main hole at the bottom is doable at most all levels.  Eddy access on either side.

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Large rock outcrops line the river here for a good stretch.  Nothing to hard or serious about them.

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Several small islands seperate the river here.  Most of the flow goes down the right channel.  This is definitely the best option for rafts.  Kayakers can get a little more adventurous and try out different channels.

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More class II leads into a sharp right hand turn that drops into a sizable hole.  This is probably a more advanced surf wave for kayakers and rafts should probably square up for this hole hit.

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Just below first threat is another wave train (towards river right).  Many commercials have their clients swim here.  This is a good rapid to practice swimming in a rapid and catching an eddy below.

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Another wave train drop.

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Rocky at lower levels.  Most water ends up going left.

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The river drops through bedrock and narrows.  Waves lead into it.  As the river channel narrows lots of boils and crazy water can flip the unsuspecting kayaker.

This is the biggest (and last major) rapid on the chili bar run.  2 holes are the major feature of this rapid.  1 at the start of the rapid and another immediately below it on the sharp right hand turn.  You can hit both holes and squeeze between gunsight rock and the left bank in a raft.  Just make sure to square up.  Kayakers can also make the hole runs but can possibly get flipped but swims aren't too bad here.  IK's may want to run the first hole far left and then paddle hard to run right of gunsight rock.  As water levels rise the holes get bigger and more powerful.

You can scout from the left bank.

A small class II that used to be bigger until it washed out.

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Access to the chili bar putin is on Highway 193.  Take it north out of Placerville, CA.  As far as actual river access you have several options.  There is kayaker access on the south side of the bridge with free parking (limited space) on the southwest side of bridge on 193.  You can also pay to access the river at the chili bar area which is northwest of the bridge.  This area has a ramp for rafts and plenty of parking.

Highway 49 bridge that crosses the south fork in Coloma CA.  Limited free parking on the southwest side of the bridge.  Access trail is on the southeast side of the bridge.  This is not raft friendly.

Turn right (west) south of the Coloma Highway 49 bridge and you'll see the park down the road a ways on your right hand side.  This is a pay to park area but has a ramp (for rafters) and plenty of parking as well as a nice park.