Monthly Archives: August 2010

spot check: hershey.

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Hershey is a special place to local jumpers, where dreams of 360s and squirrel grabs are formed from Keystones and poison oak. It’s a charming little spot.

The spot hides fairly well in plain sight. And oak be damned. Yet, it’s probably due to these mild obstacles the place remains relatively untouched. Go out and plunder, friends.

ACCESSIBILITY:

Hershey is one easy jump to find. It may be one of the last truly great jumps spots in Sacramento that is wholly accessible to just about anyone willing to look. That’s maybe one of the most perplexing aspects of Hershey, especially in light of the controversy surrounding cliff jumping. Hershey exists in an area close to just about every means of transportation and a Department of Fish and Game hub, yet it garners next to no attention from park officials and rangers. Perhaps it’s due to the relatively mild risk factor associated with the area. Maybe no one really knows of its existence. Maybe it’s all just a dream. At any rate,  The American River Bike Trail runs just parallel to the launchpad and just across from the bike trail there’s a nice parking lot, typically empty.

WATER CONDITION:

Now here’s the part where I’m going to lose most people. Hershey rests just above a notably strong current of water. It’s so strong that it acts more like one of those conveyor-belt-type walkways seen commonly at an international airport. It’d be easy to panic upon first contact with the water here (I’m sure I did), but allow a cool head to prevail and there’s nothing to it. It’s cold, deep and somewhat swift. However, that’s about it. In fact, the current moves directly toward the exit point about 25 yards downstream.

EASE OF JUMP:

Well, it’s not difficult.

photo credit: Kevin Fiscus

photo credit: Kevin Fiscus

photo credit: Kevin Fiscus

photo credit: Kevin Fiscus

The jump is no more than 30 feet high with water levels reaching down about 13 feet. The cliff side is sloped at a 90-degree angle, with a lengthy launchpad for optimal jumping distance. There are plenty of options here, too. A couple trees and a smaller ledge give the area a place for all to enjoy a mellow leap.

CARBON FOOTPRINT:

Much like many of the spots along the American River, despite the heavy traffic from bikers, joggers, fishermen and other water enthusiasts, Hershey is well preserved by Parks and Rec and Fish and Game. Every once in a while random cans and food containers can be found but are quickly discarded in the many receptacles located all over the bike trail.

OVERALL EPICNESS: B

Look, I’m not going to say this place is the epitome of great cliff jumping, but it’s a damn good place to get your feet wet. This is where it all started so many years ago, one summer afternoon. Come out, get some sun on your shoulders and throw a big squirrel. You’ll be happy you did. Part of the greatness of this jump is the ride down the river afterward, watching your buddies huck their meat moments after you, as you cruise the current. It’s a great moment. Come along and ride.

Random Personal Anecdote:

And I don’t advise anyone doing this, but one of my first jumps off this cliff (heck, one of my first times jumping in Sacramento!) was at midnight in the dead heat of July with my younger brother and an old friend. It scared the living life force right out of my soul. Kudos to you, Ben and Marxy for the spark. It was one of those catalysts that continues to contribute and motivate me in all my Wreckreation endeavors.

king of the cliff.

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It had been 8 years since we had had a day of jumping of this magnitude. How time flies. If you grew up somewhere with something to huck yourself off of into a body of water you know that feeling. The urge – the rot deep down in your gut, to just fling yourself off into the abyss, off into oblivion and land in a velvety cushion of water. By 1998 we were heavily up into cliff jumping. We were geographically blessed to be living smack dab in the middle of Northern California, right along the banks of the American River, with ridiculously easy access to some of the best (sub)urban cliff jumping spots in North America. By 1999, just days after high school graduation, we were draining tall cans and collecting footage on the newly released mini dv format cameras. In 2001, we released Drowning Season and in the winter of 2003 we released, Smokescreen. By then, the crew was spread out across the diaspora – far from the river, the lakes, the quarries and far from home.

Sorry for all the nostalgic bullshit. Crack a beer, slather on some sunblock and go jump a cliff. We did. We haven’t had the time in a long time, but it always feels good and the bullshit will still be there, and the excuses only run so thin, so toss your ass off a cliff. It feels real good.

Jump responsibly and always help your friends out. That’s pretty much the story of life.

The Hershey Classic 2010 was good times indeed. We hope to make it an annual event, so we hope to see a way bigger crew next year, chugging beers, and running in line together off of a 25 cliff into some rapids.

fear the future.

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Lots of new wood coming out of the creature factory these dayz.

Munk One did the following Last Laugh series. Some dope shit, huh?

He paired everyone up with their alter ego. Neil Heddings as George Carlin? Yes sir. Stu Graham as Chris Farley? Makes sense. David Gravette as Don Knotts? He didn’t even know who Don Knotts was, so it fit perfectly.

A few more gems. The Kustom Sleds. A wee bit bigger with some epicness in the graphic departments. It’s Creature green on everything, homeys. What other skate company has their own freaking color? Grip them. Rip them. Repeat.

spot check: china wall.

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At about 8:30 this morning I started searching for any news related to the accident I witnessed at China Wall Sunday afternoon.

It wasn’t difficult to find.

When I found a story in The Sacramento Bee explaining what had happened, it was apparent it hadn’t been fully investigated, so I reached out to a friend who works for the publication. It wasn’t more than a minute later when my phone started ringing. It was the reporter from The Bee who had written the story. After a conversation with the reporter, the story was revised. What was published conveys a message about the very real dangers of this particular spot.

We here at the Wreck have seen even the most seasoned jumpers barely make it out of this one intact. Most of those jumpers will be the first to explain the dangers of this particular spot. And until yesterday’s events I was hesitant to give the spot any kind of recognition whatsoever, just because I’m not about to promote a spot that can potentially screw up someone’s life forever.

ACCESSIBILITY:

Beyond the obvious (which I’ll get to), one of the biggest dangers of China Wall is the ease with which to find and attempt this jump. Appropriations were made about 10 years ago to caution and deter would-be jumpers from the spot with a fence surrounding a small portion of the bluff. The fence stands about five feet tall and 11 feet in length.

It isn’t enough.

Furthermore, the fence in place may as well point to the spot where so many China Wall accidents have occurred. What the fence fails to do is completely warden off the spot. It leaves very accessible parts of the bluff open for kids and out-of-town enthusiasts (like Sunday’s) an area to jump.  If any kind of action is taken to ensure what happened on Sunday isn’t repeated, local authorities might not find it a bad idea to completely block off the section of the bluff with a higher and longer fence. Even local kids wouldn’t attempt the jump without a proper launch pad.

WATER CONDITION:

Lake Natoma rests between the Nimbus Dam and Folsom Dam and spans from Fair Oaks, California to Folsom. The water temperature is chilly, fluctuating around the mid-to-high 50s. The water’s visibility is pretty murky, making it difficult for most to see beyond five to 10 feet below their feet.

And it’s deep.

Lake Natoma can reach depths of up to 40 feet in many areas, including the area near China Wall, according to the California Bureau of Reclamation. The water’s depth and chill factor aren’t necessarily a deterrent, but can make search and rescue response difficult when trying to fish an injured or unconscious jumper out of the water.

EASE OF JUMP:

Don’t do it. Look, there is nothing easy about this jump. All it takes is one look over the side to realize, you’re either really dumb, really bored or easily pressured to want to attempt this. The bluff’s height and slope angle make it very difficult for even those who’ve jumped it many times before. It’s about a 40-foot drop from lip to water, but it’s not like jumping a bridge or a sheer cliff where the angle is nearly 90-degrees from cliff side to water level. The bluff slopes down into the water, making it not a cliff at all and more of a hill side if anything. On average, one’s jump must clear at least five feet distance before clearing the hill side and being over the water.

CARBON FOOTPRINT:

Lake Natoma is well maintained in a coordinated effort from California State University, Sacramento’s Aquatic Center, California Department of Boating and Waterways and California Parks and Recreation. The lake is frequented by kids and adults for kayaking and boating, fishing and, in many safer areas, cliff jumping. It’s a popular retreat for many in the Sacramento area.

OVERALL EPICNESS: F

With so many more epic locations in such close proximity to China Wall it begs the question, “Why even bother?” For most, it’ll be peer pressure and the off-chance of glory (for better or worse) that makes China Wall attractive.

As with every jump listed in this feature, it should go without saying to use common sense when attempting any of these. If you’ve never attempted something of this nature, it’s best to start small or not at all.

As for China Wall, use your head and don’t do it. It’s not worth it.

spot check: ponderosa bridge.

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Oh, the simple pleasures of summer. Over the years, we here at the Wreck have explored some delightful little cliff jumping locations all over the North Western occupied territory of America.

Some of these locations are bigger; some are smaller; some are completely out of the way and some are right in your backyard. Some aren’t for the faint of heart. Anyway, it’s fun to jump off rocks into cool pools of water. It’s also fun to laugh at the poor souls who flop. So it goes.

We’ll break down and rate the jumps according to their accessibility, water condition, ease of jump, carbon print exposure and overall epicness.

So, if you’ll indulge me…

Ponderosa Bridge (click on me)

Ponderosa may be one of the most pristine jumps one can hope to find in Northern California. And that’s really saying something. The pony truss bridge resides over a nice little nook of the Northern Calaveras River fork. The 65-year-old bridge continues to attract frequent traffic despite being down a long, winding dirt road. It’s no real wonder why, either.

It’s still pretty uncertain how any of us stumbled upon this little gem. Who knows? Unicorns told us. It doesn’t matter. One thing for certain, though, the game officially took a 1-up when we found it.

ACCESSIBILITY:

Make no mistake: The Camry will be tested, if it makes it at all. Take a car with a little clearance. If not, take it slow. The dirt path is bumpy, full of switch-backs and it goes on for a good two miles. The road’s grade, angle and one-and-a-half lanes leave the descent doable if you know the area and a bit stressful if you don’t. Drop it into low gear. There’s a decent amount of parking off the sides of the road once it gets down to water level.

WATER CONDITION:

It’s crystal-blue and beautiful. Around this time of year the water felt great. If I was to guess, I’d say the water temperature was around 64-65 degrees.

EASE OF JUMP:

In all fairness, looking down that bridge for the first time can be a bit intimidating. In actuality, the jump is about 35 feet into about 14 feet of water. There are absolutely no obstructions in the water. However, make sure you know you’re clear of anyone in the water. It really should go without saying, but people can AND will forget about the bridge’s popularity for jumping and float right under any would-be jumper (I’ll explain more in a minute). After that, though, it’s a mellow jump. The bridge provides a plethora of easy jump options.

CARBON FOOTPRINT :

It’s popular. Be ready for plenty of people enjoying this spot on a weekend afternoon. On a hot weekend afternoon, it’s not uncommon for plenty of people to take refuge in the spot’s cool waters. This is all well and good, but beware of people in the water when jumping. There seems to be plenty of space for everyone, though. That said, it’s a credit to the locals and everyone who visit for keeping the spot so beautiful. It’s pretty remarkable. There are plenty of trash cans and recycling cans and they work really well.

OVERALL EPICNESS: A+

It’s a tough spot to top, but the crowds and limited accessibility could be enough to turn some off to the trip. And that’s just fine by us. The water’s crystal blue clarity and coolness make it the ideal spot for a day trip for any one, whether they’re a jump enthusiast or not. With so many jumping options, too, there’s something for anyone. A true gem.

duuude.

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Congratulations to my  homey, Taylor Bingaman, for making X Games 2010. Best X Games mug shot for sure. Taylor almost made the finals of Skatepark and was on a coping killer mission.

Curren Caples did make the finals, though. And if it wasn’t for Andy MacDonald, he would have medaled for sure. Damn you Andy! Dashing the hopes and dreams of a 14 year old boy. How dare you! 14 years old and the skateboard world is your oyster. Slurp it up, Curren.