North Fork Smith: Desert river canyon in the middle of a jungle | Oregon Field Guide

The North Fork Smith River emerges from Oregon's Kalmiopsis Wilderness, but, as it crosses into California it picks up steam as a Class IV whitewater wonder that weaves through a landscape that’s been described as a desert in the middle of a jungle.
This story originally aired on Oct. 19, 2017.
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[@mjsmith8655]

Happy to finally see a good video on the North fork of Smith River, it's a hidden yet dangerous treasure.

[@jaymacpherson8167]

Oh my! I want to float this river!

[@SamSeth]

Sections of the river "look like the desert" because of the local geology. Serpentine makes an acidic soil with too much iron and other heavy metals. Serpentine zones in this area can be mapped by air because they only grow scrub pine and a little bit of brush and grass. Add fire to the mix, and it really looks desolate

[@JoeSmith-ru9xu]

Fire helped create that non green zone as well

[@childofthesoftgrass2228]

"the most rain in the country?" You sure about that? Regardless, overall great expose!

[@beckynankivell8639]

Better stated as "one of the wettest in the contiguous US". However, Camp Six, a lookout in the Gasquet Ranger District at 3680 ft elevation, holds the weather year record for the contiguous US at 254.9 inches in 1981-82. That year nearby Gasquet, at 384 ft elevation, got 145 inches.

[@slipline4threcon688]

How do i get in this guide service?