The Stanislaus River
The Stanislaus River is a remarkable and variable thing. In early spring it runs high and loud with snowmelt — a roaring rush of cold water through the granite canyon that you can hear from camp. By late summer it settles into something slower and warmer, perfect for swimming. The Kegger in June catches it somewhere in between: usually crossable, always cold, always beautiful.
What makes the river special here is what thousands of years of water have carved into the granite. The current has scooped out round pools — smooth-walled, some five to six feet wide and deep — that fill and drain with the flow, running warm on a hot afternoon. Four or five people fit in the big ones. They're natural jacuzzis.
Swimming conditions at the Kegger
The water is cold. Even in summer, the Stanislaus runs cold — snowmelt feeds it year-round. Jumping in is bracing regardless of how warm the air is. The granite slabs for drying off are warm. The cycle of cold water and hot rock is extremely good.
Depth varies. The pools that look deep from above may be shallower than you think. Always check depth before diving headfirst — one of our own nearly broke his neck going in without checking. Go feet-first until you know what you're jumping into.
Current can be strong in early season or after rain. Stay out of white water. The flat pools are safe; the chutes and falls are not for swimming.
Pretzel's
"Pretzel's" is the main downstream swimming hole, and the destination on any warm Kegger afternoon. It sits at the base of a small waterfall, ringed by smooth granite, and gets enough sun in the afternoon to take the edge off the cold water.
The name has two stories. The official one: a large log got jammed in the waterfall above the pool and created a contorted, pretzel-shaped spout of water — the name stuck long after the log moved on. The other version: in high water the current swirls around the corners and back toward the middle, like a salted pretzel shape. Both are plausible. Either way, it's Pretzel's.
⚠ A serious reminder about diving
One warm afternoon, Doug dove headfirst into a pool near the Slide without checking the depth. He should have broken his neck. His strength and agility let him bounce off the bottom — but everyone was badly shaken. He was wrapped tightly, escorted back to the cars, and driven to a hospital in Modesto. He turned out fine. We were lucky. Always check depth before diving. Always go feet-first if you don't know the pool.
Cross Top and Bare Ass Slide
Above the main camp sits a broad expanse of sun-warmed granite called Cross Top. The rock stretches out like a natural terrace overlooking the river canyon — a place to sit, dry off, watch the water, and contemplate whether to go down the Slide.
The Bare Ass Slide — B.A.S. — is a smooth granite chute worn by centuries of water, angled into a pool below. The name is self-explanatory. Shorts create friction; without them you go considerably faster. People have been sliding down it for as long as the Kegger has existed. The Trivia page has more on the name, for those who need it confirmed in writing.
Like a spa, the water is so nice warm some years
The pattern of a good Kegger afternoon runs itself: swim at Pretzel's, dry off on the granite slabs, refill your mug at the keg. Repeat until the sun drops behind the ridge.
There are many places to soak, many ponds to exolore.
George's videos — the river and swimming area
George shot footage of the swimming area on one of the Kegger weekends. Both clips are below. They play automatically in Safari (Mac and iPhone). If they don't play in your browser, the download links will open them in any video player.
