UY vs. Tellico

philcanoe · Post by **philcanoe** » Sat Aug 08, 2009 3:50 pm

How do you compare a 'roadside class III' to a wilderness 'Oh No, we got a problem' run? Isn't that like comparing grapes or cherrys to watermelons - I mean they both have pits, but the size and number of unwanteds vary dramtically.

As for potential FUP, there's some lines on the R.Fork...

Alden · Post by **Alden** » Sun Aug 09, 2009 12:39 am

Speaking of open boats on the Upper Yough, any of you guys responsible for this in a past life?

Looks like Jeff Snyder was pulling this thing out back on July 6th.

http://www.photostockplus.com/home.php? ... &pcount=45

http://www.photostockplus.com/home.php? ... &pcount=45

http://www.photostockplus.com/home.php? ... &pcount=45

Alden

jim gross · Post by **jim gross** » Sun Aug 09, 2009 2:50 am

Alden,

It looks like Jeff has him a new to him Coleman canoe. Unless he knows the owner up at the lake.

Jim

Jim Michaud · Post by **Jim Michaud** » Sun Aug 09, 2009 3:56 am

Gumpy,

From the rivers that you've listed I would say that you're ready for the UY. I plan on running the UY on Sep. 17, 18 and 21. If you wish, you can join our group. I'll be driving a silver Toyota 4-runner with the Connecticut license plate I.CANOE and it will have a big yellow Caption on it. I've paddled the UY well over 100 times in an OC-1 and most of the time I'm guiding people down the river. PM me if you would like to hook up because I'll be Shredding the UY on at least one or two of those three dates.

The UY is not what I would call a hard river. The problem is that there's so many huge boulders that you don't know where to enter a rapid or where to go once you've entered it. It takes most people at least 10 UY runs before they know the river well enough to start leading other paddlers.

Jim M

Longboatin · Post by **Longboatin** » Sun Aug 09, 2009 3:59 am

Lengthy and I were there that day, and well... we git dirty looks for drinkin up there, but IMHO I dont care if your some super expert or not, that was lookin like some serious loss of judgment and boredom all rolled into one. JS had that boat pinned numerous times down there, and it couldve proved mighty dangerous to someone in the water. It did smooth the Ohio line at National though.

Louie · Post by **Louie** » Sun Aug 09, 2009 12:56 pm

Thank you Jim, finaly another voice of reason. The Ten runs need to be a little closer together than spread out over twenty sumthin years cause I wouldn't know where to enter any of the rapids.

Longboatin · Post by **Longboatin** » Sun Aug 09, 2009 1:14 pm

Not sure I get this additional voice of reason. Its not a difficult run, you just cant see where to start a rapid or where to go once in it. If its not difficult then why not read an run, boat scouting as you go? How bout eddy hopping down it?
Anyway Jim I believe you posted in another thread you know and run all the easy lines on the UY. Maybe you should follow a local or two and check some hard lines, like Martins or the Death slot.

Louie, you can keep the Telli. Some reliable sources from up this way tell us the Watauga is the place to go. So when I get down yer way lets go do that.

Louie · Post by **Louie** » Sun Aug 09, 2009 2:13 pm

You got, it the Watauga is the chits, It really only has three rapids, and ninety broken noses( rapid on the Ocoee). It is the coldest place on earth however, even with a heavy summer thunder storm it ain't never hot. Eight miles of good fun, however if you don't run rewind backwards the run don't count ( I don't make the rules , i just abide by them), from what I hear about your boatin backwards shouldn't be a problem for you. There is usuall a lot of interaction with the locla so it might be best if you play the part of a deaf and dumb mute, again you have half of that down already. It is three hours form the house but if you were here and it was runnin I'd meet you there, bring that other mouthly Yankee with the coal barge with you. Watauga fall is kind high( almost as tall as your boat is long) but if you run the Ohiopiles fall you should be OK.

Jim Michaud · Post by **Jim Michaud** » Sun Aug 09, 2009 2:43 pm

Anyway Jim I believe you posted in another thread you know and run all the easy lines on the UY. Maybe you should follow a local or two and check some hard lines, like Martins or the Death slot.

Because I don't like getting wet.

Besides, I've already had my share of near death experiences on rivers.

Now I just want to have fun and keep paddling into my eighties.

Louie · Post by **Louie** » Sun Aug 09, 2009 6:01 pm

What is that, like five more years? Just kiddin Jim, now that I am approachin middle age myself I like givin you old timers heck. Ya Jim I would follow those guy either.

Craig Smerda · Post by **Craig Smerda** » Sun Aug 09, 2009 11:13 pm

Louie wrote:It is the coldest place on earth however, even with a heavy summer thunder storm it ain't never hot. Eight miles of good fun

I don't like to agree with Louie often purely on principal... but I'm 100% with him on this... the Wautaga is one cold mother. Roy, Teal, Eli, Psycho and myself did it at what Eli and David called a beefy level right after a blizzard-slush storm many years ago in March... and it literally took HOURS for my hands and feet to regain blood circulation... and I'm used to cold spring flow. (That was before gore-tex booties btw)

Another good canoe run in that region is the Nolichucky... except that one has a 128mph wind that always seems to be coming up the river... and the air is cold as well... let's just say it must suck cold air from the Wautaga and shoot it directly up the river. The Nolichucky at a nice level is worth your time to catch as well.

Brush Creek into the French Broad and the F.B. down to the takeout?... now that's a FUN run... but you'd best have your roll with you. as swimming on the F.B. at high water could make for a fairly long day.

Lez' say this... the Southeast has a ton of really fun stuff.

Louie · Post by **Louie** » Mon Aug 10, 2009 4:05 am

I AIN'T SURE WHAT PRINCIPLES ARE, BUT IF YOU GOT THEM YOU MUST HAVE STOLD UM. I THINK IT IS LIKE SCRUPLES YOU DIDN'T COME WITH ANY.

TonyB · Post by **TonyB** » Mon Aug 10, 2009 10:56 am

Id like to hear some more UY/Telly-co comparison. I was down with gumpy doin telly and crooked for the first time (seams like years ago) at this past ALF. Swam Jareds Knee, got a swim on the upper crooked and called it a day at the waterfall takeout.
Was just so tired and all my "good" paddles were either broken or hangin out in Jareds Knee.
Ive been paddling the LY a few times, and am wondering if ready but hesitant to commit without more info,

so please, insight would be nice.

Longboatin · Post by **Longboatin** » Mon Aug 10, 2009 12:11 pm

check pa creeks posted earlier here -- then while seems southies and new englanders dont think its that difficult, theres a few considerations IMHO. Do you run lines on the LY, or just bust straight down thru? The UY will fill u up and push you around and youll only be 1/3 of way through a rapid, are you comfortable driving a boat full of water, and are you able to recover when things go awry?
Myself I like to be on top of things, if Im screwin up the whole run, gettin blown off line etc. Im pissed at myself and dont consider it a good run down. Again 4 me, Id try to avoid swimming up there period. If your swimming youre probably getting yer azz whooped. A buddy from State College swam from top of Triple Drop thru National and was beat to hades and back. However, ive seen raft guests do the same swim and emerge pumped for more.
Feeling lucky, show up good and early on release day and have at it. Keep in mind, when the hard shite hits there aint no walkin out. youre already several miles in.

Craig Smerda · Post by **Craig Smerda** » Mon Aug 10, 2009 12:38 pm

who wants to see the UY from a paddlers perspective?

http://www.vimeo.com/5562977