Has anyone here canoed Great Falls?
Moderators: kenneth, sbroam, TheKrikkitWars, Mike W., Sir Adam, KNeal, PAC, adamin
Has anyone here canoed Great Falls?
It has been an aspiration for me to canoe Great Falls someday (a very long time from now), probably the Virginia Line (the others seem scarier, even though they are all quite scary). Has anyone on this board done that?
-
Dooleyoc-1
- CBoats Addict
- Posts: 552
- Joined: Thu Nov 03, 2005 9:32 pm
- Location: TN
-
sbroam
- CBoats.net Staff
- Posts: 3969
- Joined: Thu Nov 07, 2002 2:12 am
- Location: Lexington, SC
- Contact:
I remember somebody running the falls race in OC-1 - Will Reeves maybe?
C-Boats Moderator
http://picasaweb.google.com/scott.broam/CanoeOutfitting
http://picasaweb.google.com/scott.broam/CanoeOutfitting
Potomacfest
http://www.potomacfest.com/
Look around under the pictures section...I know Seth Chappelle is there and Alden Bird should be, among others
Look around under the pictures section...I know Seth Chappelle is there and Alden Bird should be, among others
Sam,
That is certainly a worthy aspiration!
On my first Great Falls run, I was determined to experience it to the same fullness that the first descenters (who included one C-1) did . . . I pre-scouted from shore ahead of time, purposely didn't watch others run first, and when I finally went there with my boat, I made sure it was early in the morning before any crowd/rangers were on shore, and brought along another kayaker with me who'd never run it before either. It was an unforgettable morning. It was very exciting to finally be there, looking at those rapids from the Flake up close. Then -- we went for it. It was almost like a first descent. It felt that way. It was a great experience, and I like to think Tom, Dan, and Wick would have approved.
I would recommend this method!
(But if you have any questions to post, I probably have answers.)
Check out the introduction to Todd Balf's book The Last River. The book itself is about the ill-fated 1998 Tsang Po descent in Nepal, but Balf uses the book's introduction to describe Tom McEwan and Wick Walker's first descent of Great Falls of the Potomac in 1976. That section is what inspired me to make my own first descent the way that I did.
Creeker, you have a canoe?
Alden
That is certainly a worthy aspiration!
On my first Great Falls run, I was determined to experience it to the same fullness that the first descenters (who included one C-1) did . . . I pre-scouted from shore ahead of time, purposely didn't watch others run first, and when I finally went there with my boat, I made sure it was early in the morning before any crowd/rangers were on shore, and brought along another kayaker with me who'd never run it before either. It was an unforgettable morning. It was very exciting to finally be there, looking at those rapids from the Flake up close. Then -- we went for it. It was almost like a first descent. It felt that way. It was a great experience, and I like to think Tom, Dan, and Wick would have approved.
I would recommend this method!
(But if you have any questions to post, I probably have answers.)
Check out the introduction to Todd Balf's book The Last River. The book itself is about the ill-fated 1998 Tsang Po descent in Nepal, but Balf uses the book's introduction to describe Tom McEwan and Wick Walker's first descent of Great Falls of the Potomac in 1976. That section is what inspired me to make my own first descent the way that I did.
Creeker, you have a canoe?
Alden
-
Eli
- The Canoe Guru - CBoats.net Sponsor
- Posts: 181
- Joined: Thu Jun 15, 2006 3:48 am
- Location: Southeastern US
- Contact:
Growing up on the Shenandoah, that was an early aspiration for me as well.
Scouting the Spout is almost as fun as running it when the park is deserted in the morning.
I experienced the complete opposite end of this spectrum of tranquility during a Race when I first ran the Fishladder.
I think Great Falls is where Mom told me she prefered to watch me on videos.
It's a great section of rapids; choose your time, take good friends and enjoy it!
Scouting the Spout is almost as fun as running it when the park is deserted in the morning.
I experienced the complete opposite end of this spectrum of tranquility during a Race when I first ran the Fishladder.
I think Great Falls is where Mom told me she prefered to watch me on videos.
It's a great section of rapids; choose your time, take good friends and enjoy it!
When in Doubt...Paddle Forward!
www.thecanoeguru.com
www.thecanoeguru.com
Sam thanks for you PM yesterday. It seems you have a level head about what you're looking to do with this info down the line. I switched back to the public forum because I'd prefer some experienced OC1 eyes to tune anything that may need it. I first want to point out that anything I say in the way of dry lines are my best evaluation based on what I have seen not actually done.
I like Alden's idea of getting a real feeling first descent....it appeals to me too, but unless you are a VERY seasoned teenager you may want some info on this ahead of time. Certainly Great Falls is a rapid for a stout class 5 team approach and guys skilled in swiftwater rescue. If you haven't nailed down many class 5's you probably want to just work it till you have that experience. When I'm there the power of that rapid hits me like any 5.2. If you don't feel the love you can just walk the whole shooting match on the long flake rock dividing the Virginia lines and the middle lines. If you need it, its a very pleasant portage.
You said canoe so I'm assuming OC-1. That is a tall order to keep that dry. You can take the teeth out of the middle by walking Grace Under Pressure and putting in at a great eddy just below...then it is much more likely to get to the correct index finger spout nearly empty. There is a significant eddy or slack water, at favorable flows, just above the last drop in the middle line. You can pump out your boat there if you can get in there. Most everyone does stop there to enjoy the falls or just chill.
I totally think any one move in the middle is doable relatively dry at favorable levels by the best open boaters. You asked me how many places if you swim are life threatening. Great question.... The answer is most anywhere is lethal. Most of the water is dropping into rock that will bust you up or entrap you. You don't even want to be in the wrong spots in your boat. From the time you enter Grace Under pressure you are committed to making a gap the size of a slalom gate in the fingers. Anything but perfection will be a scary day.
I'll share a personal experience from my first descent:
It was new years day and cold. I was wearing poggies. I was in the eddy at the base of GUP. Getting out was a real challenge as you have to clear around a boulder on the strong eddy line. I made it out but I was gonna hip check on the boulder. I pulled my hand out of the poggie to palm the rock in a stiff arm. I helped the boat to quickly get into fast current.
Even though I had taken pictures for an hour from the flake looking upstream it didn't help me at all from the boaters perspective. I had scouted from the upstream perspective but in the end I felt I should have done this more extensively,laying out all the "what if" lines a little more clearly in my mind.
So I pealed out of the Grace eddy with a hand out of the poggie from the stiff arm. I didn't drop my attention and passed the current leading to the Pinky finger slot. Rethinking about not losing my way and the virtue of having my hand back in the warm poggie I quickly took 2 seconds doing that. In that 2 seconds I lost my perspective on the slot I wanted. I delayed the needed move and it was a close call on getting on water headed to the index finger. There is a lot to look at up there. Even just this little bobble, forget a roll or a swim nearly caused a full on pressure moment for me
Keep in mind too that the favorable line down the ledges to the index finger 20 ft boof leads directly adjacent to Subway.
The water at the bottom of the index finger shockingly caused everyone in my group to carp out a crumy roll. the level that day was a very reasonable 3.6 ft
There is so much water in the middle going to subway, and the pinny/piton 5.2 right next to it. The pinky finger never looked good to me either in a kayak it didn't look like I'd escape the hole.
I'm sort of curious what others would prefer for the last 20 footer on the middle line. Alden, Is the index finger the preferred line for OB too?....how about the shallow boof just to the river right of the index finger?
Personally just being there is amazing. I always say that it's better to leave a rapid, a boof, a line undone for the next trip just to look forward to your next run. I think it's a positive spin on portaging vs feeling like a chump cause you were the only one that didn't run the goods.
remember if you can't roll 100% you have to pass on GF.
Don't run it without a guide and I suggest you scout it well enough that you likely can boat it without the guide in the first place. Like alden said scout it significantly from shore. A guide led 2 boaters by accident into subway a while back they all didn't survive.
I like Alden's idea of getting a real feeling first descent....it appeals to me too, but unless you are a VERY seasoned teenager you may want some info on this ahead of time. Certainly Great Falls is a rapid for a stout class 5 team approach and guys skilled in swiftwater rescue. If you haven't nailed down many class 5's you probably want to just work it till you have that experience. When I'm there the power of that rapid hits me like any 5.2. If you don't feel the love you can just walk the whole shooting match on the long flake rock dividing the Virginia lines and the middle lines. If you need it, its a very pleasant portage.
You said canoe so I'm assuming OC-1. That is a tall order to keep that dry. You can take the teeth out of the middle by walking Grace Under Pressure and putting in at a great eddy just below...then it is much more likely to get to the correct index finger spout nearly empty. There is a significant eddy or slack water, at favorable flows, just above the last drop in the middle line. You can pump out your boat there if you can get in there. Most everyone does stop there to enjoy the falls or just chill.
I totally think any one move in the middle is doable relatively dry at favorable levels by the best open boaters. You asked me how many places if you swim are life threatening. Great question.... The answer is most anywhere is lethal. Most of the water is dropping into rock that will bust you up or entrap you. You don't even want to be in the wrong spots in your boat. From the time you enter Grace Under pressure you are committed to making a gap the size of a slalom gate in the fingers. Anything but perfection will be a scary day.
I'll share a personal experience from my first descent:
It was new years day and cold. I was wearing poggies. I was in the eddy at the base of GUP. Getting out was a real challenge as you have to clear around a boulder on the strong eddy line. I made it out but I was gonna hip check on the boulder. I pulled my hand out of the poggie to palm the rock in a stiff arm. I helped the boat to quickly get into fast current.
Even though I had taken pictures for an hour from the flake looking upstream it didn't help me at all from the boaters perspective. I had scouted from the upstream perspective but in the end I felt I should have done this more extensively,laying out all the "what if" lines a little more clearly in my mind.
So I pealed out of the Grace eddy with a hand out of the poggie from the stiff arm. I didn't drop my attention and passed the current leading to the Pinky finger slot. Rethinking about not losing my way and the virtue of having my hand back in the warm poggie I quickly took 2 seconds doing that. In that 2 seconds I lost my perspective on the slot I wanted. I delayed the needed move and it was a close call on getting on water headed to the index finger. There is a lot to look at up there. Even just this little bobble, forget a roll or a swim nearly caused a full on pressure moment for me
Keep in mind too that the favorable line down the ledges to the index finger 20 ft boof leads directly adjacent to Subway.
The water at the bottom of the index finger shockingly caused everyone in my group to carp out a crumy roll. the level that day was a very reasonable 3.6 ft
There is so much water in the middle going to subway, and the pinny/piton 5.2 right next to it. The pinky finger never looked good to me either in a kayak it didn't look like I'd escape the hole.
I'm sort of curious what others would prefer for the last 20 footer on the middle line. Alden, Is the index finger the preferred line for OB too?....how about the shallow boof just to the river right of the index finger?
Personally just being there is amazing. I always say that it's better to leave a rapid, a boof, a line undone for the next trip just to look forward to your next run. I think it's a positive spin on portaging vs feeling like a chump cause you were the only one that didn't run the goods.
remember if you can't roll 100% you have to pass on GF.
Don't run it without a guide and I suggest you scout it well enough that you likely can boat it without the guide in the first place. Like alden said scout it significantly from shore. A guide led 2 boaters by accident into subway a while back they all didn't survive.
That sounds like a great idea! I will definitely consider that when the time comes. Did you run the Center Lines? In an OC-1 or C-1? Thanks for your input!Alden wrote:Sam,
That is certainly a worthy aspiration!
On my first Great Falls run, I was determined to experience it to the same fullness that the first descenters (who included one C-1) did . . . I pre-scouted from shore ahead of time, purposely didn't watch others run first, and when I finally went there with my boat, I made sure it was early in the morning before any crowd/rangers were on shore, and brought along another kayaker with me who'd never run it before either. It was an unforgettable morning. It was very exciting to finally be there, looking at those rapids from the Flake up close. Then -- we went for it. It was almost like a first descent. It felt that way. It was a great experience, and I like to think Tom, Dan, and Wick would have approved.
I would recommend this method!
(But if you have any questions to post, I probably have answers.)
Check out the introduction to Todd Balf's book The Last River. The book itself is about the ill-fated 1998 Tsang Po descent in Nepal, but Balf uses the book's introduction to describe Tom McEwan and Wick Walker's first descent of Great Falls of the Potomac in 1976. That section is what inspired me to make my own first descent the way that I did.
Creeker, you have a canoe?
Alden