How many of you have a "local run" in your backyar

[kaz]

I have this run in my backyard called Roaring Brook. It involves a mile walk through my woods to get to a place where you would want to put in. I've hiked along it before. I'm pretty sure it's never been run, by white men anyway. it has a lot of strainers and looks to be class 3-4 when it's runnable, which isn't too often. Other than that, the Ashuelot is 5 miles down the road for class 2-4.

JKaz

[greybear]

I have some great runs with alot of rain. Big Wilson Creek 5 minutes down the road. Whitetop Laurel, Beverdam creeks (Class III)in Damascus VA and the South Holston (classII). Yhought noramlly 2 1/2 hours to the Noli or New River Gorge.

[Wendy]

Our front yard is Jonathan Creek, a predominately class 2 creek with a nice class 3-4 just past the house that is almost 1/8 mile long. The Pigeon/Big Creek 20 minutes away. And, all those mentioned by ELi for Western NC. Right in front of the house is a play spot and I attain up to other play spots. You can hear the river from every room in the house at night. Now, anyone want to buy the house in Birmingham?

[2opnboat1]

Suck Creek 15 mins
North Chick 20 mins

[Mike W.]

Weldon is 10 minutes if I have to stop at every light. You can drop the boat under I-95 & bike the shuttle on the Canal Trail in 6 minutes or park & play (park & sink if the level's right ) From 1,800 to 40,000cfs, there's always something to play on. Tonight I surfed the Sith in the dark as flow spiked from 2,250 to 15,500cfs

If we get a good hurricane, Chockoyotte Creek is a couple minutes closer. Hard to catch water in it though. I only know of 4 of us that have run that one.

[JFD]

Decker's creek 1 minute drive from home (class 5 section and class 2-3 section, needs rainfall or snowmelt to make it go). The class 5 section is one of the best miles of boating anywhere, but some of the worst sieves on the planet, and the risk really adds up if you boat it a lot. The class 2-3 stretch is a great wildwater training run when the water is up good, just have to take out upstream of the sh-t tributaries in town.

[sbroam]

The Saluda in Columbia, SC is 30 min from the house, 15 from the office. 3 mile class II(IV) easily shuttled for an after work run. A total of 9 miles (I-IV - depending on release) are available for begginer on up. Scheduled releases should make things more interesting soon.

I pass a landig for a beautiful blackwater creek entering my eployer's campus - nice lunchtime run.

[mahyongg]

I could walk to a small class I leading to lake constance. that basically is a feature of the rhine.. which in an other day trip, brings you to the rhine falls in schaffhausen, a prohibited VI fall that has been run in kayaks, and then on all the way to the netherlands.

In terms of actual WW, I have a nice 2+ run 25 minutes away (15 before I moved.. too bad, eh?) and a good selection within 2 hrs of driving. Being located on the northern edge of the (European- but they are the original ones anyways, eh?) alps, there is plenty to choose from for weekend trips, which is most of what happens anyways. James' pad is about a 2hr. drive from my place.. a good starting point.

And Einar, thanks for reminding me why we will have to work hard to actually make the move back to North Van one day! Love the Seymour, can't wait to paddle the Cap and Upper Seymour. Don't forget all the goodness of Squamish, too, which I'd still consider backyard for North Van..

Cheers!

Jan

[Dooleyoc-1]

Eli, we share one local run (and it's run of the best runs in North America)... Big Creek! 50 minutes from my office (and I believe about the same to Asheville too if not closer)

We need to start meeting up at Big Creek again. I haven't run it since May so I'm dying to get back on it.

I love all the runs in the smokies and even though west prong is harder I think Big Creek is the most high quality boulder garden run in the park (it's a tough call because Tremont, Ramseys and West Prong are all top notch but I think Upper Big Creek is the most high quality)

[markzak]

Sweet hearing about everyone's back yard runs!

Here in Pennsylvania, I like 10 minutes from the Lehigh River (class II-II+) put-in and take-out. I also live 5 minutes from the Stony Creek put-in (see cboats calendar for pic) and I live 5 minutes from Mud Run (Cl III-IV+)

We're actually blessed with amazing boating in PA. PA has more miles of streams than any state in country except Alaska. Within an hour, I have close to 20 very high quality runs that could keep me whitewater satisfied for a lifetime.

[the great gonzo]

The Thompson in Kamloops is flat, but has, when it's high, some intereting seams for squirting. The closest local spot is the Walhaching wave on the Thompson, about 45 minutes away. Good play, squirting there can be a bit scary (elevator dooown... ...).
But there is good variety within 2 hours of driving. The Clearwater has everything from class I-II sections to introduce beginners to csections that are classV+ at low water and unrunnable when it's high.
The Thompson Canyon from Nicoamen to Lytton is always an entertaining big water run, too.

TGG!

[Todhunter]

All you guys are lucky. It is 2 hours to the closest normally running good whitewater for me.

[fleckbass]

About an hour from the Lower Yough. It runs all year long, even this year under 1.3' Several good creeks nearby and the Cheat water shed isn't much further. Not exactly backyard but not bad when ya gotta work in the Burgh.

[ohioboater]

New is about 2.5 hrs, Yough and Cheat about 3.

[SkeeterGuy86]

5 minutes from Spring Creek put in, ... the Spring Creek in Overton County Tennessee

dont know the classification but its still a fun run