Paddlin’ Ed

Last release of the year for this wonderful run, came around this year a welcomed time.  After a dry summer and fall,  getting a end of season run in on the dam released Cheoah was great.  While the day started out on the cold side by 11 or so when we put on it had warmed up nicely into the 60’s with a good bit of the day in the sun with occasional clouds.  I met up with Darron P.,  plus Ana and Drew where in from Colorado for their first run on the Cheoah.  Level was excellent at 1,1oo+ cfs.

So Ana and Drew could get the a look at the whole run we put in at the FS put-in just below the dam.  While there is not a lot on this section down to the normal put in around the store and O’Henry’s,  it is a nice warm up.  The upper section does have one nice ledge with a healthy hydraulic to be mindful of.  One we pass O’Henry’s of course things picked up quickly.

Darron lead with Ana and Drew following,  I paddled sweep most of the way.  Overall we had good run.  Darron had a excellent run, and elected to jump in the big wave hole around the bend just below “Take-out” rapid,  with some success and a little head bang on a roll coming off it.  In the upper part I found Wilma ledge pretty sticky this day even coming off at the far left correctly,  it wanted to play with me and I had to dig deep and pull left to catch the flow off the far left.

Drew did excellent for a first run,  Ana did well also but did dance a bit with a couple of holes.  After a break at the FS bridge above Bear Creek,  we headed down into the meat of the run.  Just above the bend above the run down to the falls, we all caught the eddy river left.  Darron lead off, followed by Drew,  Ana started out and went higher and caught a rather sticky hole just above the last drop into the run.  I had just started out when Ana started her dance with the hole hydraulic and I had to make some serious adjustments to my line to avoid her and keep from wash over the drop backwards.  After kicking it in high gear and moving around Ana,  I dropped down the far right and out into the top of the run above the falls.  Catching a bit of backwash, I observed Darron and Drew had moved on and Ana above was still dancing sideways in the hole above.  Digging in a bit I managed to hold till I saw Ana come out upright then had to turn and run as I was already slipping low. 

My run down to the staging eddy above the falls however was now further right than I had planned on, and after boofing a rock pile I got wanged by the hydraulic curl on the backside and found myself in the inverted position (not a position desired in this area).  With considerable focus I hung-out till it felt right to roll, and hammer down, rolling up facing upstream in the tail end of the hydraulic.  Being in the position,  I lost no time in putting considerable effort into moving river left and finding line and current to work.  After dropping some ledges and chute I arrived in the lower staging eddy,  quite ready to catch my breath from my roll above.

After a few minutes Darron, Ana, and Drew all came down and caught the left eddy above me.  Darron headed down,  then Ana signaled  me to go on so she and Drew could watch my line also.  I had good clean drop, and fair boof off the top allowing for a good landing.  I found a current this day though that let me catch the eddy behind a large rock outcrop just below to the left.  From there I headed to river right eddy where Darron and I watch Ana and Drew do their drops with excellent lines. 

From there we headed down over the drop in Bear Creek Rapid down below the falls.   From the eddy below I ran down the drops, but caught an edge in a drop and while well tucked did a little head banging and bottom mapping of my own.  Darron, Drew and Ana caught up with me below at an eddy on river left.  From here we ran the run down to the bridge eddy above yardsale.  Then down the right side through yardsale to the lake below.

Darron, Drew, and Ana went up for an extra run from the FS bridge down to and through Bear Creek and on to the lake.   After Dinner in Robbinsville Ana and Drew headed out toward the Green for the morning.  Darron and I met up others at the Caulderwood takeout for a campfire.  As there was no Sunday release,  the next day I headed for the Ocoee come morning.