|
|
Post by Tony Daniel on Feb 25, 2019 12:07:08 GMT -5
Date: Sunday Feb.24th 2019
River: Birch Cora Brown to below Herold
Level: 7.75 feet and dropping
Coordinator: Tony Daniel
Participants: John Henry and Kirby (wv adventures guides/video boaters), Tracy and Mary (video boaters from the 90s), Ruth Bell, Tony Daniel
Comments:
This is a tale of two runs- as advertised the birch was a class 2+ run from Cora Brown to Herold. The river had jumped up a couple of feet overnight so it was running 7 and 3/4 feet, meaning that everything was linked up, what pools there were, were short and moving. I actually thought the rapids were easier, than at 5-6 feet. Much more wide open you just had to be careful paddling where currents crossed. Swims would have been long but everyone had clean runs on this section.
From the bridge at Herold to a spot a couple of miles downstream, the river totally changed in character. Ruth and I (Tony), the weeny boaters, took out at Herold while John Henry, Kirby, Mary and Tracy went on. I told them I thought the river was a step up from what we had done.
Ruth drove her truck down the private road (we obtained landowner permission earlier) to the second takeout. When the four remaining paddlers hit the second takeout they were all jacked up. Apparently, there was nothing class III about this stretch at 7 and 3/4 ft. A couple of combat rolls were needed and one involved a tree in a hole. They wisely went left of the island because the right side had a particularly steep sticky hole as viewed from the private road. Thus a tale of two runs, a washed out class II section and a class IV section.
|
|
|
|
Post by Tim Broughton on Feb 25, 2019 19:36:45 GMT -5
Did you guys drive as far as the church? I've been meaning to get over there and find it, as there's supposed to be another take-out, but I can't recall how many miles that adds to the trip.
|
|
|
|
Post by Tony Daniel on Feb 26, 2019 13:07:40 GMT -5
no not as far as church, got a heads up at a roll session about a private road and residence just below Herold, one of the landowners on the road happened to be out, unlocked a gate, and even gave me a 4 wheeler ride out to the main road since the road was rough.
|
|
