Big Creek to Hanging rock Access on the Dan River

Dennis and I with  Kelly and Warren Stacks floated the Dan yesterday.  We put in at Big Creek at the bridge on Lynchburg rd. and got out at the hanging rock access. Putting in here at the bridge is steep and muddy and there is very little parking.  This is not my favorite put in. The Dan River Company does this run and their private put in access is much better.

Warren and Kelly our paddle buddies.

Youth group kids rock jumping.

Kelly is victorious over a rapid.

Fun Day, fun people!

Just floated a rapid.  I think this is my favorite place, in a river!

Warren floating the rapid.

It took about 3 hours because the water was so low and we stopped and played a little.  Also we almost did not go because the river guage said it was 1.55ft and the cfs was 121.  My book "Paddling the Eastern NC Rivers"  said 1.5ft was the minium to paddle this section and we were close and the min. cfs was 125 but the river was  fine if you follow the current. 
This run is perfect for beginners.  It has class 1 rapids along the way and beautiful scenery.

It was a beautiful day with great friends.

Philpott Dam to Bassett- 2 unit release Smith River

Today Dennis and I decided to try redo this Smith River run at a different water level. The Philpott dam had a 2 unit release instead of 1 unit releases we have done in the past.  The dam ran from 1-5 today.  Sources told us it runs 1 unit for the first and last hour and 2 units the rest.  We put in at 2:30pm and got out at Bassett at 4:45.
The water level was up about 2 more feet than the last time.  Many of the rapids were washed out but the current was stronger than usual.  I would rather do this run at a 1 unit release.  It is more fun and the rapids are better.  Mark at Three Rivers Outfitters told me that you need to wait a minium of 1 hour after a dam releases in order not out run the water. The water is crystal clear and the scenary is pretty for the most part.  It does have several ugly trailers on the way.

We saw a bald eagle flying over the water today and a otter in Philpott Lake.  We also saw many wild ducks and Grey herrons.

This run has push and current.  I would not take beginners on this run because the water is deep and would be very difficult correct a swamped boat.  There is very very few places you can stand up on this run and the water was about 43 degrees and it was 95 degrees outside.

Snow Creek to Hemlock Access on the Dan River

Dennis and I discovered that the dam release water from Kibler 11-5 Saturday is at the section on the Dan River at Snowcreek to Hemlock at 9:30am Sunday.  During a time where the rivers are so low this is helpful if you want to paddle in the summer.  We arrived at Hemlock Access at 9:00 and put in at Snowcreek at 9:30am and got out at 11:45am at Hemlock. The water was up on the section more than I have seen it but it was very muddy from the rain with the dam release.   It did wash out some of the rapids.  The river gauge at Fransisco said 1.64ft but that is because the release water had past there.  This was no indicator of the water level at this run.  The class 2 at the end of the run (Hemlock Access) was the most fun I had ever run it.

I may do this section  the next day of the dam release again as long as it had not rained.  The muddy water took away from the beauty of this section. I decided after yesterday and today that I do not like MUDDY water. I like clear water with no tires in it.  Saw 3 car tires along the way.  Why would someone put tires in a river?

 If I remember correctly the peak of the release hits Hemlock at 10:30AM AFTER A Kibler dam release Saturday 11-5.  I just know the water was at Snowcreek today at 9:30am.

Jessup's Mill to Hart Access on the Dan River

Today Dennis and saw the river gauge at Fransisco at 2.18 and we thought it would be a good time to do Jessup's mill run on the Dan River.  We dropped a car at the Hart's access and put in at Jessup's Mill.  It is around a 6 mile run.  The folks at Jessup's Mill are very nice, tubing and let us park our car there.  I can not wait until they get everything fixed up there.  It is a work in progress.  Jessup's Mill has camping and music a couple of times a month. http://jessupmill.com/?page_id=538

When we got into to the water I noticed the painted river guage on the bridge said 1.9ft and the water was very muddly from the rain last night.  This was a fun run but I would have liked it at a 2.00ft or higher.  It is very hard to read the river lines in shallow water when the water is so muddy.  We bumped and scraped our share of rocks that we could not see coming.  Came the closest I have come yet to flipping today, twice.  I did a 360 degrees spin on two occasions stuck on a rock as well.

I found a new fishing technique today.  Just paddle our orange liquid logic coupes down the Dan River and trout just jump out of the water into the back of your boat, at least that what happened to Dennis.  Discovered that the river guage for Fransisco is close to the Hart access. It stated a 1.9 when we got out. I'll have to remember that.

New River at Gentry Rd to New River Outfitters at HWY 221 in Scottsville NC

Today Dennis, mom and I left to meet my brother Alan and his family at New River Outfitters to kayak the New River at Scottsville/ Jefferson NC just passed Sparta.  http://www.canoethenew.com/

 

This was Nana's first kayak trip! She mastered it at the end.

We put in at Gentry rd off Hope Wagoner rd and got out at the New River Outfitters location at 221 after the bridge.  There is one obstacle.  It is a low water bridge that usually you need to portage on the left but the water was so low we could float under it.  I think this would be a much better run if the water was not so low.

This was my mom's first kayaking trip.  She is close to 70 and ready to be "stretched" as she put it.  I was really proud of her. When we started mom got stuck before Dennis and I could get out boats in the water.  She got the hang of paddling halfway through the trip and by the end did great!  The biggest danger in this run is getting stuck on a rock because the water is so low.  It was so low that we bumped and grinded many places along the way.  It has some rapids but is a great beginner run the water is clear and only 1 1/2ft deep on most of the run or less.  Next time I will look at the river gauge.

http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv?cb_00060=on&cb_00065=on&format=gif_default&begin_date=2012-07-06&end_date=2012-07-06&site_no=03161000

Alan and his massive fish.

Alan was camping at the New River State park Campground.  It was very nice.  Great place to camp if you want to play on the river. Our run went past it's two accesses.  I knew we were close to being done as we past  it.  Great place to picnic or take a break.
Family float down the rapids.

Smith River,Philpott dam Spillway to Bassett access, July 4th

Had to go again!  It is hard to find places that has water in July, especially when we have had 2 weeks of close to 100 degrees with no rain.  July 4th we decided to take Casey and Carly to the Smith River.  Carly said she would only kayak if she did not have to paddle.  I believe she is a little lazy so Dennis and I thought this would be a good run since it is a dam release and the water is very cold.  We put in at 12 and got off at 2:15.  It was perfect.  I was a little worried we would out run the water release since they released from 11-9 and we put in at 12 but it was fine.  The video shows us going through the last rapid and Casey bumps Carly and she has to go through  backwards. The release was much like the last time 680 cfs and 4 ft.

Smith River, Philpott dam to Bassett

Today Dennis and I was looking for a place to paddle.  We were planning to paddle Kibler Valley to Saw mill Lane on the Dan River but the Kibler dam did not release water as scheduled.  Call Three River Outfitters in Eden, NC and talked to Steve who was very helpful http://www.3-r-o.com/ .  He referred me to Doug in Troublesome Creek Oufitters who knows all about whitewater trips. http://www.troublesomecreek.com/ . Doug said it would be a good idea to try faster moving water before I try Kibler Valley below the Basketball courts because the run is technical.

 He suggested we do Philpott Dam release at the spillway to the Bassett Access behind the Bassett Furniture Factory. It was about 6 miles and took us about 2hours and 20 minutes.  The Dam released from 11 am to 9 pm today it releases  690cfs and the gauge 4.01ft. http://waterdata.usgs.gov/va/nwis/uv?02072000 River gauge at Philpott.  Access information:  http://danriver.org/RiverInfo/Access/SmithRiver_PhilPott.htm

Doug said the water is always cold so be prepared.  The water temperature was in the 40's and the air temperture was 97 degrees.  It felt like we were riding on an air conditioner.  In cooler weather we would have to dress much differently because it was nice today and it was 97 degrees.

You start below the Philpott dam at the powerhouse.  This is one paddle trail where you only need to paddle to keep your boat straight.  The water keeps you moving it the dam is releasing which is the only time you can paddle it.  This run has several class 1 and possibly 2 rapids and the descending gradient of the river keeps you moving nicely.  It was really fun.

 Dennis and I could not get over how clear the water was.  This river was much deeper than others we have paddled 4-8 ft for fast moving water but you can see clearly everything on the bottom of the river including fish. It you are a new paddler you may not want to start here.  There are very few places to right your rec. kayak if your flip because the water is so deep.  I only remember 2 possible stopping places to get out and stretch.  No picnic spots to sit down on.  Even the grass spots in the movie are under water and boy is that water cold!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I could only bare walking in it for a few minutes before I could not feel my feet.

It was beautiful until you get to the take out access right past the second bridge.  It gets ugly fast from the remains of the old furniture factory and industrial soil.  Perfect trail to paddle when we have had a week of temperature near 100 degrees.