Great week in the southeast! Started off with a fun day on Wilson Creek with the gals on Wednesday and Linville on Thursday. Got some rain and the weekend off so Ryan and I figured we'd head to West Virgina where snowmelt had kept Mann's Creek flowing for days. After making a few phone calls we determined Mann's Creek may well be running a very low flow. Instead, we set our sights on a little known creek in Virgina that drops close to a 1ooo feet in three miles. You may recognize some of the drops and the mandatory portage in the pictures below from the American Whitewater page on Bottom Creek. You won't find any flow info there but you will find several photos posted by Gordon Dalton along with a few important notifications about the mandatory portage that is hard to spot from upstream. Go with someone who knows it your first time so you don't miss it and die!
Eye of the needle aka Inner Earth. This picture doesn't show the long entrance to the portage which could be easily mistaken as a great rapid. Go with someone who knows where to get out.
Ryan styles Three Blind Mice. This is the last serious drop but the creek continues for another mile of steep class 4.
Ryan warms up on the Kettels.
Despite the low flow we had a blast out there and were blown away by the creek. We hung out with friends and met some great people. Thanks Steve and Joey. Saturday night we headed to Watauga where we experienced sweet free camping at the put-in. We awoke to a perfect level for Watuaga. Good times.
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