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A. Elliottsville to Bruceton Mills 11.7 miles Class Grad Size
(Area/Volume) Scene/Pol Level I-II 5/5 Small (83/) B/A Topographic Maps: Brownfield,
Fort Necessity, Bruceton Mills County Maps: Fayette, Preston, WVa Description: A wonderful little stream flowing away from the road through pleasant old oak woodland. There are some less than attractive cabins below the junction with the Pa Little Sandy. Best part is above the PA Little Sandy, where the characters changes, but go to Bruceton Mills anyway. Difficulties: none Shuttle: The put-in is in Elliottsville where State Route 381 makes a sharp u-turn. Head north out the point of the u-turn. Go a short block and take the first left/west onto State Route 2003. Go another short block to the bridge over the creek. To reach the take out, return to State Route 38. Take the right-hand fork south. Go about 8 miles to State Route 26. Turn right/west onto State Route 26. In about 1.4 miles the road comes down the hill and runs parallel to the river for a short distance. Take out along State Route 26 above the dam. Gauge: Rockville. We do not have enough information to report runnable levels on this section. The river was run at a level of 5.7 on the Rockville gauge. Normal Wet Period: No available statistics on seasons. Since this section is tiny, it should normally be runnable only after a heavy rain or during spring snowmelt. B. Bruceton Mills
to Rockville 5.8 miles B. "The Upper Big Sandy" Class Grad Size (Area/Volume) Scene/Poll Level III-IV 28/47 Medium
(200/422) A/A 5.8-7.0 Topographic Maps: Bruceton Mills (WVa), Valley Point (WVa) County Maps: Preston (WVa) Description: The trip starts with 1.5 miles of flatwater and becomes progressively more difficult as one approaches Rockville. Once you pass under Interstate 68 the trip is remote and pleasant. This is an intimate, isolated stream. It is very beautiful when the rhododendron blooms. It is not as difficult as the Little Sandy. [Checked 1982] Difficulties: All of the Class IV rapids occur after the Little Sandy has entered. The first of these is a long slide into several hydraulics which are nearly river wide. The next rapid is a 6‑foot river-wide falls which forms nasty hydraulics in the center and to the right at higher levels. Scout this, then sneak behind the rock ledge on river left at the top of the rapid. Then choose your chute. The last rapid before the bridge at Rockville is long and requires considerable maneuvering. Strainers frequently lodge here and a pin is possible. Generally, it is best to run this rapid to the right of center. This river is appropriate for expert open boaters or intermediate closed boaters. Shuttle: Put in below the dam at Bruceton Mills. Take out at the bridge at Rockville. The road to Rockville is rough. Take West Virginia Route 26 to Valley Point. Turn right/west onto County Road 15. Go about 5 miles to Hudson and Mt Nebo. Turn right/north onto County Road 14. Go 0.5 miles. Turn right and then immediately left for the plunge into Rockville. Please do not block the driveways. Gauges: Rockville. This gauge should read between 5.8 and 7.0 feet. This corresponds to a flow of 445 to 1,120 cfs. See also comments in the Section B of this stream below. Normal Wet Period: This section is normally runnable from mid February to mid April, and it does not have a season when it is too high. C. Rockville to
Jenkins Bridge 5.1 miles C. "Lower Big Sandy" Rockville to Jenkins Bridge Class Grad Size (Area/Volume) Scene/Poll Level V 81/107 Medium (200/422) A/A 5.8-6.5 Topographic Maps: Bruceton Mills (WVa), Valley Point (WVa) County Maps: Preston (WVa) Description: This section is more difficult than the Tygart Gorge or Cheat Canyon and is comparable to the Upper Yough. This remote, unspoiled stream is a favorite of many local Class V paddlers, and for good reason. The rapids are technical and dramatic as the river tumbles among house-sized boulders and is punctuated by dangerous waterfalls. The scenery is unsurpassed by any river in the Monongahela watershed. The banks are choked with underbrush so that scouting is difficult, but there is an old railroad bed on the river right mountainside if a hike back to Rockville becomes necessary. [Checked 2003] Difficulties: Expert boat control, a solid roll, and a companion who knows the river well are prerequisites to your first excursion here. There are at least five Class V rapids on this run. About 1.5 miles into the trip comes a tough Class IV rapid which ends in a small pool, followed immediately by an 18‑foot waterfall. The next major rapid is the Zoom Flume, a 10‑foot descent over a 50‑foot washboard. Then Little Splat, a gloriously technical Class V rock garden. Below this lies the second major falls, Big Splat, which is a complex 25‑foot drop which must be carried on the right. This is a Class VI rapid with a Class V carry on the right. There is a portage trail on river left. The advantage of this trail is that you can relaunch in less turbulent water. The disadvantage is that you must come within 50 feet of Big Spat to access the trail. After a mile of more or less continuous Class IV water one approaches First Island Rapid. This is a boulder-strewn series of 6- to 8‑foot drops which is every bit as difficult as anything on the Upper Yough. The last mile of the run is a continuous Class III-IV tumble to the Cheat River. Shuttle: Put in at Rockville as described in Section A. An alternative is to put in at Bruceton Mills and run the Upper Big Sandy as well, or to put in on the Little Sandy at West Virginia Route 26. These options make the trip longer, but the drive to Rockville is lengthy and rough. The take-out is the same as for the Cheat Canyon. An alternate, shorter shuttle from Rockville to Jenkinsburg via dirt roads is appropriate for rugged four-wheel-drive vehicles only. Gauges: Rockville. This gauge should read between 5.8 and 6.5 feet for first time runners. This corresponds to a flow of 445 to 770 cfs. An outside staff is available at Rockville under the bridge on river right. There is also a gauge under the bridge at Bruceton Mills near Interstate 68. To convert a Bruceton reading to a Rockville reading multiply the Bruceton reading by 0.75 and add 5.7. The Cheat River gauges are useless since the watersheds are so far removed. The Ursina gauge on the Laurel Hill will usually be 1.7 or above when this is runnable. Normal Wet Period: This section is normally runnable from mid February to mid April and does not have a season when to is normally too high. It is often available after heavy rains. |
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