Windber to Stony Creek 2.7 miles
Class Grad Size (Area/Volume) Scene/Poll Level
V 130/200 Tiny (37/62) C/C
Paint
Creek
Topographic Maps: Windber, Hooversville
County Maps: Somerset, Cambria
Description: Scout the entire run. Then decide whether to run it. The lower mile has two waterfalls 6 to 10 feet in height. The last half mile down to the Stony drops 100 feet. Although the pollution rating is C, you will be so busy with the stream that you will not notice it on the water. [Checked 2003]
The Bens Creek Canoe Club’s web site offers a description of this creek, as well as several others on the area.
http://www.benscreekcanoeclub.com/Creeks.htm
Difficulties: Every boat length. Blind descents in places through boulders. There are sluices, slides and undercut rocks. The run is peppered with 3 and 4 foot drops, as well as one 6 foot and one 10 foot falls. Scout everything, as there are occasional downed trees in the only available channel.
Shuttle: Put in below the State Route 601 bridge and below the falls in Windber. From the put-in, take State Route 601 across State Route 56 toward Paint Boro. Take the first right turn with a sign in Paint (State Route 4022) to the junction with Stony Creek.
Gauges: Ferndale. We do not have enough information to report runnable levels on this section. This gauge on nearby Stony Creek will probably read above 5.0 feet (2003 rating table). There is a painted gauge on river right, downstream side of the railroad bridge just before the creek enters Stony Creek. Zero feet is a minimum level unless you plan to portage several of the sliding boards.
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. Ferndale gauge is above 5.0 feet 8% of the time.