Snowden to USX Clairton Works 7.0 miles
Class Grad Size (Area/Volume) Scene/Poll Level
I 14/20 Tiny (51/85) C/B
estimate Streamside
Topographic Maps: Glassport
County Maps: Allegheny
Description: This small poling stream is often very shallow. Although close to the city, it is isolated in its valley with only a couple of houses along its banks. In most places the stream is very pretty, in a couple of places it is very trashy. The last mile passes alongside the slag dump and material storage yard for the Clairton Works. This stream is short and close to Pittsburgh so it makes a good run in the winter, or very early in the spring. The Montour bicycle trail travels alongside the creek from Large to Clairton. [Checked 1997]
Difficulties: Shallow water, and the tunnel under the Clairton Works downstream from the take-out. The tunnel has a sign indicating that hot water is discharged into the tunnel and steam sometimes pours out of the tunnel. The tunnel is long, with several turns, and you can not see from one end of the tunnel to the other.
Shuttle: The put-in at the Montour Trail Parking lot near Snowden where the Piney Fork joins Peters Creek. The take-out is along side State Route 837 upstream of the tunnel. An alternate put-in is further upstream at Finleyville. From there to Snowden the gradient is steeper, so you will need more water.
Gauges: None. If you can make the shallows in the first 0.25 mile, then the rest should be okay.
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.