Dark Shade Creek to Stony Creek 9.8 miles
Class Grad Size (Area/Volume) Scene/Poll Level
III 56/75 Small (97/162) A/A 12-9 bricks
Seanor Hillsboro Bridge
Topographic Maps: Windber, Hooversville
County Maps: Somerset
Description: From the put-in on the Clear Shade Creek, run about 100 yards down to the junction with the Dark Shade. The river widens considerably when the two streams join to form the Shade Creek. From the junction of the Clear and Dark Shades to Hillsboro, rapids are formed by sediment and rock buildup from the 1977 flood. [Checked 1987]
Difficulties: About 2 miles into the run there is a 4‑foot ledge. Run it on the right where there is a chute. The left drops straight off. About 2/3 of the way to Hillsboro, the river splits around and island; most people take the right channel. At Hillsboro the character of the stream changes to steep drops separated by swift moving water. About 0.75 miles below the Hillsboro Bridge the stream makes a sharp right bend with a sheer 100‑foot canyon wall on the left. It is here that the stream deposited an 8‑foot pile of stones and rocks that forms a natural dam. There is a sluiceway on the left that leads smack into a rock if you do not make the necessary right turn at the bottom of the drop. A sweet Class III+. Major flooding in 1977 and the subsequent rebuilding, dredging, channelizing and blasting have substantially altered the character of parts of this stream.
Shuttle: The put-in is on the Clear Shade at State Route 160. To get to the take-out, go north on State Route 160. Turn left/north onto State Route 56. Turn left/west onto State Route 601. Take out at Seanor 0.5 miles above junction with Stony Creek. This trip can be broken into two smaller segments by accessing at Hillsboro. This would cut the trip roughly in half.
Gauges: Hillsboro center bridge pier. This gauge should read between 12 to 9 bricks showing. Ferndale. This gauge further downstream on Stony Creek will probably read between 3.5 and 4.5 feet (2003 rating table). A quick check on the level is possible by looking at the river from the bridge in Seanor. If this looks runnable, the entire section should have adequate water, as this is about the shallowest point on the run. Note that the Shade rises and falls faster than the Stony.
If the Shade is too low, and if you are an experienced canoeist with a decked boat, try the nearby Stony Creek or the Blacklick Creek. These are more difficult streams.
Normal Wet Period: No available statistics on seasons. Since this section is small, it should normally be runnable approximately January through April.