Last Day of Winter

Elkhorn Creek
900cfs



Kenny Thomas made his first run down the Elkhorn today and he did it with Jay and I.  And of course he ran it in the Blue Hole.  The temperature only got up to 50 degrees butt it was a nice day and everyone was very comfortable on the water.

We met at the put-in around 11:30 and were on the water by noon. We paddled the shortened section skipping all the flatwater at the end.

The left side of the island was the place to be today.  I never had noticed before what a great ledge there is over there for surfing.  It was very nice today at this level.

We got off the river in time to catch the UK game on radio.  They may have lost to UCONN in the NCAA tournament, but for getting off our butts and getting on water even when we thought it might be a little cold, we are winners.  And if you didn't go with us on the Elkhorn today, well that must mean that you are losers.

Elkhorn List of rapids:
Church Ledge
Dam Rapid
S Turn Rapid or Dale's Railroad Rapid
Hawks Hole (largest gorge wall)
Lunch Stop Rapid
Dead Cow Rapid
Mill Rapid
Upper Colston
Lower Colston
Angioplasty
Surf City
Barking Dog Rapid
FARRT Rapid (Frankfort Area River Rodeo Team)

This was supposed to be a trip to the Rockcastle but due to weather and water we opted for the Elkhorn. But we will still do the Rockcastle very soon, probably in two weeks, so be ready!

*video from the trip

The Mighty Elkhorn

Elkhorn
2100cfs

Jay and I got on the Elkhorn today around 4pm.  The level was at 2100cfs and the temp was around 62 degrees.  I paddled my canoe while Jay test drove my Werner paddle.  I should have taken by kayak though it would have been way more fun.  The left side of Angioplasty is awesome.  That section alone makes the mediocre level of 2000cfs okay. Jay shot some video of me running the dam rapid in the canoe.

Jay Wrote:
Temp was around 60, level was around 2,000.  Lots of small, med, and big play waves.  One good one was the run on the opposite side of the island from Angioplast (the surf wave we always stop at).  It was huge.  I went around it like a byatch of couse, was a little chilly for me to tip.  Water is still on the chill side.  Comeon spring!

Paddlers & Places

I finally got my hands on a copy of the Kentucky Standard that has the profile on us.  We were featured in the People & Places section on February 26th, but for our profile the section was retitled Paddlers & Places.

Here are some of my favorite lines from the article:

It was about two and half years ago when Spalding Hurst and a handful of his friends headed to Kentucky's Rockcastle River to enjoy the views and quality paddling available in Daniel Boone National Forest.

The trip was the start of something bigger than anyone imagined.

Bardstown Boaters welcomes any level of paddler.
"We were all new once," Justin Janes said. "But I can't say I've ever met a stranger."

Emerson Ballard said he would paddle anything available.
"I'm not what you call a strong paddler," Ballard said.

From calm and cool members such as Ballard, to crazy and cocky members, such as co-founder John B. "the Prophet" Matthews Jr., who says he can walk on water, the boat club is open to all.

"We all share common interests of boating and the outdoors," Thomas said.  "So we try to find ways to create activities involving the outdoors, especially on the river."

Rowan Creek

Severe thunder storms and heavy rains hit the area this whole past weekend and continue to do so today. Lot's of creeks were going off because of all the rain, but being in Nashville for Jay's bachelor party and the SEC tournament I wasn't able to get on any of them.

I did manage to finally see Rowan Creek with some flow in it. I took these pictures of the brown whitewater at the bridge on Pottershop road.

The creek was moving really fast. The tributaries around Rowan Creek were rolling too. Just beyond the horizon line the creek drops as the picture on the left shows. That picture is from last summer when the creek was dry.

If you were to put on on right around here you would have to commit to running the big drop at the horizon line. There is another drop just below the big one that might be pretty good too.

Next time I'll have to bring my boat, some one to paddle with and run this bad boy from Pottershop to Heaven Hill.

Virtual BSF

Take a virtual ride on the Big South Fork as we prepare for Jay's bachelor river trip. I added place markers along the route of the Clear Fork and the Big South Fork that we'll be taking.

Clear Fork & Big South Fork Google Earth Placemarks

You can also check out the river on your Google Earth application by using the preset BSF placemarks above.

Lower Green Playspot

Driving down into the Green River gorge.

I went to Asheville this past weekend and while I was there Jennifer and I checked out the Green river area and got in some play on a spot of the Lower Green. From Asheville it was fairly simple to drive to. Maybe took about 45 minutes. The river was releasing at 100% the normal flow. The Put-in for this lower section run is the take out for the class V Green Narrows. There were many people taking out there. There is also an upper section that is class III. May have to run that one next time I am in Asheville.


Lower Green Playwave

The play spot is a pretty simple spot good for front surfing and side surfing. It had excellent roadside access, you just pull right up to it and park. This is exactly what the Beech Fork rapid should be like. A nice little park n' play wave.

Creek Boat

Ran across a Riot Sniper with a hatch for only $275. I would sure like to have this in the the club arsenal of boats. The boat is in Charlotte though and it may be hard to have it shipped here.