Saluda, |
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| Usual Difficulty | II-IV (may vary with level) |
|---|---|
| Length | 11 Miles |
| Name | Range | Difficulty | Updated | Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SALUDA RIVER BELOW LK MURRAY DAM NR COLUMBIA, SC | ||||
| usgs-02168504 | 700 - 20000 cfs | II-IV | 00h41m | 7370 cfs (rc= 0.3 ) |
Mill race rapid is just to the left of the Island under the power lines. Beware of the right side of the Mill Race at higher flows. A dangerous hole forms, and there is some very sharp rock and re-bar in the streambed.
There is a nice trail below pop up hole on river right that can be used to walk back up to the top of the mill race. There is good river access on river left at pop up hole.
Pop up hole is munchy 2500-3500cfs
Pop up is optimal at 4000-4500 cfs
It can range from a pourover to a meaty ledge hole. It is best around 3500 to 4500 cfs (easy to link moves). Most of the time you can only cartwheel to the left but at higher flows you can wheel either way. It has a good access eddy.
At low flows it is perfect to practice your enders, pirouettes, cartwheels, and mystery moves.
The water is cold all the time (around 50�F) and is always running (dam controlled), so you can count on a playspot there in one form or another.
How to get there:
Heading towards Columbia on I-26 get onto I-126 towards Columbia. Take the River Bank Zoo exit.
Turn left at the stop sign. Turn left towards the zoo. Turn right into the parking lot. Take
another right after you cross over the railroad tracks. Then head to the end of the parking lot.
There is a short trail here that leads to the river. Now paddle around the little Island and head
upstream to river right for the hole.
AW article on 1993 Saluda River Festival
| Name | Range | Difficulty | Updated | Level | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SALUDA RIVER BELOW LK MURRAY DAM NR COLUMBIA, SC | ||||||||||||
| usgs-02168504 | 700 - 20000 cfs | II-IV | 00h41m | 7370 cfs (rc= 0.3 ) | ||||||||
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| When | River/Gauge | Subject | Level | Reporter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saluda [SC] |
"Throwin' ends" in the Pop-Up Hole
|
~4800cfs | Jeff Wilson | |
| 2y13d08h40m | saluda [SC] |
pop-up hole throwing ends at low water.
|
500 | Marty Peterson |
| 6y324d17h40m | Lower Saluda [SC] |
Another Loop
|
4300cfs | Jeff Wilson |
No guide books for this stream. If you know of a book that describes this stream please contact and advise the StreamTeam member for this run. | Mile | Rapid Name | Class | Features (Legend) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.0 | Hope Ferry Landing / Saluda Shoals Regional Park |   | |
| 3.5 | Gardendale (SCE&G) Put-In | | |
| 5.5 | Oh Brother Rapids | II | |
| 5.6 | Ocean Boulevard Rapids | II | |
| 7.0 | Stacy's Ledge | III |  |
| 7.4 | Blast o'matic | III+ | |
| 7.5 | Mill Race Rapids | IV |  |
| 8.0 | Pop Up Hole/Mosh Pit | III |  |
| 9.0 | Shandon Rapids | II+ | |
| 9.5 | White House Rapids | II+ | |
| 10.0 | Hampton Street Rapids | II | |
| 10.5 | Senate Street Landing |  |
River Alert
State News
River Links
NWRI - Saluda 4 - Lake Murray Dam to Broad/Congaree confluence (mobile)
User Comments
playspots, offering serious move potential. Mills Race reminded me of "riding the dragons back"
style rapids of the Gauley. What blows my mind is that we were the only ones out that day, mind
blowing, ya'll missed out on some big water action! I think its called BlastoMatic, just upsteam of
Mills Race, the wave/hole up there at 17,000 is NUTS! River wide, serious power, munchy in the
lowest/biggest hole, allowing lots of manuevers and buck-wild rides, but can be accuretley surfed
out of. If they release the Saluda that big again, anytime soon, I'd drop what you were doing and
get boating! Edit
run the cascade above the zoo play area unless you: a: have a death wish b: really know what you're
doing, have a recovery team and paid up life insurance or a really good medical plan, sharp rock,
rebar and misc mess from a destroyed dam fill the entire width of the river. From the dam to town
is 4-8 hours depending on motivation and water level. Good play water and fishing along the entire
length. Put in at Saluda Shoals Park and take out at Zoo or portage Zoo Rapids and float through a
Cls II rock garden down to the confluence with the Broad and onto the Congaree to the Rosewood
(Barney Jordan) boat ramp (another hour or so). My now 15 year old made the trip his first time at
age 4 in a two seat Kayak. I've floated it with a troop of Scouts in 18' Grummans, two seat open
kayaks, A 16' Explorer and in my own play boat. Every boat type has a slightly different experience
but I enjoy it every time.
there is a short section of flat water (at low water) and then the river narrows down and makes a
hole/wave. That is pop up hole. Edit
Saluda stuff
-------------------------------
Some corrections to the names:
Radio Towers is at put-in. At high flows (15,000+) Maytag and Lap of luxury come into play (not
rock of luxury :) )
Moshpit=Pop-up, just different names.
The creek currently has some ugly strainers, use caution.
Please note the importance of having a local show you down Millrace the first time, there are
places you just DON'T want to be depending on water levels. plus, some more play stuff happens in
the top of Millrace on the dreaded right side at up to maybe 3,000 that you
would not want to attempt if you didn't know just where you could and could not be.
There is no mention of the rest of the section. To run the river from the zoo to Gervais:
(class II-II+ (III) if you start below Millrace)
First rapid is Shandon Rapid (III-), .25 mi below Pop-up: as the river splits, take the right fork.
Run the rapid on river right. A straight shot, with a
decent hole and a side surfing wave at some levels.
There has been a foot entrapment death here.
River then widens and the Broad joins the Saluda. There is a riverwide shoal type rapid with lots
of playable waves and holes. Run just left of the rocks
in the middle of the river.
From here down, read and run easy class II+. There are some more holes etc as you approach the
first bridge, nothing scary unless the water is really high. Takeout just past the second bridge
(not
counting the zoo bridge) on river left, there is a small beach. Access here may be iffy right now,
tread lightly.
This is a good short beginner run. At higher flows most things begin to wash out and some holes
form near the bridges. 3 mi. Can be run in an hour or less.
Directions to Gervais takeout from the zoo: get back on I-126 towards Columbia (east). Take the
first exit (Huger St.) A mile or so down Huger, turn right on
Gervais St. Just before crossing the bridge, there is a parking lot on the left hand side with a
bus stop in
front of it. Park here. Walk to the back corner of the lot, down that street just a bit, and you
will see the short take-out trail down to the river.
Accident report of a 1998 drowning at millrace