WARNING: BAD SIEVE
We almost lost a good man to the sieve below the hole at El Roberto on 7/11/2005. Although he had
to buy us all beer that night for saving his life, I would prefer to buy my own. I am posting this
so nobody else will take this rapid as lightly as we did yesterday. Our party of 6 had a combined
25+ runs on this river and I think that we let out guard down in what seemed to be a fairly
innocuous spot. We put on around 12 at about 6.2 on the USGS gauge. The Bowater Gauge read 1.5 when
we put on and 1.35 when we took off. The sieve is created by the huge boulder that the author of
this picture is standing: http://www.americanwhitewater.org/photos/?photoid=7891 <br />
This photo (which can also be seen above is labeled El Roberto by Rob Maxwell) also illustrates the
typical line through the rapid: punch the upper corner of the hole and eddy out on river
left---avoiding the meat of the hole and the large tree obstructing the narrow exit on river right.
From the eddy, you ferry between the backwash of the hole and the truck-size boulder that is
blocking half of the river---threading between the boulder and the tree. At higher water, this is
an easy move because the eddy is large and the water is pillowing off the boulder. At lower water,
the boulder's undercut is exposed and the eddy is small, shallow, and leaks directly into the
undercut left side of the boulder with tremendous force. Most of the party had eddied out and the
fourth guy (I will call him Lazarus) hit the leaky part of the eddy and began to slip away. He went
for the ferry around the rock but didn't make it over the pillow and was sucked into the undercut.
He completely disappeared under the rock and at one point we could only see the 18" of his stern.
He sprung out from under the rock grasping for purchase but went back under before we could grab
him---fingernails scraping down the rock as he went under. While he was down there talking to
Jesus, we were there instantly to pull him out with ropes or whatever it took if he surfaced again.
He did---and we were able to grab both arms and it took all of us to pull his ass out from under
the boulder. Lazarus later explained that it was about 12 feet deep under the rock and very dark.
He said that he wouldn't have had the energy to crawl toward the light a third time. I honestly
don't know how he was able to manage it twice but he is a wicked strong mf$@%@&.
The main thing I learned that day is to take nothing for granted: paddle down every river as if it
were my first run. The other lesson learned is that maybe I will boof the flake next time and take
my chances with the hole and tree dance.

WARNING: BAD SEIVE<br /><br />
We almost lost a good man to the sieve below the hole at El Roberto on 7/11/2005. Although he had
to buy us all beer that night for saving his life, I would prefer to buy my own. I am posting this
so nobody else will take this rapid as lightly as we did yesterday. Our party of 6 had a combined
25+ runs on this river and I think that we let out guard down in what seemed to be a fairly
innocuous spot. Our party of 6 put on around 12 at about 6.2 on the USGS gauge. The Bowater Gauge
read 1.5 when we put on and 1.35 when we took off. The sieve is created by the huge boulder that
the author of this picture is standing: http://www.americanwhitewater.org/photos/?photoid=7891
<br /><br />
This photo also illustrates the typical line through the rapid: punch the upper corner of the hole
and eddy out on river left---avoiding the meat of the hole and the large tree obstructing the
narrow exit on river right. From the eddy, you ferry between the backwash of the hole and the
truck-size boulder that is blocking half of the river---threading between the boulder and the tree.
At higher water, this is an easy move because the eddy is large and the water is pillowing off the
boulder. At lower water, the boulder's undercut is exposed and the eddy is small, shallow, and
leaks directly into the undercut left side of the boulder with tremendous force. Most of the party
had eddied out and the fourth guy (I will call him Lazarus) hit the leaky part of the eddy and
began to slip away. He went for the ferry around the rock but didn't make it over the pillow and
was sucked into the undercut. He completely disappeared under the rock and at one point we could
only see the 18" of his stern. He sprung out from under the rock grasping for purchase but went
back under before we could grab him. We were there instantly to pull him out with ropes or whatever
it took when he surfaced again. We were able to grab both arms and it took all of us to pull him
out from under the rock. Lazarus later explained that it was about 12 feet deep under the rock and
very dark. He said that he wouldn't have had the energy to crawl toward the light a third time. I
honestly don't know how he was able to manage it twice but Lazarus is as strong as a horse. <br
/><br />
The main thing I learned is to take nothing for granted: paddle down every river as if it were my
first run. The other lesson learned is that maybe I will boof the flake next time and take my
chances with the hole.<br /><br />

The USGS North Chick gage is in an unstable stream bed that changes and shifts after floods. Lucky
for us, the Bowater Paddler's gage is placed in a very stable area and hasn't changed with each
flood. As of December 2004 here's how the USGS gage relates to the Paddler's Bowater Gage.

USGS = Paddlers Gage
10.93 = 5.50
7.68 = 3.25
7.23 = 2.90
6.92 = 2.80
6.84 = 2.50
6.57 = 2.20
6.30 = 1.80
6.27 = 1.75
6.16 = 1.50
6.14 = 1.10

I have an Excel 2000 spreadsheet that predicts the levels for North Chick and several other rivers
in the southeast. If you'd like a copy of this spreadsheet e-mail me at
H2Olevelcheck@boatingbeta.com and I will send it to you. I only check this address weekly, so
pardon me if I don't get back to you right away.

Paddle Safe - Rob Maxwell

Since the last time I checked this page out someone added some good pics. One of the rapids in the
pics that the author called "Truth or Concequence" is actually named "Back Street Ally". This is
always a good one to scout. Over the years I have seen all sort of trees stuck in this one.

The internet gauge is now way off. UPDATE: I ran it the other day at 6.17 on the Online gauge which
was 1.5 at Bowater and just under 0.5 at the top - I would consider this bare minimum to run from
the top of Cain, though some would say minimum is a little higher. It can be run lower if you putin
at drainpipe(down to maybe 1.1 on the bottom gauge if you don't mind banging on a lot of rocks).
Careful if you put on at Drainpipe - someone slashed my tire there in 9/04.

More N. Chick History:
Bob Slayden, David Broemel, Greer Edwards (Broemel), Ken Strictland, Charlie Sturdivant ran from
Rock House on Jan. 19, 1980. Minimum water level. Ran Falls, but rocky. Greer washed over the
falls, but OK. Water level about minimum. My notes say that N. Chick. was first run in Nov. 1979 by
Mike Stoker and Lewis Brawley. Second run was in December by Roger Scott, Ken Strictland, and Tom
Parsons. All runs were from Rock House.

We started putting in off a surface mine road that required extensive 4-wheelin to get access. This
point is about 1 mile downstream from the Greyfrier Road access. My recollection is not getting out
of the boat for the entire run once we leared the routes. Ran it 4-5 times in early 80's. Great
Creek. Still my very favorite. --Bob Slayden

From Clay Wright:

N. Chick:
Internet gage is easy now days . . .AW site rules! Cain side much more popular now . . why miss
Vortex and Drainpipe? Shorter, too. More write-up needed on Walden's crown jewel. When people say
they don't like it, they ran it too low.

When the North Chick Gauge is at 2.8 you can put in at Hixson Springs Creek along the powerline in
the state natural area and paddle down to North Chick. This will put you in right above Mystery
Falls. The hike to Hixson Springs Creek is about 30 min. Park at the new parking area for the
natural area on Hixson Springs Road. At levels below 2.8 you will probably have to walk down the
creek bed to North Chick but it is not far. This access keeps you off private land and allows you
to cut out the flat water.
<br />

<br />

From Ted Hayes
Here the beta.
Old 27 S (Dayton Pike)
Lft @ Falling Water
Go up Roberts Mill
Bear Lft @ Sawyer
Rgt @ Corral
Rgt @ Grey Frier
Dead end Street.
* No Public Parking *
Ask permission to park, locals were boater friendly.
Follow the drainage ditch off to the lft, it straight
to the creek.

Alot of flat water, some cool drops. Especially
Mystery Falls, overall a long day. Recommended when
the Chick is on the high side, and relatively warm. No
sure of the actual mileage, but I do remember it being
a pretty long paddle. There is a trail, according to
Terry Smith. When I get more info, I'll let you know.

From SEboater on Boatertalk:
1'7 - 2'2 low to med low
2'3 - 2'7 med (on avg)
2'8 - ? pushy, big holes, fun