Crabtree Creek,
|
|
Swanton, MD to Savage Reservoir
| Usual Difficulty |
III-IV+ (may vary with level) |
| Length |
6 Miles |
| Avg. Gradient |
130 fpm |
| Max Gradient |
160 fpm |
Down We Go
Down We GoPhoto of Laura Breeden by Jeff Jarriel taken 9/2003
Gauge Information
River Description
ATTENTION: As of March, 2007 Crabtree Creek might better be called OhCrapAnotherTree Creek.
There are numerous trees requiring portaging and an equal number requiring careful attention to get
beyond in a boat. A few are in bad spots around blind bends or midway through rapids after it is
too late to easily stop. When in doubt scout to avoid problems.
This creek is hard to catch because the Savage River drainage lies in the rain shadow of the
Allegheny Plateau. With snowmelt or a big rain, however, Crabtree Creek is well worth checking out
by boaters with Class IV creeking skills.
The latest edition of West Virginia Wildwater - now called
A Canoeing and Kayaking Guide to West
Virginia - includes a brief description of the last 1.8 miles. This description covers 6 miles
from the confluence of the north and south forks to the reservoir. The creek has nonstop action and
several Class IV stretches.
The Rapids:
The stream starts off flat and narrow - maybe 10 ft. wide - and has the feel of an oversized
drainage ditch. The first half mile is easier, then the creek begins to tilt into a pretty
rhodedendron and hemlock forest. Eddies are a premium throughout the run and from here you can
expect constant Class III and Class IV action, with several blind corners, dops, tight moves. There
are several long slalom rapids with multiple drops and three biggies that tend to sneak up on
people. Watch out for wood and railroad related debris - the adjacent rail line dumped many cross
ties down the banks along the creek.
Features worth noting include 6 railroad bridge crossings. The last bridge funnels the creekflow
through a very long tube. Scout this from both ends before running through to make sure it is clear
of debris. The end of the tunnel slants down a sloping sluiceway into a juicy hole (Class IV+).
Midway through the run there is a large sloping ledge that drops about 10 feet (Class IV) and has
an abrupt and tight entry. Wood and railroad ties have been found clogging the top of the drop, so
stop and scout this as well. Though it can probably be run most anywhere - as long as you remain
upright - the best line is down the left. Further down is a long rapid in a right-hand bend (Class
IV); it starts with a narrow chute guarded by an undercut then flows over two medium ledges (the
second is broken in a pattern that looks like giant teeth). Finally, the rapid goes through a
series of slides just around the bend. Near the end of the run you will encounter a sloping falls
that looks undercut on river right and is guarded by an overhanging ledge on the right. A low water
inspection reveals the rocks aren't undercut enough to pose much danger, but there is a mean hole
at the bottom and a shaky line could get your head taken off (Call it IV+).
Access:
For the run, putin in Swanton, MD downstream of a bridge on
river right in the railroad
right-of-way. Please be discreet at the putin (come dressed to boat and leave as many vehicles as
you can at the takeout). There has been friction with a man who lives on river left at the putin
bridge. Takeout at the last bridge before the Savage Reservoir.
StreamTeam Status: Verified
Last Updated: 2007-03-26 17:03:14
Editors
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. 
User Comments
certain redhead who was running the Savage over the 4th of July weekend, and I decided to wander
over to the Crabtree, not really thinking that I would do anything. However, feeling a mixture of
altruism and virtue combined with perhaps a smidgen of vindictiveness and foresight, I decided that
my old log nemesis (the one that nearly killed me---see earlier comment below) really should be
removed. Because it was in too-deep a gorge to approach directly, I cleverly approached it pretty
casually from downstream. Long story short, I cut out the evil log, which was only slightly less
dangerous at this point in time than when I paddled by, as well as about a dozen branches from a
mostly-fallen tree on the right shore that were completely blocking the creek. For good measure, I
cut out some other exceptionally annoying branches that blocked a perfectly delightful little
slide. So is this delightful little creek safe to paddle now? Not by a long shot! But the only log
on this creek that really put the fear of gods into me is now vanquished, until another one
replaces it there or somewhere else. Enjoy! And don't forget to wear your scouting booties! Edit
(Barton) level was 2.7 and 400 cfs and still rising slightly. This was a good, but definitely
minimum, level---rocky at times. I couldn't find the in-water gauge at the gauging station. The
level was rising due to some (light?) rain on some small amount of snow (possibly heavier residual
snow locally on the river-right, north-facing slope---brrr). I put on at the last railroad
crossing, 1.7 miles downstream from Swanton. The creek upstream of this point looked trivial and
annoying, and there was a wide, dryish rocky bar just before the last tunnel. I'd say that this is
the best put-in. The creek seems more natural below this point. I walked the shuttle up the
railroad tracks, after leaving my boat at the top. There is a trail down to the water near some RR
switches/signals, river left. This would be a great, fabulous, Class 4 (5) run except for about 15+
log jams. Now, I'm better than average at snaking under, over, through, or around log jams without
portaging, but they nevertheless severely reduced my enjoyment of this otherwise excellent run. The
first time that I swam at a log jam on this trip was merely annoying, even though I had to walk
about 300 feet downstream to reclaim my paddle (lost gear doesn't get far on this creek), and I
really should have stopped to scout the 4 drops where it jammed, anyway (4, including a "ledge"
formed by a log). (Also, I did pull a large branch out of this slot, before running it, so that was
good.) But soon, there I was, headed backwards down a slide toward yet another horrendous log jam
after missing a not-really-last-chance pseudo-almost-eddy. I made it over, under, and through that
one (but definitely not around), but there is another one down below, soon after where the road
appears on river left, where I pinned in a fast, meaty, and blind rapid, and was definitely in fear
for my life (can't see it from the road). After pulling my boat loose (lets see: 75 gallons times 8
pounds per gallon . . .), it got away from me (through the barely-boat-size hole under the log,
hint) and went 1/4 mile or so downstream through some trivial rapids without me, stopping just
above the private bridge. True, I carried or pinned at only four or five log jams, and the creek
would be fabulous without the logs, but I can't really recommend this creek under these conditions.
Hands down, this is the loggiest creek that I have ever paddled, and I thought (until this) that I
had paddled some stinkers!!! Oh, and if, after this "glowing recommendation," you still just have
to paddle it, watch out for the big roadside ledge below the drainage ditch tributary waterfall.
The hole is sticky and the undercut on the right that it feeds into seems deep.
Barton. Crabtree should have been raging but it was at a nice level. The upper part was pretty
scrapy. As more tribs dumped in, eventually the creek changed to a great level. I ran the lower
stretch along the road once at 500 cfs but I doubt you could go any higher upstream at that
level.
What a great creek! I ran it for the first time 10 years ago and always love going back!