Potomac, Maryland, US/Virginia, US |
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| Usual Difficulty | V+ (for normal flows) |
|---|---|
| Length | 1 Miles |
| Avg. Gradient | 100 fpm |
| Max Gradient | 500 fpm |
| Name | Range | Difficulty | Updated | Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| POTOMAC RIVER NEAR WASH, DC LITTLE FALLS PUMP STA | ||||
| usgs-01646500 | 2.00 - 3.50 ft | V+ | 01h54m | 3.86 ft (too high) |
Not a fun level except for locals with psychological problems. Pummel is nuts and the sneaks arent much better. Z-turn is huge and merges with Charlie's Hole. |
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Great Falls of the Potomac River is a major set of rapids located about 15 miles upstream of Washington, DC. The main Falls lines drop fifty feet in one-tenth of a mile, creating a Class V+ set of waterfalls. In addition, a portion of the river flows around Olmstead Island in a channel called the Fish Ladder (additional channels flow at higher water).
History
Maryland Side - Paddlers may put in anywhere on the Maryland shore, but may not leave the boardwalk across Olmstead Island. To run the Falls from the Maryland side, most people put in above and run the aqueduct dam, or put in below the dam at higher levels.
Virginia Side - Paddlers may not put in upstream of the Falls. To run the Falls from the Virginia side you must put in at Fisherman's Eddy and then ferry and carry above both O-Deck rapid and the Falls themselves.
It's never too low for the MD Lines. Below 2.6' is ELF, but there are runnable channels at least down to 2.4', and most summers the river never gets that low. So when everyone else is whining about the drought, you still have a class V playground in your backyard. Count your blessings. I'd say 2.6' to 2.7' is a good first time level. Above 2.8' the holes get mean, and above 3.0' they're vicious. The MD Lines can certainly be run higher than 3.1', but if you're considering it you don't need this guide.
The gage is located at Little Falls (aka Brookmont) Dam, where the river is very wide. Consequently, an inch on the gage can translate to a foot at Great Falls. The gage is also 8-9 miles downstream, so if the river is rising or falling rapidly there could be a discrepancy between the gage reading and the actual level. Scout the rapids visually if there is any doubt. (You were going to do that anyway, right?)
USGS Potomac River / Little Falls Gage
NOAA Prediction for Little Falls Gage
| Name | Range | Difficulty | Updated | Level | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| POTOMAC RIVER NEAR WASH, DC LITTLE FALLS PUMP STA | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| usgs-01646500 | 2.00 - 3.50 ft | V+ | 01h54m | 3.86 ft (too high) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Not a fun level except for locals with psychological problems. Pummel is nuts and the sneaks arent much better. Z-turn is huge and merges with Charlie's Hole. |
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| Mile | Rapid Name | Class | Features (Legend) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.5 | Pummel | 5.0 |   |
| 0.5 | Pencil Sharpener | 5.0 | |
| 0.5 | Charlie's Hole | 5.2 |  |
| 0.5 | Z-Turn | 5.0 | |
| 0.5 | Horseshoe | 5.1 | |
Also known as Sunburst and Tumblehome. The line is level-dependent. Here are my general rules of thumb based on the Little Falls gage:
LF > 2.80 - Build up some speed and launch off the point. This is quite possibly the sickest boof known to mankind. Miss the boof and learn how Pummel got its name.
2.60 < LF < 2.80 - The point turns into a roostertail, so run right instead.
LF < 2.60 - The right side dries up, forcing you to run the Notch on river left.
Below Pummel you have three options (from left to right): Pencil Sharpener, Z-Turn, and Charlie's Hole.
Pencil SharpenerEnter the narrow slot against the river left shore, boof 2-3' onto a boil, and slide down a broken shelf. You must anticipate the cross current or it will push you into the inhospitable crack on the left. Pencil Sharpener is the preferred option when LF < 2.80.
Charlie's HoleA 10-foot sluice into a super-powerful hole surrounded by underwater sieves. It’s named after Charlie Crowley, who escaped by crawling out along the bottom (bursting both eardrums in the process). This line used to be run regularly by boofing left into the eddy, but after numerous close calls and one fatality almost nobody runs it anymore. There is very little margin for error.
Start left of center, then cut hard left down a twisting drop next to a huge midstream rock. Be careful not to get washed around the right side of this rock into Charlie's Hole. Choose a conservative line. Z-Turn is the preferred option when LF > 2.80.
The scariest hole on the Potomac other than Charlie's, Horseshoe has been the site of many near-drownings. The line is level-dependent. Here are my general rules of thumb:
LF > 2.90 - Left line. Boof onto a rocky runout.
2.60 < LF < 2.90 - Right (standard) line. Boof off the narrow shelf that extends past the hole. You can approach this directly or by doing a hairy ferry on the SOS wave.
LF < 2.60 - Center line. Boof off the tongue.
If you get stuck in Horseshoe the odds of surfing your way out are slim, so save some energy for the swim.
2010 Potomac Fest - July 10-11 (MD/VA)
July 9, 2010
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3. Great Falls (MD Lines), Potomac Maryland, US/Virginia, US (mobile)
User Comments
high is bearable being out on the rocks here adds a whole new element keeping in mind that the
water temperatures can reach 90 degrees. When going out there bring water and be very wary of the
dangers of overheating and it's ability to affect your performance.