Paint Creek
SR 56 to Stonycreek River
| Difficulty | V |
| Length | 2.5 mi |
| Avg Gradient | 124 fpm |
| Gauge | Stonycreek River at Ferndale, Pa |
| Flow Rate as of 15 minutes | 3.43 ftbelow recommended |
| Reach Info Last Updated | May 30, 2019 |
River Description
Description:
This is the Paint Creek in Johnstown PA. The creek itself is highly damaged and polluted by AMD and other things. Each year there is a Paint Creek pick-up to fish trash from the creek. The creek can be a class IV to V run depending on levels. On a low day you can find teenagers swimming in a few holes on paint creek soaking up that AMD glory.
Paint creek flows after heavy rain and run's more often than the gauge is listed. Typically if the Little Conemaugh gauge takes on rain, then paint more than likely runs, or if the Stonycreek gauge hits 5.5ft, its more than likely paint is running.
There is a painted gauge at Carpentars Park. The levels are as follows:
Bare minimum (really jonesin' for it): now -16', was -12'
Low-med (most mortal's minimum): now -12' to -9', was -6' to -3'
Med (worth driving from a distance for): now -9' to -6', was -3 to 0'
Med-high: now -6' to 3', was 0-6'
High: now 3-6', was 6-9'
Connoisseur: now 6+', was 9+
There are times Paint Creek can hit 3 feet. Recent video footage shows Road Hole turns deadly at this level, and probably even below that. I would cut off Paint at 1.5 feet using extreme caution if attempting this creek at 1.5 feet.
Paint put in is typically just up from route 56 where Little Paint Creek meets Paint Creek. There are 2 waterfalls just above put in that can also be ran. Little Sandy's Falls (Little Paint) is the easier of the two and more rocky, but have witnessed both being ran successfully. Hit your boof.
Paint starts with 'Deal-Breaker' and continues its steep decent under route 56 all the way down to the Stonycreek. After deal breaker tons of ledges and drops all the way down to the first named rapid,
...River Features
Little Sandy's
10-12 foot waterfall, typically ran on the right.
Paint Falls
Ran on the right, hit your boof or piton below.
Dealbreaker
First rapid after putin, or after the waterfalls. It has river wide holes all the way down, we worked our way from left to right. There is a short break right before the tunnel, where there is a choppy rapid through the tunnel as well. If you are intimidated by dealbreaker, you should turn around now!
Drops
After dealbreaker are a few un-named rapids. Some fairly straightforward drops, some that have some technicallity to it. There is one with a rolling wave on the right, so navigate that with some precision. It then turns into smaller bogey water until mousetrap.
Mousetrap
The creek will split as you approach an island in the center. You can scout from the island, but to run it you will want to go left of the island. Blind entry; continuous; one clean route (left to right). Also has been run backwards, sideways, and upside down – though not recommended. Note: Numerous pinning spots.
Catwalk Falls
A short bit after mousetrap starts some waves and curlers upon reaching a scrapey cascading drop with catwalk/pipe above. Five feet vertical drop; muncher hole on river-left / middle; pool at bottom. Clean drop on river-right.
Mine 37
After Catwalk falls begins almost a mile stretch of class 3+ bogey water. Just poke through using your best judgement as you will pass under a pipeline and go around Mine 37, and underneath another catwalk. Eventually it calms down again before Big Falls.
Big Falls
You will be aware of entry into this rapid when you see a huge round rock directly in the center of the creek. Wide-open visible line from left to right. Nice boof move. Note: Watch the undercut far river-right. Easily avoidable. Can be scouted via river right.
Big Sluice
30 yards past Big Falls. Blind entry; almost vertical; rooster tail wave half way down; joyous “V” shaped hole at bottom; drops into a fast moving recirculating pool. This rapid has shown up in many nightmares. Recommend scouting. Note: Low volume boats almost always come out vertical here.
Momma's Crack
75 yards past Big Sluice. In the middle of a rock garden; deceptively undercut rock at low to medium levels (this undercut has held boats in the past). One lost paddle in “The Crack” to date. Recommend scouting (though you may not even notice it if you are not familiar with it).
Road Hole
House and road will be in front of you on river left. Creek bottlenecks into a recirculating hole; drops into a pool. Depending on levels, can boof of the edges. Undercut on the right. Scoutable via left.
Take Out
The rest is bogey class 3, easier than the above bogey class 3. Take out is at Carpentar's Park river left, or continue down the Lower Stonycreek to Greenhouse Park
Trip Reports
Log in to add a reportLee running Big Paint falls at 0
Lee running Mousetrap on Paint
around -1.5, almost too low, still fun
Jim showing how it's done
Craig catching air on big falls.
ELF Boatin at its finest
For the full-sized version of this photo, click here.