Cullasaja

From Clay Wright on the Perception website:

Posted - Dec 12 2001 : 22:00:14

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So much rain, but . . .

Tried for Raven's but low water alternative Cullasaja proved a technical roadsite treat.

The put-in one of the most spectacular in the SE: just off the highway but down a steep, spray-swept trail to the base of a 70+ foot unrunnable waterfall. Action starts immediately with a nasty s-turn into a reverse Sunshine style left boof. Lots of impact, though everyone who ran it said it was 'fine'. Beautiful double boof left next, then Eclipse. Another Sunshine-esque rapid, Eclipse ramps 8' into a visible piton-rock. Only a tight right boof allows you to miss most of the rock - enought ot soften the impact. The remaining technical slots should be scouted well, too. Next in the memory was 'Next Time' which at this low flow comprised of a mandatory right to left boof into a shallow, narrow corridor. Sweet boof, all aces. Several fun boofs and a whale-tail later we were scraping through class 2 boulders looking for the bridge. Cool run. Short, steep, sharp, sweet.

For added amusement, we drove upstream to the lake and ran the top cascades. This awesome series has been on my list since the Wayne Gentry days and it lives up the videos for sure! The first drop slides 10' but the 2nd 20' flume is only a boat-lengh away. You try and aim left or drag your left blade as you rocket out of this one, cause a low wall off the right bank sends all the water (any you, hopefully) into a 90 deg. left turn leading a 45 deg right turn down a 15' bounding cascade. No video shot this trip, but Daniel D, Al G, Nate E, Tommy H, Pat Keller, Jason Hale and I sessioned it so many times we could've used a time-lapse. Daniel's handpaddling runs were far better than mine. nuff said.

Anyway - another cool roadside class 5 off my 'to do' list. So many more . . . but rain on the way!

Clay