Elk

Another comment from an old-timer. Jim Reed, Roger Beaman, Bill Hughes and I ran it on May 18, 1985. I know the date because I wrote a trip report for the CCC (The Paddler, Vol. 14, No. 3, June 1985). But I don’t think we were the first. I heard a group from Greensboro ran it before we did. We didn’t run Big Falls or Compression Falls, but we ran everything else between Big and Compression except (of course) the first drop of Twisting Falls. Ran it twice more in the late 80s before moving west. On one of those trips, everyone backendered at the base of the 16 footer just above Compression. Good roll practice!

This is below Compression Falls.

Wanted to comment from the perspective of someone who was on the first descent (I
think?) in either 1986 or 87. Saw that the big falls near the end was called Compression
Falls - we named that Whammer Falls after Brian Wham who was first off that drop on
that trip. At the bottom his helmet was blown off and floated up first prompting Dale Adams to comment something like 'it tore his f-ing head off'. I think Dale was 2nd off
the drop.
We had a large group that day and had a great trip ! I will never forget it ! Bob Vernon

If you want to see some great photos of this amazingly scenic, spectacular and only Class 4-5-minus river gorge, check out my friend Woody DuBois's photos and videos at http://picasaweb.google.com/tm.dubois/20090618ElkRiverNC# These are from our June 2009 trip. This is one of those trips-of-a-lifetime that will not only thrill you, but that you will never forget. P.S. I'm in the orange Prijon Hercules.

Robert Farmer---The waterfall near the end is not 33 feet---it is definitely closer to 45 feet, although only the last 25 feet or so are totally airborne, the first 20 feet or so being only about 65 degrees, but still plenty fast.

Hey Kevin, The falls near the end of the run, which I am calling 'compression falls' can be run anytime even when the gorge is not going. We found a trail that hikes down the side of the mtn and almost right to it. You will still have to portage twisting falls due to the fact that is is almost right above the drop. We go in there late november just to huck it for fun. Lowest ive went off is 58cfs. The pool is always good. Just remember to tuck!!

Robert Farmer---I took a group down this @June 2009, for my third trip down. Some of the boaters were around the Class 4/4+ level. The logs in the first drop are gone now, and it's 4+/5-, a fairly easy move, with some consequences on the left for unimaginable screw-ups. This is possibly the best collection of Class 4 slides anywhere!!! Only 2 drops really approach Class 5, and they are portageable. There is one really big slide that many people portaged, but it's not really hard, just intimidating, as long as you're on the right line. Thrilling, but without much cost. There is one rapid where we did the in-boat portage; with more water, you can 'wheelchair' across, but on this trip, to speed things up, I got out and dragged the other boaters across the rock, so they didn't have to get out, dropping off the ledge into a slide. There are a lot of blind horizon lines; it's great to just bomb down on your second run, but the first run requires a lot of scouting. The price that you pay is the horrendous portage. It was a lot more overgrown than I remembered (different time of year, maybe?). We cleared it out a bit, but you need to have a sense of adventure, and start your day early. You can take about 3 different variations, depending on whether you want to run the last 45-foot waterfall; I ran it on my second trip, accidentally boofed, and had a very painful paddle out and couple of weeks after. It is so beautiful, though. There is a rope hanging next to this falls, I noticed, too late. I don't know if it's for portaging, though---it's probably for cliff divers in warmer weather, but it hangs into the water, so it would be hard to use, probably. One of our boats got dropped about 60+ or so feet. If you're portaging the falls, stay high and left, or there was a lower way, too, but it was pretty airy, as well. Anyway, this is a 5-star run, a great classic, with esthetic quality comparable to Linville Gorge or the Blackwater, or Tallulah Gorge. Sure the portage is bad, but you can do it once, right? Bring a saw and do a little volunteer trailwork, and for crying out loud, don't be one of those boaters who doesn't carry a throwrope, ok? You need to do this one at least once in your life.

Could anyone tell me whether the 33 footer near the end of the reach runs regularly or only when it's high enough for the rest of the run? Also, is it possible to hike up from the take out to this falls?

Aerial shot of Twisting Falls
Aerial shot of Big Falls

It's mostly fun Class 4+, with some 5. The first major drop has two logs in it. My first time, they were underwater and not visible. My second time, I got briefly stuck between them--very scary; watch out!

-At the mandatory portage, don't run the last 10ft ledge, just go straight up the hill and cross a very large log. The rest is more obvious. To avoid the big drop here, keep going left, around the corner, and up a bit. Cross a muddy, slippery drainage above a cliff. Use a rope to drop about 20 feet into a gully.

-And it's not 'Sone' mtn church--it's 'Stone' Mtn Church.

-One of the street signs is missing, up the hill a bit, complicating the shuttle, as of 2003. The shuttle's not too bad if you know where to go, but that's a big if.

-This is a super-beautiful, most-excellent, one of the best-on-the-east- coast runs, even though it's achievable for mere advanced or beginning-expert boaters. Probably runs rarely, though.