Wilson Creek

Me and my buddy set out on Oct 2nd, 2024 to explore Wilson Creek following the destruction of Hurricane Helene. The level was reading around 15' on the Bridge Gauge and the online gauge seemed to reflect this too. Right away, after putting on, I could tell that is was nowhere this high. We both thought it felt more around 0. In terms of the rapids, they were all still there but things were different. Some changes are subtle while others were substantially different. Even the lead-in stuff above Ten Foot Falls had changed. Regarding the changes:

[MANK ABOVE TEN FOOT] is more of a driving to the left move while still using Idaho (Thumb) Rock as a reference point for running it.

[TEN FOOT FALLS] is pretty similar. The right side boof seems to have opened up a bit and then you ride the flow to the slide and come down the middle or slightly middle right on the horizon line.

[NO NAME LEDGE] is more of a drive to the left side of the drop. it kind of looks like there is a piton rock on the right side of the ledge.

[PITON LEDGE] which is right below No Name doesn't seem to be that different

[BOAT BUSTER] is a bit different left line is a bit blocked with rocks but it still goes. These rocks probably will become more in play at lower levels. In terms of running left line make sure to drive over the curler so you don't get sucked into the main hole in the middle. The Boof line on the right side looks like it still goes.

[THUNDERHOLE and DENTAL WORK] are each pretty much the same

[TRIPLE DROP] has significantly changed where some rocks have collapsed into the left line and a decent amount of water is feeding through rocks in the middle of the river and through the rocks on the right side of the left line. Definitely take a look at this one, especially at lower levels.

[BITCHSLAP] or as some people like to call it Uurunnable Rock Jumble is pretty similar in terms of working to the right side of the river as you come down. there does seem to be more water flowing through the rocks on the left of the river.

[MAYTAG] seems to have gotten worse in terms of the hole. I took a sneak line on river left.

[RAZORBACK] The right line is basically the same. There is also a really neat centerline move. both of these lines do seem to be cleaner now. I have no idea what the current status is of the fire escape line.

[HUNTLEY'S RETREAT] seems to be steeper now. rocks that have been deposited on the right side seem to block off the flow on river right and therefore it directs more water to the left side. Some of the rocks in the left line seem to be gone now and others have shifted around

[RAILSLIDE] now has some weird rocks in the main S-turn move. I hope this beta helps, and as always, look before you leap, especially as the level drops.

A video showcasing the new Wilson can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uydWv5L9dT0

Excellent run. R2ed it with a buddy at 4.4' and it was thumping. Only one quick portage at Unrunnable Rock Jumble. Monte Smith in Southeastern Whitewater gives Wilson Creek 0 out of 7 rating in suitability for a raft, but at flows above 4' I would give it a solid 3 out of 7.

Brian Davis and Dwight N. enjoying the view of the gorge

Beautiful gorge view with Ten Foot Falls in the foreground

This is an acrylic on canvas of a photo that Clay Landrum took of me from a cliff by the road with a 600 mm lens and shows the rapid well.

Dwight running Ten Foot Falls

Brian keeping his eye on the prize.

Finishing up Thunder Hole with Boat Buster seen in background

Dennis Huntley in a borrowed canoe on Wilson Creek at Razorback in November 2015

The right side of the ledge is a good boof, on a beautiful spring day in May 2015. Photo by Rob Lilly with GETOUTDOORS located in Greensboro, NC

A beautiful spring day in May 2015. Photo by Rob Lilly with GETOUTDOORS in Greensboro, NC

A beautiful Spring Day in May, 2015. Photo by Rob Lilly with GETOUTDOORS in Greensboro, NC

A beautiful spring day in May 2015. Photo by Rob Lilly with GETOUTDOORS located in Greensboro, NC.

A beautiful spring day in May 2015. Photo by Rob Lilly with GETOUTDOORS located in Greensboro, NC.

A beautiful spring day in April, 2015. Photo by Whitney Eure.

Wes nails his line.

Riverboarding at about 240 cfs.

Kyle Anderson just above Huntley's retreat and below Razorback on a low water Sunday in Winter.

A low water Sunday on Wilson's Creek Gorge with friends.

A perfect example of why this gorge is so popular, with the high granite walls, steepness and stark beauty. A winter run on a Sunday, with low water.

Dennis Huntley on a low water run on a Sunday with friends at Boat Buster.

Dennis Huntley in an Atom C-1 on Wilson's Creek Gorge at the top of 10ft in the Spring of 2013. Photo by Larry Ausley.

Dennis Huntley in a kayak at the top of Thunder Hole, Chasing Isaac Jones. Note the Sony camera attached to a Go Pro mount on helmet. That looks like Chris Wing on the rocks showing the rapid to another paddler and providing safety for his group. Photo by Larry Ausley.

Brian Davis booting the bottom of the Coin Slot

Brian in the middle of the main drop at 10 ft falls rapid

Dwight Nalbone running the Coin Slot side of Razor Back Rapid

A Beautiful day in the Gorge

10ft falls has changed as of 7/10/13. The vertical rock on river right that pushed water back toward the middle is no longer there.

You can see a little of Thunderhole and Boatbuster

This is sloping ledge a little ways above Ten Foot, the other ledges above this one looked very similar.

Approach to Razorback

Above Boatbuster

The sloping rock in the center on the picture is the rock you normally avoid running straight into.

Two large holes back to back are hard to see in this pic

Bottom drop

Dwight running the right side of Thunder Hole

new flow gauge at Edgemont

http://afws.erh.noaa.gov/afws/hydropop.php?lid=EGMN7&days=7\_day

Brian Ronca running Ten foot with Dwight Nalbone, Scott Burke & Dave George at bottom

Put in for the Wilson Gorge run with a foot of Snow

Wilson Creek was running at + 13 inches. At this level and higher the Right line around the splat rock is good to run. You have to drive hard across the currents and then punch the standing wave with a left to right angle.

A photo of the Wilson Creek Bridge Gauge below the gorge section. Reading 0' in this photo.

This is HOW TO READ the gauge..

Running the Left of Center auto Boof at Billboard

OUr 1st run of Wilson Creek at -9

Top of triple drop has changed from a straight across small ledge to a right side boof and a left side swirling slide

It\'s usually a good idea not to pull out of the eddy when you see a canoe heading for the drop...
Great Rapid
Very clear water.

An incomplete list of difficult places on Wilson Creek...the creek is constantly changing and changes dramatically with flow and weather conditions. At levels below +6' on the Adako bridge gauge there are a few spots that boaters should be aware of.

The referenced photos all have titles that start with 'Warning'.

1. Sieve in creek middle at the 4th ledge (usually run on the right down a slide that finishes in the middle). At -5' (on the Adako bridge gauge) a boat disappeared in the middle slot but was easily pulled out. Word is that a someone was partially sucked into that sieve in their boat and they had a hard time getting them out.

2. Creek Right Sieve in Entrance to Ten Foot Falls – sieve on creek right just below the small drop below the ledge that constitutes the start of the Ten Foot Falls entrance rapid . If you swim or flip going into/over/after the entrance drop then you could be pushed right into the sieve. Empty boats have been caught in that sieve. 'Warning - 10ft Sieve' photo was taken @ -9” on the Adako bridge gauge.

3. “No Name” ledge between Ten Foot Falls and Boatbuster - many people have not been able to swim out of here on their own...recently one boater was rope rescued and revived using CPR. Downstream of Ten Foot Falls pool there is a boulder garden...”No Name” drop is at the end of that boulder garden...'Warning - No Name Ledge' photo was taken @ +1' on the Adako bridge gauge. Above -5” on the Adako bridge gauge you can sneak it far right...the right side of the main ledge has a very sticky hole because a large underwater rock pushes water back toward the ledge...the left side of the drop also has a sticky hole. It can also be snuck extreme left when there is enough water.

4. Creek Left undercut immediately downstream of Thunder Hole pool – in the “hero” eddy on creek left there is an undercut. Many boaters like to catch this squirrelly eddy but if you flip in there you will likely get sucked into the undercut. 'Warning - Thunderhole Undercut' photo was taken @ -9” on the Adako bridge gauge.

5. Pin spot in the drop below Thunderhole where there is a man made cement wall on creek left. Refer to the photo titled 'Warning - Slot Below Thunderhole'. When running the right to left slot move avoid hugging the left wall at the end because it gets very narrow...if you get pushed that way you can usually squeeze through by dropping your right side down and skirt drag the rock on the right.

6. Maytag (undercut) - at the end of the pool following Unrunnable Rock Jumble/Fat Lady Squeeze/Bitchslap, Maytag is the second major drop downsream of Triple Drop. Maytag is often termed “the most dangerous place on Wilson Creek”...while in the pool you will notice that the creek left bank is open all the way to the road...this open area is your Maytag reminder. Many boaters get surprised by Maytag. You can sneak it far left of the Maytag boulder above -5” on the Adako bridge gauge. Trying to sneak far right can slide you back into Maytag. 'Warning - Maytag' photo was taken @ -8' on the Adako bridge gauge.

2. “No Name” ledge between Ten Foot Falls and Boatbuster - many people have not been able to swim out of here on their own...recently one boater was rope rescued and revived using CPR. Downstream of Ten Foot Falls pool there is a boulder garden...”No Name” drop is at the end of that boulder garden...'Warning - No Name Ledge' photo was taken @ +1' on the Adako bridge gauge. Above -5” on the Adako bridge gauge you can sneak it far right...the right side of the main ledge has a very sticky hole because a large underwater rock pushes water back toward the ledge...the left side of the drop also has a sticky hole. It can also be snuck extreme left when there is enough water.
3. River left undercut immediately downstream of Thunder Hole pool – in the “hero” eddy on river left there is an undercut. Many boaters like to catch this squirrelly eddy but if you flip in there you will likely get sucked into the undercut. 'Warning - Thunderhole Undercut' photo was taken @ -9” on the Adako bridge gauge.
BT post from Kiley that highlights a pin spot in the drop below Thunderhole where there is a man made cement wall on river left. When running the right to left slot moves avoid hugging the left wall at the end because it gets very narrow...if you get pushed that way you can usually squeeze through by dropping your right side down and skirt drag the rock on the right

1. River Right Sieve in Entrance to Ten Foot Falls – sieve on river right just below the small drop below the ledge that constitutes the start of the Ten Foot Falls entrance rapid . If you swim or flip going into/over/after the entrance drop then you could be pushed right into the sieve. Empty boats have been caught in that sieve. 'Warning - 10ft Sieve' photo was taken @ -9” on the Adako bridge gauge.

The signed Catawba Re-Licensing Agreement calls for a Wilson Creek USGS gauge to be installed...look for it sometime in 2009.