North Harper Creek/Harper Creek

On 3.8.2008 the North Harper/Harper combo was almost wood-free. There was 1 little flatwater portage you just stepped over. Visual was -2.5' on the bridge slab vertical with zero being flush to the horizontal slab. It was good to go on the top and the bottom but some of the section between the two big waterfalls needed 2 ' more water.

First big drop on North Harper
If you run this have a sat phone to call for helicopter evac
Right above a 15 foot sliding waterfall - stay left

speeding down a 15 footer

On 2.1.2008 Harper Creek falls on down was on the low side of fair after 1 inch of rain fell around Edgemont.

After 1 inch of rain @ AFWS-Edgemont, NC
The middle and biggest drop of the 3-stage Harper Falls drop
this boulder choke immediately below Harper falls has a huge log strainer (top left in photo)
3 consectutive low angle slides immediately after the boulder choke below Harper Falls
Stuff below the 3 conscutive slides with some sieves and strainers - get out and scout
A section that is 1 or 2 drops above where the trail 260 (MTS Trail) crosses Harper Creek.

Myself along with Cooper Lambla, Adam Kinney and the man Chris Clark paddled this particular creek in the winter of 2004. There was one mandatory portage past a shelfed out super necked down fifty footer, and then another non-mandatory portage past a really gnarly Ravens Fork style rapid. There was a decent amount of wood and some rapids required log dodging to sucessfully navigate. This run catches a little flack for being too long with out enough fun factor, but if you are into running a really big super fun/clean waterfall then you need to be here. There is always the option to just hike and huck but this is a beautiful run that is really remote with some cool tight technical creeking on the upper part. Look for Wilsons to be huge and Gragg Prong to be too high.

Boof right, Stroke left, Look Up, Fall down!!!