Fike Run

I wouldn't call this Class 3-5; I call it Class 4-5, with 2 rapids that are usually snuck or portaged. There is a gauge at Dinner Bell Road; 1.0 is approx. minimum, while 2.0 is cranking. At 2.0, it's non-stop action, solid Class 5. I like to put on at McCracken School Road, just upstream from the gauge; I find that I spend less time falling painfully on my ass and sliding down the muddy hill, that way. Plus, there are a few good rapids up there, although they might not be good enough for the truly manic paddlers. To avoid the first death slot, keep an eye out for a large, alpine-shaped rock on the left with a small semi-eddy at its top. It turns out that this rock separates two channels, and if you're not anticipating it fully, you are screwed. Once, I got washed backwards out of this eddy when I wasn't showing it the proper respect. Hoo-ee, that was embarrassing!

This is a (too low to paddle) view of the river left sieve, 25 feet upstream of the Room of Doom rapid. You are looking downstream into the sieve. The 'Boof' is about 20 feet to the right of this photo. This sieve is not in play at minimum and low-med levels (Baseball Rock not covered) because helpful of the guard rocks. At high flows, the rapid above sends flow directly toward the in-play sieve. It is easy to avoid with catching river right eddy above this feature.

Three views looking down river. In top left image Nathan Macklin gives perspective to the size of center pinning rock and the large rocks on either side. Looks like perfect spacing to pinch pin a boat. Bottom left image, note the gap in front of the upstream face of the undercut center rock. The right image (close view of river left), looks like a sieve/siphon to me. Yes, some paddlers run this drop. Usually it’s done when the water is rip-roaring high. At these high levels, Fike Run takes on a character of a mean runaway train. At what I call normal levels (baseball rock still visible), Hubbard’s Cupboard is a potentially deadly place.

Pyramid Rock is a couple of hundred yards below the confluence of Fike Run and (PA)Sandy Creek. This rock is a sign that you are entering Hubbard’s Cupboard. If you paddle past this rock on the right, there are few to no eddies (depending on water level) before you get the area where there is a real potential for pinning and entrapment.
To avoid the danger, start your portage at or above where the camera is positioned or paddle to the eddie behind the rock where Keith Pasquariello is standing. Behind Keith on river left is a boney, knuckle-dragging, barely boatable series of slots. If you are able to actually paddle back there, you are probably in for a screaming high water ride for the rest of the run.

After passing Hubbard's Cupboard, the Fike Boof, Room of Doom, a couple S-Turn drops ... you will arrive at Double Ledge. After the 1st ledge, people usually take the 2nd ledge 'right' (15ft downstream). If you eddy out between the ledges, you can choose the second ledge 'left' to take the left flow around an island.
What you are looking at is the start of line on the left of this island.

This is one of many ledges on Fike,,, at a fun level.

Know where this place is or go with someone who does. Don't stumble into it! There is a (very) scrapy sneak (at low to medium levels) on river left or portage on either side. The large log that was reference in the 2001 river report washed out in the summer of 2003. This boater is removing newly deposited wood.
Kurt is almost into a sticky side surf and manages to pull out. In this drop you paddle into approx. 8x12ft squirrelly water rock enclosed box with a 5-7 ft wide exit. At higher flows the box is much more turbulent and the exit becomes smaller. There is a 'V' notch sneak to river right of the 'Room'