Chauga
3: Route 290 /Cassidy Bridge Rd. to Cobbs Bridge Rd.(Chauga Gorge)
| Difficulty | IV |
| Length | 9.3 mi |
| Avg Gradient | 40 fpm |
| Reach Info Last Updated | January 18, 2022 |
River Description
The Chauga starts with a bit of flat water, then goes over a big slide. The slide is worth a scout, there is an undercut on the bottom right that has some badly placed wood in it. The slide has multiple lines. Scout and carry left.
There is about a quarter mile of flatwater after the slide, then the river starts to gorge up again. When the gradient starts to pick up the river will go around a couple of blind bends leading up to the second big drop, Super Soc 'em Dog. This is about a 10 foot boof into a big pool. In the past the lead in to the dog has occasionaly had some river wide strainers blocking the stream. Approach with caution when things gorge up. As for the dog, scout left, and carry back up on the left for multiple runs
A little more flatwater leads into another gorge. The next couple of miles are the steepest on the river. There is some great boogie water, some big rapids, and some good ledge drops.
The named drops in this section include Black Hole, Zoom Floom, and Edge of the World. Edge of the World is worth a good scout. The rapid features a big undercut on the bottom left, and a large tree running lengthwise thru the rapid. This drop always has wood in it, but can usually be run.
The next four rapids are pretty good. The first one was a riverwide hole with a break on the right. Then a big s-turn type drop. Next was a big slide. Then finally a big low head damn looking drop. Then some more flatwater.
Eventually you come to a smaller second gorge. There were 4 more good rapids in that gorge.
Then there is a bunch more flatwater, possibly two miles worth. And after the stuff you just ran its going to feel like the current has come to a complete halt. But then there will be another increase in gradient. There will be two or three good rapids followed by Riley-Moore Falls. The falls is about a fifteen footer. Water levels will dictate where to run the falls. The falls is at one of the widest points of the river, henc
...River Features
Put In
First Slide - Right line
First Slide
The slide is about 20 feet tall. There is an undercut rock resting on the bottom right of the slide. Last seen the rock was stuffed with wood. There is also a line down the left thru a fairly narrow slot.
Routes will vary with water level. Scout and carry left.
Super Soc Em Dog
10 foot tall boof. Usually run a little left of center, depending on water level.
Second Gorge Slide
Routes vary with water levels
Blackhole
Typical Chauga gorge rapid. At high flows, the hole on the bottom left is stiff. At really high flows the rapid is a riverwide hole.
Edge of the World
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A pretty long rapid with a small island in the middle. Running length wise down the left shoot is a tree thats about 3 feet thick. Stay away from it. On the backside of the tree on river left is a minor cave. I've seen two boats surfing behind the tree in the cave at once. At low water the route is down the left beside the tree. Above 6 inchs you can run a route that starts down the right and ends in the middle. Portaging this one ain't easy.
Riley Moore Falls
15 foot riverwide vertical falls. At lower flows you can bang off the double drop on the right. About an hour after this photo was taken the middle hole had gotten bigger and the river had come up to 1.0. We ran far left.
Take Out
Trip Reports
Log in to add a reportSUPER SOC EM
BBB
There is a log across the right side of the river at the first slide. Run the left line. There are now TWO logs on the right below Super Soc-em-dog. You have to hit the left boof pad for them not to come into play. If you are right of the pad it may not fair well for you.
At this level the logs were not much of a problem. If you hit the boof then they dont even enter the equation. Miss the boof, and the logs can come into play. Level was -3 inches
We ran the Chauga last Sunday 3/29/09. Water level was -2' on the Cassidy Bridge. This is a low level but not scrapy. We moved a 40 foot log that was blocking the river left shoot in First Ledge. It is safely runnable now. The right side of this rapid still is blocked by trees.
Ran it today level was low -3' chattooga hit 2.3. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQrtKvKPZfQ&feature=channel\_page is a link to some footage of the bigger rapids.
Having a blast on the Chauga!
There is a big log in the first slide at the bottom river right in front of the undercut rock. River left lines were fine.
There's a tree in the left line of Edge of the World. This one is apprx. half way down the left side. The bottom undercut was clear, we ran down the middle. Our run was a scrapy -2'. Only portage was the riverwide hemlock Will mentioned.
The trees are gone on the Chauga! The tree above Super Soc M Dog is gone, the tree on river left in undercut below Zoom Flume/Edge of the World/Caller's Choice is gone, the only rapid with a tree blocking the river is a fresh hemlock above one of the small slides below the gorge. There are trees in the right slot between the first slide in the gorge (in the AW description it is called 'Second Slide'?) and Black Hole but the river left line is now open and good to go. The 'short' access point has been improved somewhat in recent years and 4X4 is hardly a needed for access.
The aftermath of Milt's run of Riley Moore Falls
Aftermath of Milt's run of Riley Moore Falls #2.