Cumberland, Big South Fork

This is one of mine and my families favorite runs. We run it every year from Station Camp to Blue Heron in two days, usually with a couple of friends. Starting out from station camp there is a class one and then pretty much flatwater on down to Big Island. After Big Island, which can be run on either side, there is more flatwater broken up with a few class 1's. After a couple miles of this there is a creek that comes in to the side, a class 1 and then a bend in the river with a large bluff above it. Around the bend is the first class 2. Its not very hard but a lot of canoes swamp in it and so everyone usually pulls out and empties there boats. This rapid usually shows the start of faster water, but any flatwater on the BSF is very slow unless the river is above 5000 cfs. A few class ones and then comes three landmarks that I forget the order of but they are Bear Creek, Big Shoals, and the take out for the overnight. Bear Creek is right next to a horse trail and has a large silo looking object right at the confluence. Big Shoals is a class 2 wave train that should be run river right as close to the shore as possible. The camp take out is about 1 mile from Big Shoals and is signified by faster water and a big rock about 100 yards from the start of the rapid.take out and there is a little small creek and a trail if you walk up the creek about 50 feet. The campsite is well above the water line and has a nice fireplace. The next morning start out and run the end of the rapid river left and pull out in the swimming hole. Swim out to the big rock and climb up and take a jump. Its pretty deep. After the swimming hole is a small 2 foot ledge/slide depending on where you run it. Then you get to Bertha's Bump which at low water is a large standing wave, and at above 800 cfs is hardly worth mentioning. The last rapid is Devil's Jumps. Always run left no matter what unless the river is above 5000 cfs, but at that level you should just portage. The portage trail is river left but usually we park the boats river right and scout the rapid. There is a nice rock to jump off into the water and is a good place for people to take hero shots of people running the rapid. After Devil's Jumps its about one mile to Blue Heron.