New River

I had a crew of three ran this river yesterday, and the level was 2650. At this flow, the class 1 shoals at the top become a good 2, and Wabash Cannon Ball becomes a 3+ or 4-. It is a big and pushy rapid at the higher flows. Several of the rapids upgrade at these higher flows. Overall it is a great run at this level, and the flatter water at the start moves quick. I would do recommend this run when BSF gets a bit washed out. It is a blast.

Flow was 2650 and this was a good run straight down the middle.

I ran this river today, March 26th, even though the sewage spill advisory is still in effect (I am just too impatient!). The water - by all visual accounts, seemed very clean. It was running at 1350cfs - nearly twice the running rate as the pictures on this website. It was a fun run with the latter half being very active. The last class III has a high potential for pinning, so be careful.

Andrew Hamby's first trip in a canoe down the New River in Scott County Tennessee.

This is the biggest rapid on this section. There is a hole on Scott's right and a second ledge before you get to the megaboulders at the bottom. The megaboulders at the bottom of the rapid are all huge pillows and may be undercut. Not a good place to be out of control or upside down.

If you look hard you can see a tiny 10 foot C1 about to run this rapid. Pictures make this rapid seem smaller than it was.
More class II stuff.
This is a surfing ledge just below the big Class III.
The red circle shows a 2-3 foot drop. The yellow line highlights a strainer blocking the river left 2/3's of the rapid.

The takeout is just downstream, unless you are running down BSF gorge.

Typical scenery of the upper 5 miles of flat water.
The river left side of this 2-3 foot ledge (right in the photo) is full of pin rocks & a nasty hole feeds an undercut. The pourover in the middle (left in the photo)is a nice drop. The river right side of the rapid is not shown & is a shoal.
It is hard to tell in the photo, but these are 2 foot standing waves.
In the red circle is a two foot drop on river right (left in photo). The rest is a medium shoal.

Gordon Byrd and Josey Chambers jumping off of the New River Bridge in Scott County Tennessee. Summer 2005. This is a class 5+ rapid, do not attempt unless you are an expert or mentally retarted!!!!
Sam Kidd, Robert Hallock, and Jordan Jeffers jumping off of the New River Bridge in Scott County Tennessee, Gordon Byrd in the water almost being jumped on before he could get out of the way!!