White's Creek (Rhea County)

Just before you get to Butcher Block (so within the first half mile of the run) there is a hazardous pin rock in the right line of an otherwise non-descript smaller rapid. Level was around 1.1 feet on the take-out gauge. It probably doesn't take a lot more water than that to put it completely underwater. We got a boat badly pinned there, requiring a 3:1 z-drag to remove. Stay left of center to avoid.

(Note: there is an emergency walkout road to the put-in just below this rock on river left. We didn't have to use it, but you can see where it is.)

4/4/17 level was 1.25 on lower bridge. G and Eli OC1, josh ducky, Ct kayak. John H and john in mini me. great level, even the raft could still get down. Clear water and totally doable, G 'get over it' for next time. Tree in lead into what is referred to above as 'danger Will' and 2 you can go over on river right in the island side channel, one piece of wood but not bad below surf city.

Most boaters know some of these rapids by their original names. Simple Simon is actually Eagle Rock to most of us. In very cold winters it is a gathering roost for bald eagles who move south to escape the weather. There are reports of over 7 adults at one time, though I have only seen four at the most.

What this site calls Scout's Honor has long been know as Surf City, a much more appropriate name and one that has stood the test of time.

Since the bed and river left bank are in my yard, I would appreciate using the names that have been in place for most of us locals since the 80's.

Thoughts?

4/20/15 Flow at the putin gauge was just under 2ft and brown. The crew was G, Eli, CT, KC, Russel, Jared and Paul; 2 canoes, the grabner inflatable canoe, and the maxi me. It felt big and pushy but G styled it in the spanish fly. He had big eyes and seemed nervous but ran every rapid (snuck danger will on river right through the trees), swat spot had a big diagnol wave in the middle that pushed him more into the holes at the bottom.

4/14/15 putin gauge had 1/2 ft, and the river was low but doable. G, Eli and CT; all in canoes. G canoed everything and had a great redemptive run at swat spot, we broke it down and caught 3 eddys in the rapid. 2.5 hours and we took out at SS spot.

3-16-15 Sunny and 70 with the trees just starting to bud. The level was just below the .6 on takeout gauge, and half a foot below gauge at putin (rock next to gauge was wet but barley). G canoed every rapid!!, EH -canoe, CT -ducky, SW and JJ in Grabner and SS in kayak. It was low but still doable. Lots of new downed trees along the shore and 2 all the way across the river.

4/30/14 Great trip on this creek, running 9 inches at the take out 10am. Put on at Possum Trot bridge at 12:45pm and took out at 2:50pm total river time about 2 hours. At put in river was running at 1 foot and at take out it was at 1.5 feet rising 1/2 foot in two hours. Crew was G, S, DS, CT, Andrew and I. Simple Simon was the only rapid that was not good to run at 1.5 feet because of many rocks to guide through before the big undercut wall and the crew walked this rapid, CT and I ran it in the Shredder, bumped a few rocks on the way down, could use a 1/2 foot more water. Great day partly raining and around 65-70 degrees. We used two crafts, The Mini Me and The Shredder, both great for this water level.

White's Creek feels like a full on river after Tiny Piney confluence, and while it opens up nice rapids continue.

A cool rapid on White's Creek that falls away to the right.

10/15/14 Flow at the putin was about 3 inches of rock exposed by the bridge piling and takeout guage was .75, this is truly minimum (we want more for next time). G and CT in Maxi me and Eli in canoe. The leaf color was spectacular. We made it down the river with some bumping and grinding but only a handful of times did we have to get out of the raft. There was river wide wood in 3 places but only one necessitated walking. Butchers block was a big easy to avoid undercut. Danger Will still went smooth and easy. Simple Simon (aka the undercut wall rapid) was very low (G walked the bottom part) but we managed to bang the raft through the middle. After the confluence with Piney there was still a few good play spots, even for the raft. Shuttle takes 30 min each way.