Buckhannon

ok best shuttle route is as follows: from alexander (put in) to tenmile (takeout)- roads are well marked with signage, and if you follow this route the roads are generally in good shape, there are just a whole lot of turns to make so here's a link to map which could be handy, choose upshur county map #2 https://transportation.wv.gov/highways/
programplanning/gti/GIS/MAPS/Pages/CntyMapsAlphaList.aspx

Shuttle directions from Alexander (put in) to tenmile (take out) with good gravel roads (25 min one way)
Head west on 11 (headed up hill toward french creek) but take the first right onto 11/13.
Bear left and let 11/13 turn into 32/14 and continue on it until you reach a T intersection.
At the T go left onto 32 (at Alton).
Take first right onto 32/1 and then
take a right at t intersection again onto 32/21.
Continue to bear straight as 3/21 turns into 32/17 (if you went right you end up at beans mill). Continue straight on 32/17 and let 32/17 turn into 30/9 (do not make the right turn past the church where 30/17 continues toward imperial)
At next t intersection take a right onto 30/9, continue on 30/9 until another t intersection (near a church) and take a right onto 30. Follow 30 downhill (road gets a little rougher but still not bad for 2 wheel drive as people live nearby). The road to the beans mill access is ok for 2 wheel drive but rougher after crossing the tracks.

I found one of the shuttle's roadways had a section that had reverted back to private ownership and was gated. Other sections were slow and very rough. So while it is the long way around we used route 20 and passed the french creek game park and utilized alexander-helvetia road rather than drive near the river. Leave plenty of shuttle time for this run.

At normal levels, Alexander to Beans Mill is quite a nice beginner grade run. Few hazards, stretches of flatwater,and minimal difficulty. The most difficult section is below Beans Mill to Tenmile, and provides a little more challenge.With nice drops and some tight turns,this is a prelude to what is coming up in the Tenmile to Sago section. I am always looking for someone to do either run with.

see link for a video of this run............

http://youtube.com/watch?v=WwYEHI9bXT8

This is a bueatiful stretch of river. At lower levels it is deceptively difficult. I put in at Beans Mill and took out at the rail road trussell below old Imperial (imperial is whare the steel cables still span the river) This is a very remote and awesome stretch of river. There are a couple of niice drops and a lot of twists and turns. I had to portage around one lodged tree about 1 mile below beams.A lot of drops come up suddenly and arent in sight untill your on top of them. this run merrits a 2-3 rating but its remoteness is a 10.

The best put-in is at Bean's Mill, I've been told (and I was happy with it) but this is just an unmarked pull-off near a bridge. Bring an atlas. Combining this with the run downstream is nice; also, this run is much easier (Class 2-3) than is the next one downstream (up to Class 4+ or so). This is a quite-nice run.

Put-in at Bean's Mill from Sago: Drive upstream to fork at Big Bend Church. Left goes to Tenmile; right goes to Bean's Mill. Go straight past another left (back to Tenmile). Stay left at a fork; go up a slight hill. Stay left/turn left 90 degrees downhill at another intersection. The last turn is a 90-degree right turn, where there's a house with a very big yard up the hill to the right. There are two bridges at Bean's Mill. I've heard that this cuts out all of the flat water, leaving the best section. All that I can say for sure is that this section is enjoyable and moves steadily, never personally having been upstream.