Elk River

Robert Farmer---Hi, I did this on April 4, 2009. The level was about 6.6/2500 on the telemetric/internet gauge at Webster Springs, which I've been told is 3 feet higher than the visual gauge on the right side of the island in WS. I was told erroneously by some other kayaker on the river that there were no significant rapids on this section, but, fortunately, I pretty much never believe people who tell me that, anyway. I ran the big ledge just right of center, largely because I was too tired, lazy, cold, crampy, and whiny to scout---this is usually a perfect recipe for disaster. Well, it worked, and the left side didn't look too great to me, anyway. It felt a lot like the Gauley at high water---a serious rapid, for sure! This was quite a large, exciting rapid at this level. There appeared to be some extreme ugliness in the middle of the river to my immediate left. Definitely be careful; this was a kind of scary rapid, although the level is apparently considered to be kind of high (it was low where I started, at Slatyfork). Upstream, a good Class 4 rapid started underneath a bridge (Curtin Road, perhaps?) That might make a good put-in to cherry-pick the hardest section down to Webster Springs. This section was definitely better than expected! I'm certainly glad that I did it.