Laurel Creek (New River trib. @ Sandstone)

this is a very difficult to portage, twisting falls, dropping @16feet

difficult to scout, a bear to portage

first bigger rapid, right before river moves away from the road

Ran this may of 2011, at a relatively high level. first few miles were non de-script, running through backyards. About a mile and a half from the New, it steepens quite a bit. There is a 12 foot narrow slide behind a church, then the river moves away from the road. Several class 4 boulder rapids are encountered, then a distinct horizon line appears. A large ( 16 feet or so) twisting falls is encountered, immediately following a boulder pile. Drifting into it blind would be hair raising, and portaging it is a bear. It is also impossible to scout throughly, because of the sheer nature of the gorge at this point. After this falls, another nasty, 12 foot or so falls onto a clapper rock is encountered. again, portaging involves climbing out of the gorge, working downstream, and re-entering several hundred yards later. Things calm down until the confluence with the New. All in all, more than I bargained for in reading the rating.

On my atlas, this is called 'Laurel Branch,' which is a trifle less confusing than yet another Laurel Creek.