Laurel Creek (Tygart trib)
WV 38 to Tygart River
| Difficulty | IV-V+ |
| Length | 5.7 mi |
| Avg Gradient | 50 fpm |
| Reach Info Last Updated | February 19, 2002 |
Photo: Paul Lang drops the Falls, by Matt Muir. This falls isn't too tough, but if you're a few feet off, you can get a shallow landing.
No gauge on creek-Min approx 5.5 usgs Philippi
Class: IV-VI
Jim Warlick writes on Boater Talk:
...Laurel Creek is really fun. I would put it at a hard class 3 or easy class four level. (Editor's note: gnarl-boaters may call it a 3-4; many 'normal people' would call it a V.) Danger wise, I would say it is one of the safer creeks around due to the lack of boulder drops that make sieves. There are a couple of undercuts, but how can you have a creek like this without one or two of 'em. It is mostly a bedrock creek with ledges of various shapes and sizes between two and ten feet. This bedrock bottom is strewn with the occasional boulder. It is pool-drop in nature, and you generally never have to make more than one move at a time between pools or at least large eddies.
It can be run really low, and really high. Low water gives you lots of time to do everything although everything you do has to be right down in the notches. High water is kind of pushy, but it lets you get really far out of the notches and gives you something to dip your paddle into as you slide around on all that bedrock.
It is a short run that can easily yield multiple runs in a session.
The only thing that is not really that obvious from upstream is the 'class 6' rapid called Floating Boulder or Olympic Slalom. It is recognized as being the first major rapid after the bridge. The move is a finesse move, not a power move. You drive from right to left in front of the undercut. If you drive too hard you hit the left wall knocking you back in front of the undercut. If you don't drive hard enough, you can get in front of the undercut. This rock often holds strainers that stick out in front of the choice line, so it is good to scout it. Getting in front of the rock is not a death sentance, as many peop
Jan 14, 2009
this creek is great! this one goes at much lower flows than teeter (IMO).there is a bridge gauge at the takeout but the water gets backed up from the tygart, a visual upstream is much better. i have run this down to -1 on the bridge gauge. some sick boofs and drops that are fairly safe for being that steep. i am not sure about the left to right move at floating boulder(as stated below), no good due to overhanging undercut on right side of floating boulder, more of a right to left move. easy walk from takeout to first bridge! runs a few days after a decent spike on the tygart(arden).
