Meadow (Gauley River trib.)
3. Route 19 Bridge to confluence with the Gauley River(Lower Meadow)
| Difficulty | V |
| Length | 4.6 mi |
| Avg Gradient | 92 fpm |
| Gauge | Meadow River at Nallen, Wv |
| Flow Rate as of 43 minutes | 194 cfsbelow recommended |
| Reach Info Last Updated | November 12, 2022 |
River Description
Gradient, mile by mile: 60, 150, 110, 70, and 50 (in the last 0.8 mile).
That might not sound too impressive, but the creek is populated by terrible undercuts. Three fatalities, all excellent boaters, are listed in the Accident Database. The Lower Meadow has a scary reputation for a reason!
Listed below are some of the major rapids. There is much 'boogie' water that ranges in the IV to IV+ range. Do NOT try this run without a guide that has made many, many trips down this river. There is not much room for error.
Directions to th put in: Coming from Fayetteville, go north on rt19 untill you drive over the Meadow River. Right after the bridge there will be a place in the median to bust a u-turn. After making that u-turn park next to gaurd rail on the well worn strip. From Summersville just take rt 19 south and stop and park before going over the Meadow River.
Directions to the takeout: The good thing about paddling the Lower Meadow is that you get the Upper Gauley thrown in at no extra charge. You will end up in the big pool above Lost Paddle. For more information on rapids, great directions and important info, click over the Upper G page here.
River Features
Put in
A walk down a steep old 4-WD trail. Rocks are slippery. Once at the bottom you must bush-whack to the river. Once to the river you will see a calm flowing stream, but do not let that fool you. Around the first bend is the first class IV+.
Rites of Passage
The lines are different depending on the water level. At most flows there is a boof on the right then dodgin' holes. At lower levels some run next to the HUGE undercut on the left, not for the faint of heart. Any trouble here, it is advised to take out on the right and walk back to your car. It only gets harder from here!
Hells Gates
After some boogie water, you will come up on this monster. Scout and set safety on the right. This is a deadly rapid. The clean line is easy to see, just don't mess up. You can start walking on the right and follow thr trail all the way past Comming Home. The trail stops there and goes down a steep hill to the top of Sieve City. Eazy and short walk.
Brink of Disaster
A short but powerful rapid, critical to run clean. This rapid rates a V due to what is below. Only about 100 yards down stream is Comming Home. You must not swim. There is a small f-me hole at the top, boof to avoid. If you flip, the rock at the bottom is waiting for you. There have been many close encounters with this rock. It tends to hold you there upside-down and not want to let go. Catch the eddy on the right immediately after running this drop to portage Comming Home.
Coming Home Sweet Jesus
This one now really rates a VI rating since the flood in late 2003. This is one sick rapid. Terrible to look at and even more terrible to run. Local boaters do fire up the line on the left but there is NO room for ANY type of mistake. Walk on the right.
Sieve City
Just as the name says, sieves! There is an terrible undercut rock at the bottom and the main flow goes right toward it.
Heavy Water
The norm, undercut rock abound!
Lets Make a Deal
Has a nasty eddy above the the main drop that tends to hold you as you look at the sieves downstream.
First and Second Island
This is another deadly rapid, hit your boofs to avoid a head-down pin.
Sliding Board
Narrow slide with a nasty hole on the right and a nasty undercut rock straight ahead.
Double Undercut
Once again, just as the name says. There is a 8ft boof next to the first undercut then you must dodge holes and keep from getting surfed into the second undercut.
Take Out
Trip Reports
Log in to add a reportit was a fun day!
Carl Schneider, Jason Hilton and John Rudland are checking out the interior of the cave ... its pretty big!
Running the left side was the intended line, however the right side is a good line as well.
Great Line Doc.
What an awesome level!!
Great day, and great level for 1st trip on LM
Just did the lower at around 430 cfs. Great fun! You wouldn't guess it but the river is plenty deep in most places. Hells gates is alittle dry. So is Sieve City. Brink becomes the hardest rapid, At least thats what I felt. Has one must make move then it's cake. Comming Home is a mandatory portage.
My last run was in Sept 2004 @ 1000CFS. I believe the drop is called Landslide, or is just after a landslide on the left. There used to be a rock that made a good boof in the left center at the bottom of the drop. It now seems to have been turned up, making more of a clamshell. All nine of us made it over, with one scary close call. We didn't have the ability to wave off those behind us. I can only imagine this rock would be much more dangerous at lower levels. We chose the right channel on subsequent runs.
I now see why most normal people do not run this rapid!!!!
This is the cave in Comming Home!! 80% of the water in this rapid goes here!!
It is truely a DEATH TRAP!!
The big boulder on the left side of the rapid is way undercut. There are two lines through the rapid. The main line requires boofing over or punching through the hole in the center channel. The hole feeds directly over to and under the big undercut. There is a sneak line down the far right side.
This is a pretty good view of the right side of Hells Gate. You can see that most of the water exits the rapid after smashing into the undercut on the bank. The cleanest exit is to scrape over the rocks to the left of the main flow. This is easier accomplished with more water. There is a very delicate line in this rapid that threads between obsticals with potentially deadly consiquences. Don't take this rapid lightly. Scout from the right preferrably with someone who knows the riverbed.