Peters Creek

I ran this creek on 7-30-09 putting in at the Drennen Post Office (129 & 39 intersection) and running it all the way to the mouth on the Gauley. The upper half of is best suited as a canoe stream, virtually all swift water or Class I. The scenery is pleasant enough, more secluded than you might think, but not really outstanding. The faint of heart should definitely take out at the last car bridge crossing about a mile below where the creek leaves Route 39 for safety reasons.

The bottom half below the last car bridge is for expert kayakers only. The 'Big Three' rapids compose the formidible part of the run about midway into this section. The 20 foot falls is a Class VI drop, followed by two very technical Class V rapids (which I'll call 'Right Dogleg' and 'Rock Jumble'). The reason this section of the creek is not run very often is because portaging is VERY strenuous. The incline of the left bank (where the railroad tracks are) is so steep that it requires a long rope (both for pulling my boat up and lowering it down) for practical success.

20 Foot Falls is a straight drop just right of center but I'd recommend the pool be scouted at low water first in advance to see where any hazardous rocks may lie. Right Dogleg requires initially manuvering far right to avoid the undercut rock on the left, but the second half drop is cleaner on far left. Rock Jumble features a 'U' shaped ledge entrance with the majority of the water splitting into left and right channels. The bottom half of the rapid has a short pool followed by left and right slots with a 5 foot drop. I took the right channel at the top half, then took the left slot for the bottom drop.

The remainder of the run is not difficult, the only dilemma being whether to take out at the mouth of Peters Creek or continue on the lower 3rd of the Gauley. The only takeout option is to walk all the way back to the last bridge via the train tracks (not practical) so I decided to continue on to the Swiss takeout. This section features another 'Big Three' rapids on the larger Gauley....Mash, Heaven Help You, and Pure Screaming Hell for good measure. The shuttle distance from the town of Swiss (not the 1st takeout) to the last car bridge on Peters Creek is probably about 8 miles.