Tearcoat Creek

Tearcoat is a short pleasant whitewater run through an attractive gorge. The frequent Class II-III rapids are mostly on blind turns and should be at least boat scouted for strainers.

To get to the putin, turn left onto CR 50/17 just west of where Route 50 crosses the Tearcoat.  This road follows the river, and an easy putin can be made about a quarter mile upstream.  You could probably proceed further upstream but all of the good stuff is below 50.

The rapids start a few hundred yards below Rt. 50.  Overall this run is comparable to Virginia's Passage Creek but not quite as hard.  The most challenging rapid comes about halfway through the run.  There is a low Class III rapid that starts to turn right but bends back to the left.  There is a very picturesque rock overhang on your right.  Below this overhang, most of the flow is blocked by two large boulders that you can shoot between.  At low water, you could pin between these rocks, which happened on a recent trip.

To get to the takeout, go back to Rt. 50 and turn east and proceed for approximately one mile to CR 50/19 on your left.  Go down CR 50/19 for about 2 miles until there is a fork in the road.  The takeout is a few hundred yards down the left fork.  This road is somewhat marginal, so watch out getting stuck.  The right fork goes to a private vacation camp just above the confluence of the Tearcoat and the North.  This could also be used as a takeout with permission.

The Tearcoat is included in Ed Grove's Classic Virginia Rivers even though it's in West Virginia. He must have a soft spot for it or something. It's a pretty entertaining run, but it's rather short. You could combine it with a run somewhere further out on Rt. 50, like the Cheat or Bloomington, or a run of the Lost or Cacapon, which are both about 45 minutes away (close by WV standards).