New

This world-class run deserves its reputation: beautiful and challenging rapids set in a stunning, inaccessible gorge, magical water quality, and a paddle-out on a second river that's more than twice the size of the New and not without some rapids of its own. Once you paddle away from the put-in at the old Panther Creek campgound near the 15-mile mark on the Denny Road, you are only getting out by boat and that entails paddling some difficult whitewater than can be complicated by wood hazards and that is sensitive to water levels.

But, if you are solid class V paddler and are prepared to be self-sufficient for a long day on the river, this run is spectacular. The first few miles are similar to the upstream Denny Run (class III), giving you the chance to warm up and revel in the scenery with no rapid-related stress. It isn't until six miles in that the New River Gorge will begin to demand your full attention.

Entrance Exam is aptly named as the first large drop and it should be scouted on river right. Same for the next drop, Pool Hall: you don't want to end up in the Corner Pocket. The run eases a bit through some boulder garden-style rapids before Crack-in-the-Rock and Blind Faith remind you that you came here to paddle some difficult whitewater. Many paddlers portage Crack-in-the-Rock and may elect to continue the portage to include Blind Faith. Other paddlers run Blind Faith after portaging Crack-in-the-Rock. Some run both but you can't just run Crack-in-the-Rock because the rapid spits you directly into Blind Faith. Tombstone and Final Falls close out the big rapids on the New but a hole lurks in Mr. Spanky (IV) and it wants to, well, spank you along the right wall.

But you aren't done yet: the New empties into the depths of the Burnt Ranch Gorge of the Trinity River. Although most of the big rapids on the Trinity are upriver of the confluence with the New, you still have Greyhound and Grey's Falls to run. The Trinity

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