Haw

May 30, 2020 - Paddled with double duck and 15' old town canoe at about 4,400 cfs. Canoe tip and some swimming at Rapid above Gabriel's. Lined canoe around Gabriel, double duck no problem getting through. No challenges with canoe elsewhere except for taking on some water in some of the bigger waves. Suggest canoe float bags, lining leads, and some scouting if running a canoe through here at these flows. Great fun water!

Hala Atcha 9’6

This is one of my favorite spots after or even before work, I concur with some of the comments, the lowest I'd run it is 1250 to 1500 CFS. I have run it as high as 5000 CFS but I do not recommend this river over 3500 CFS for new paddlers. We have an info video on it here. https://youtu.be/gbMsG0Bkh5Y

Steven carving up Gabes @ medium-high flow- June 09

Gabes bend bottom hole at medium-high level - June 09

Wave and Hole bewteen lunch stop and the bend on lower Haw at good flow- June 09

The NCSU Outing Club, removing a log from '3-Foot Falls'

The NCSU Outing Club, removing a tree from '3-Foot Falls'

While the Lower Haw can be scraped down as low as 200-300 cfs, it isn't much fun at that level. I use the following as a guide:
Below 1,000 cfs - Not really running.
1,000 to 2,500 cfs running low - consider combining with the Middle Haw since there isn't much play at this level. Good level for someone comfortable on Class II looking to step up a bit.
2,500 to 6,000 cfs running at a medium level. Lots of play at this level. Worth either a slow run with lots of stops to play or quicker laps.
6,000 to 11,000 cfs running high - The river gets REALLY pushy at this level. The rapids are all there and there is lots of play. Similar in difficulty to the Ocoee at this level.
11,000 cfs and up - floodstage. Some of the rapids wash out. Those that are left have giant holes to dodge. Gabriel's Bend and Moosejaw Falls push to Class IV at flood.

It's been suggested by a member of Carolina Paddlers that the minimum runnable level listed for this reach, 400 cfs, is too low. The suggestion is that the min should at least be 800--and even at that it's pretty scrapy.

Sunset on the Haw River from the Maze below Gabriel's Bend

Gauge Correlation: 5:30pm 11/22/06:
Paddler's gauge - 7ft
USGS Bynum - (appx.) 13.7ft, 24,200cfs

There is a very primitive riverside trail that runs along the length of this run. Be very careful, it gets STEEP and slippery around Gabriel's bend. Don't try it in the dark.

Also, watch for snakes at the take-out.

Low, but still some surf at the bend.

Some correlations of Paddler gauge vs USGS

9/29/04

11

nice fun run at this level!
nice fun water at this level! 1 ft on 64 gauge
good wave to teach beginner surfers at this level..thanks Jimi! :O)

can you say AIR LOOP!
world class air loop! Perfect spot says Jimi B. when water is at this level or higher.
chillin in the eddy!
sick at this level...!
craig doing a backender with hand paddles..yeah!
jimi doing a sweet blunt move...
Smaller loop! Go Jimi...

With some pointers from Jimmy B. I was able to hit my first loop.

Craig back surfing at the bend. Note this hole gets very munchy at other levels.

Greg spinning in the Big Hole on the Bend.
Back surf on the first wave @ Lunchstop.

James' wood. Ride it, James ride it. This log made the hole interesting for a day or two. We moved it out of the hole, the water came up the next day, and now its gone. So much for our good deed.

A log in the usual side-surfing trough made a nice front-surf wave for a few days. Dave Schall C1 G-Force. What a STUD!!!
One of the Blues' Brothers surfing an RPM on the bottom wave @ Gabriel's Bend on the Lower Haw
For the full-sized version of this photo, click here.

Nick Woods throwing a cartwheel in a small pour-over hole.

AS reported on CCC List 'Sunday, 4/13/03 there were four break ins at The Lower Takeout'

Beware, I know from time to time I have seen shady caracters hanging out at the takeout and putin, but, this is the most recent rash of problems.

Beware of the Lower Haw at higher water! It changes character very quickly from a class II-III fun run, to a big water monster. Self rescue or even assisted rescue is very difficult due to the great width and small wooded islands that devide the river into several channels. Local boaters take this river very seriuosly at high water.

Aerial shot of Lower Haw provided by Pat Heron
Photo provided by Pat Heron.

This map shows the Lower Haw before Jordan Lake submerged the best rapids.
The rapid names were added in by Howard DeBose and William Nealy