Roaring Creek (Cheat River trib.)

2-17-2018
Helpful hints for running Roaring Creek near Albright, WV.
Using Steve Blade's video from 2-17-18 ............ ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRksXXWs03o&feature=share )............ & recently posted photos ( https://jeffmacklin.smugmug.com/Whitewater/2018/2018-02-17-Roaring-Creek-Albright-WV/i-vmvNXFn ) , Jim Snyder & I were discussing this run.

Jim Snyder noted some time-marks on this video & commented on photos with some rapid names and pointed out a few hazards

Below are condensed excerpts from our discussion:
New & updated info on 2-28-18, is marked with a “-+”

1:45 -+ important place to go way right if you ever run low flows.

3:36 -+ Pretty sure that is 'Paradise Rhodes'- named for the rhododendron tunnel effect, but the rhodies don't grow over the creek the way they used to

3:45 -+ At lower water, there's a terrible unrunnable trap exactly where you guys ran towards the left there. It is totally unnoticeable at your level. But if you go left there at lower levels, you'll have that trap named after you! There is basically a 3 rock pin, in waiting – unrunnable at low levels!

4:11 - Narrow Bridge, almost to the end of the sub-micro-creeking “upper section” … confluence of Lick Run at 4:40
4:42 - big rock marks entrance to Cyclops.
4:46 - is the top of “Cyclops”. We've called it 'Cyclops' for 20 years.
4:56 - The “Cyclops Sieve” is at the base of the big rock on river right. There's a lot of water going to the rock and a good chunk goes down into a sieve. The boat/camera almost runs over the sieve. It looks a lot worse at lower water.

4:57 -+ additional info from Jim: There's a tiny stick showing the spot. Eight out of ten runs, there's wood hooked up in there. At lower water, yesterday there was nothing at all there. I guess it's not as bad a sieve as I thought, but it's always better to scrounge left and stay safe from everything.

-The 4' ledge that follows waaay down at the bottom is called 'What the Hell' b/c there is a bad pinning rock hiding in the foam just right of center- where all the water goes.

5:27 -+ “What the Hell”, The piton/pinning rock (is under water) is right behind that tiny stick stuck in the top of the ledge, just 4' to the left of Steve's line. If anyone ever hooks up on that rock, expect a tough extraction. Steve's 'run out plan' after the ledge, is correct ... hedge right ... if the right shore is clear of dangerous wood. Lots of wood catches there.

5:35 -+ Is the drop we call 'Left' for obvious reasons- but when I blue angel w/Attila he often uses the right line to try to pass me there.

5:45 -+ And, that next drop is “Right'.

6:04 -+ to 6:12 – Ledge 1, right line. Nice big boof on the left line ... if there is no wood!

6:51 -+ Ledge 2

7:17 -+ “Slide”

7:40 - “Fun Key Hole”, (in video, Steve runs right boof) Jim says, “we run that center route at all levels- very narrow but clean”. Don't take the left slot, because there is a hidden piton and that slot tends to collect wood. If you have enough water, the right flat rock boof is good... clean landing.

Hope this helps for clean & fun runs on Roaring.