Little Stony Creek (Clinch R. trib.)

As of 3/27/05 most of all of Little Stony Creek has been cleared of strainers. The exceptions are: the lower portion of Chessboard, which contains two large ill-placed strainers, which necessitate a portage. They will be cleaned out at some future date when the water drops sufficiently to safely wade in with a chainsaw. Directly above the rapid called 'Manhole' is a blind, hard left turn lead-in drop. While cutting, a ten foot portion of a strainer log fell directly into the main line. It 'should' wash out with higher flows but it may simply migrate down into Manhole and create another hazard. Be sure to scout here. At the island rapid bear left down the high water channel. The stream course around the right side contains several strainers too dangerous to cut out at this time. A tree fell across the creek in the top part of the first big slide (Peelaway). At present there is enough room to safely slip under, however, the crown of this tree is hung up in hillside rhododendron so, with gravity and time, this will become an ill-placed strainer too. Fortunately this is easily boat scouted from the river left eddy just above the drop. Finally, the cobble bed outflow at Little Stony falls has seriously eroded down and broadened out, resulting in a shallower pool to land in. Be careful here to land only on the distinct aerated boil at the base of the falls.

GENERAL DISCLAIMER: Because trees will fall logs will migrate with higher flows, have someone hike the creekside trail (only 2 miles) back up to the falls putin while setting shuttle. This creek is notorious for ill-placed lumber.