Chattooga
Chattooga Cliffs - Grimshawes Bridge to Bull Pen Bridge(AKA Section 00)
Trip Reports
Log in to add a reportA delightful day on the river!
In 1993, I waded or swam all 25 public miles of the Headwaters, accumulating about 750 pictures of the river at ELF, or extremely low flow.
First, Section 00, Chattooga Cliffs. This is the most complete set of pictures from my wading and swimming expedition in 1993. The pictures are 'blogged' on a UK website. Sometimes the pictures load slowly from Flickr.... Go open a beer and be patient.
Of course the river was at extremely low flow,, but that has its own attraction.
I will post links to Sections 0 and 1 in the comments for those sections.
I'm having editing problems with my post. I can't get the link separated from the text. But if you mark the link successfully, it will get you there.
To avoid my text and just see the pictures, my Flickr album.
First known run of Sieve Rapid
This is the view of the Wild and Scenic Upper Chattooga River below Grimshaw's Bridge on Whiteside Cove Road.
Slide just a bit below the put in.
Follow Chattooga Trail to Green Creek Trail
Parking area along Grimshaws Bridge Road. Trail leaves out of back right and permit box is 100 yds down the trail on left.
On 9/29/07 in Clayton, GA, the USFS held its 'final' community input meeting on 9 options for managing the Headwaters of the Chattooga River. 3 of the options maintained the 20 year old boating ban in the headwaters and 6 allowed paddling to one degree or another. 97 people attended the meeting, of which 2/3 to 3/4 were paddlers. It was a great turnout fo the paddling community. Here are a couple of well known paddlers signing into the meeting.
The Chattooga Headwaters Management Plan meeting started with the expected opening comments and 'thank yous'. Then gave the attendees the 'ground rules' for the day: No headbutting, No hitting below the belt, no biting, no kidney punching, in the case of a knock down you are to go to a neutral corner.
Around the meeting room, each of the 9 managment plan options were presented individually. Each had a large blow up of the option, a map, a few talking points and later, a park ranger or representative to answer questions about that particular option. This is option 8, American Whitewater's preferred option.
After the meeting's opening comments, everyone was encouraged to get to know all 9 management plan options as well as possible. So, for the next hour and a half everyone milled around each option's presentation location for individual question and answer sessions with park rangers and representatives. Unfortunately, you occasionally got conflicting answers to the same question from different park officials.
After the meeting's opening comments, everyone was encouraged to get to know all 9 management plan options as well as possible. So, for the next hour and a half everyone milled around each option's presentation location for individual question and answer sessions with park rangers and representatives. Unfortunately, you occasionally got conflicting answers to the same question from different park officials.
Once the Q&A portion of the program was over, we were asked to grade the USFS on how well they accomplished the objectives of each management option. Sounds simple enough, however it proved to be one of the most poorly worded, poorly implemented and poorly explained surveys anyone has ever been envolved with. Consequently, the USFS decided to throw out the useless results and ignore the survey all together.
Once the Q&A portion of the program was over, we were asked to grade the USFS on how well they accomplished the objectives of each management option. Sounds simple enough, however it proved to be one of the most poorly worded, poorly implemented and poorly explained surveys anyone has ever been envolved with. Consequently, the USFS decided to throw out the useless results and ignore the survey all together.
Durring the lunch break, one of our friend from the 'Friend of the Upper Chattooga' (FUC) placed these stickers under the windshield wipers of the cars in the parking lot. Not a bad souvenir for the day! However, I suggest FUC change their organization's name to something more appropriate like 'Unlimited Friends of the Upper Chattooga Enviromental Resources' (U FUCER)
After lunch the real meat of the meeting began. Here's a park ranger explaining how we will make comments, suggestions and amendments to all 9 management plan options.
Hundreds of suggestions were made for the 9 management plan options. However, this was by far, my favorite.
To make a suggestion or amendment to a Management Plan Option you first could not alter the objective of the plan. For instance, if it's objective was to maintain the boating ban, you could not suggest removing the boating ban. That way, all the comments would be constructive and not be reduced to debating on little blue slips of paper. Most options received a dozen or two comments. Option 8 received hundreds!
To make a suggestion or amendment to a Management Plan Option you first could not alter the objective of the plan. For instance, if it's objective was to maintain the boating ban, you could not suggest removing the boating ban. That way, all the comments would be constructive and not be reduced to debating on little blue slips of paper. However, it did not stop anyone from commenting on some of the comments. Most options received a dozen or two comments. Option 8 received hundreds!
Once the 'making' comments period ended, everyone broke up into groups and helped organize each Management Option's comments.
Once the 'making' comments period ended, everyone broke up into groups and helped organize each Management Option's comments.
Once the 'making' comments period ended, everyone broke up into groups and helped organize each Management Option's comments.
Once the 'making' comments period ended, everyone broke up into groups and helped organize each Management Option's comments.
Once each group had summerized their managment plan's suggestions, comments and amendments, they were presented to everyone at the end of the meeting. Some presenters were easier to watch then others. After that, we all went home as skeptical as when we arrived...........
97 people attended the meeting. Between 2/3 and 3/4 were paddlers. It was a great turn out for the paddling community.
Approach to rapid above Alleyway. Limited eddies at bottom and log sieve just downstream.
Be careful of shifting logs
One of the largest roadless areas in the southeast
We looked at Section I level early in July when Overflow was 2.6 and Chattooga about 6 ft. A ranger drove up to warn us that boating above Hwy 28 was illegal, and that he drove around on rain/high water days looking to bust boaters doing such. Said the fine for 1st offense would be $150 ($75 for boating above Hwy 28 + $75 for not filling out a permit - huh?, like we would fill out a permit to boat illegally?) He wrote down all our tag numbers. His name is Dave Heddon. Word to the wise - the boating ban is being energetically policed around here.
Hiked the full length of OO April 4, 2005. The Chattooga guage at US76 was at 2.7 and I was told Overflow was at .85. The river looked to have sufficient flow in all areas. Overall, the stretch looks Class 4/4+ with one particular rapid a class 5 with a massive sieve at the entrance. Check out the pictures.
This is the biggest rapid on this run. Looks very sketchy at the top. The river right side pours into a undercut anf the left side looks a slab of rock was shoved between the massive undercut rock on the other side of the river leaving a sieve in the center and the only possible line on far left. I wouldn't want to be probe boater there. Next pic is a closeup of the top of the rapid.
Close up of the sieve at the top of the class V picture before this.
Somethin' tells me this ain't legal?!?!
This sign was strung across the river on a steel cable.
Turn left here from the Chattooga River Trail onto the unmarked Green Creek Trail to reach the put in.
The sign and permit station at the beginning of the put in trail (the upstream end of the Chattooga River Trail on Whiteside Cove Rd).