Elk River, Back Fork

Robert Farmer---We ran this April 5, 2009 at 5.75/1500 at Webster Springs,and our party of 12 (mixed skill levels) passed the aforementioned strainer easily---we limboed under it. This level was quite good---low, but without much scraping, and still great fun. Every rapid was run, but the fourth ledge had no easy routes at this level (except for the hike-and-seal-launch---still fun!); more water makes this one easier. The shuttle can be run up Old Sycamore road. It's shorter, but I don't know whether it's faster---probably is faster for professional rally drivers. From Bergoo Road, take Old Sycamore Road up the hill; when you come to a T, turn Right. At a Y intersection with a church up on the hill, go Left. Go over the hill and down the other side to a little valley with a funky intersection at a paved road. Just go straight, up the dirt road. Later, take a Right at a Y intersection. Soon you come to the paved road that goes to Sugar Creek. (I think the house number is 460.) Turn Right. No high ground clearance required. My DeLorme's Atlas shows this route, albeit in tiny little red lines. I hadn't done this river for about 12 years or so, and it really is an enjoyable section. I remembered that it went by pretty quickly when I soloed it, but taking my time and doing multiple runs of some of the drops with some good people really made a nice day. The drops really are very nice, classic, even great! They can all be run multiple times, except for the third one; although, technically, someone did, with help from above, climb back up the cliff for another run, I think that risking a broken back in a fall from wet, slimy, and probably loose rocks offers a very questionable cost/benefit ratio. As for the shuttle, maybe some 'local' can compare the two shuttle routes and decide which is better/faster; please post the results here.