Red Creek

Dumpster Fire Road Trips posted a new video to YouTube, a well-produced mini-doc you gotta see - https://youtu.be/c6A4Qx7wUh0

Since we were staying at Old Timberline (behind the gate), we were able to hike in via the Valley View trail at the top of the hill (next to Timberline). The hike was easier than coming in the traditional way (via Red Creek Campground) and took us about 35 min of mostly downhill (trail 511 towards Blackbird Knob). We put on the Left Branch of Red Creek and were able to paddle the full way down to confluence which (took about 35 mins). The Left Branch was very low and scrappy but never got out of boat and no real wood issue. Once we joined main flow - all was good.

On Dec 6, 2014 - did a med level run down Red Creek. Since we were staying at Old Timberline (behind the gate), we were able to hike in via the Valley View trail at the top of the hill (next to Timberline). The hike was easier than coming in the traditional way (via Red Creek Campground) and took us about 35 min of mostly downhill (trail 511 towards Blackbird Knob). We put on the Left Branch of Red Creek and were able to paddle the full way down to confluence which (took about 35 mins). The Left Branch was very low and scrappy but never got out of boat and no real wood issue. Once we joined main flow - all was good. Some newer wood in Clapper and some other random spots but most drops clean and fun.

Jeff Calhoose on Mood Ring. 5/20/14

Looking down into the Red Creek Valley from Lion's Head, Dolly Sods Wilderness Area

I'd vtenure that this article has saved me more time than any other.

Finally got down Red Creek last weekend. Bobby Miller's video is great, but here are a few links to the video that we managed to get from it.
http://www.vimeo.com/22643262
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rb6dsXv7X8
I hope that this helps people aspiring to get on this run, because it is a gem.

John Warner and I ran this on June 27th. The strainers in the warmup section are still there. The steep section is pretty clean until you get to the 2nd rapid above Mood Ring (Devil's Cauldron). There is a bad tree coming out from the left bank. With good water it can be avoided on the far right, but it is a sketchy line. We talked to a group who ran it on the 26th at low water and they said there was no way to avoid it at that level. One of the members of the group swam under the tree. In the paddle out there are two staggered trees back to back a little ways below one of the Stonecoal Runs (I'm not sure if it's Big or Little) These have been here for a while and can be run starting far left to miss the first one and driving hard right to miss the second one.

Red Creek has changed a lot since the hurricane last year. All the sieves that needed to be portaged are gone, replaced by SIK boulder drops. There are also a lot of new trees in the run. Be careful!

The hike into Red Creek is one of the things that makes it such special run.

Abed runs the perfect waterfall on Red Creek, this is above the entrance sequence to Super Slide.