Buckhorn Creek

I ran the rapids on the Cape Fear at 9,555 cfs (Haw and Deep River gages at Moncure combined) and then ran the short section of rapids on Buckhorn Creek at 333 cfs after. The creek was a bit easier, but you would still want to be somewhat experienced with whitewater at this flow. The whole section of rapids on the creek at this level basically merges into one long wavetrain rapid with a couple of holes to punch at the end.

I'd consider it high flow since I rarely see this even reaching above 130 cfs. I ran this with the gage at Hwy 42 showing as 321 cfs. At this level, the rapids merged together at the beginning to form some wave trains and the end part I'd consider class II+. There was a mildly entertaining surf wave just before the curve right. I ran the last drop twice, once river right, which was fast and once river left, which had what looked to be sticky holes but it was easy to glide over them. I then drove to the Rollins Mill busted dam above Harris Lake and ran the single drop there. Nice rapids on this creek, just not very many and at high level water, be prepared to run the drops on the fly with very few areas to catch an eddy.

Pay no attention to the take-out specified by the Streamkeeper. There is no Route 1921 takeout to Buckhorn Creek. It dumps you into the Fear about a mile+ below 1921 and you cannot paddle up the half-mile of Buckhorn Dam rapids. The only way back is a mile+ towpath full of ditches and puddles and some bulldozer intrusions. Fortunately, I made it out just at dark...........................

There is only set of rapids, class 2, with surfing holes-- right at the end. Otherwise, I portaged three times for strainers...I did notice a marsh area river right just before the confluence. It may be possible to paddle through the marshes and back to 1921. If that is true, the next time I go, I will put in on 1921, a half-mile from Buckhorn Dam, play in the only rapids on the river, skip strainers and paddle back via the marsh where I will cross the towpath and put in at the Dam and play in Buckhorn Falls, a half-mile of class 2-3 surfing holes, then paddle back through the marsh again. le scott, Dec 09