Backbone Creek

A tributary of the East Fork of the Little Miami, Backbone Creek enters the river from river right, just a mile upstream of Stonelick Creek and just downstream of Batavia, Ohio. Tom Monnig and I got the first descent on March 5, 2003. It is a rather short run, and the put-in doesn't look like much. But it has one of the best big drops around, and a lot of good whitewater is packed in above and below the Falls. In less than 1 1/2 miles, it drops 205 feet for an average of 140 feet per mile.

After a quarter mile of lesser gradient a few small ledges appear. The first bigger ledge is a caved in limestone ledge that forms a slide. The next drop starts at an island. Although the water goes to the right, there is a dangerous strainer in this channel. The top of the left channel is usually to shallow to run. The route is down the right channel and turn left through a small channel 40 feet above the strainer. Right below the island is the next rapid. Work quickly back right of center to go over the first 2 foot high river-wide ledge. The next ledge comes quickly and is the biggest one in this set. A nice six foot drop with a sweet boof on river left at higher flows. A boulder garden drop is just below, then the final ledge of about 3 feet. Bounce through a rock-garden rapid just ahead that ends at the confluence with the other big tributary of the creek. From here to the final big drop below the falls about one-third mile below, the creek drops over 80 feet. That's an average of 240 feet per mile in this section. A manky boulder garden leads into another nice sloping ledge. Around the bend the creek drops downhill through the next rock garden with a surprise 4 foot ledge lurking near the end of the rapid. Boof off this four foot ledge into the hole with authority. This is called Died With His Dick In His Hand. Someone (not a boater) died here in a pissing accident. The creek heads into the cliffs on river left and turns left into a massive strainer. Get right and g

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