Doe, Laurel Fork

Personally, I think calling this class III-IV(V+) may be underating this run. I would not want to take someone down this run with class III-IV skills. Class III-IV paddlers may be getting in over their head on this one. It will be interesting for class IV boaters. Class V boaters will be comfortable. This run gets very tight in the inner Gorge. Scouting, portaging and walking out will be difficult (Although all have been done). There is a lot of wood on the run that moves around and be prepared for new strainers. It would be best to go with someone who knows the run because of this. Be careful, getting on this one too high could be very bad. There are a couple of holes that will get meaty. A lot of locals use a visual gauge on the river left rock wall upsream of the 321 bridge. There is a road that goes up the creek along the rock wall. The wall steps up. Zero is at the top of the step. Measure close to the furthest upstream point on the step. I like +4' as a minimum, +7' as a medium and I am guessing +12' as a high. I would not go in there much above +12'. Some friends of mine have and have had to hike out both times. One had to go back in and find his boat after the creek dropped. Many have run this much lower than my minimum. I have done it at 0 (very scrapy).