Geddes Creek
Groveland Rd to the Tohickon Creek Confluence
| Difficulty | IV |
| Length | 1.9 mi |
| Avg Gradient | 200 fpm |
| Reach Info Last Updated | November 28, 2011 |
River Description
Geddes is a shallow fast creekbed. A roll almost always means grazing a rock while upsidedown. The run may be done as a 2 mile or 1 mile run. The first mile is easier and a bit less continuous. The upper mile ends at the closed steel bridge (on tollgate road) where a tributary comes in on river right. At times this is a very significant merge of water. You can easily hike back to the 2 mile putin by the river left side on tollgate road.
Many boaters like to warm up in the upper wider and thus scratchier mile but the creeker that wants the best goods often drives Tollgate rd to the closed bridge (1 mile putin) and runs laps from there. Note the road that parallels the lower mile is closed due to the road falling into the creek gorge (without creek obstruction). There is very limited parking at both the 1 mile putin and even less at the 2 mile putin. Pack it in as best you can. Whatever you do, DO NOT BLOCK the land owners driveway on the narrow road right at the 1 mile putin on Tollgate road.
Geddes is known as a very difficult creek to get on because it flashes out very quickly. Unless the water is Very High I wouldn't even bother driving from the takeout to the 2 mile putin if the rain is still not falling. The paddler that drives to the creek before the Tohickon Gauge rises will get on Geddes. By the time the Tohickon rises Geddes is often gone. It is frequent that the creek will fluctuate half a block during your run plus/minus . The Wick guage across the river in NJ rises as quickly as Geddes and is the key to know when to drive to the Geddes putin. If the Wick spikes and the rain event isn't expected to end soon drive and likely get your Geddes run.
AREA Creeking: In the way of utilizing the rain the best, you get on Geddes 1st, then the Wick in NJ (to covered bridge) followed by the Lock in NJ for the best local triple crown day. Don't run the whole Wick (lower)...its not on par with the
...River Features
2 mile putin @ Groveland
Upper Putin @ Groveland Road
This is the 2 mile run putin. Very limited ditch parking best for a truck or subaru 4x4. Putin on river right downstream of the bridge. The Bobsled ride takes off slow give it a bit. Expect it to be a shallow scrapy start. You'll get back near tollgate road in about a half mile.
1 Mile Putin/Steel Bridge
The closed steel bridge putin is called 1 mile putin as well. This putin gives you the best bang for the buck and is a quick run to lap. Boat abuse is less as well starting here.
Note that there is room for 6 cars tightly parked on the river left sided on tollgate road. Across the closed bridge there are 3 other spots are available should you need it. If you change clothes at this putin you will be within 10 feet of the house....Please don't do it. Change at the takeout first.
Hairy Clam Ledge
About 200 yards downsteam of the closed steel bridge Putin is the biggest ledge drop (6ft) on the river with the biggest hazard, it's known as the Hairy Clam Shell AKA Stone Trap. The read and run line leads directly into the pinning rock. Boof on the Left of Center has worked well and sneaking far left at high water is common. Portage if needed on Left. There isn't a super eddy on left but slow water makes a quick jump out of the boats very possible when you spot a distinct horizon line.
Note that there is the start of significant fluming going on * getting\* to the Hairy Clam drop that would be a named rapids elsewhere....I leave it out intentionally. Bigger and faster bobsledding lay downstream.
There are few larger eddies for several boats. Look for a large eddy on Creek Left where 4+ boats could get out fairly easily. In this eddy you should be able to see the biggest horizon line yet seen on Geddes. Scout it on Left. If this is Stone Trap it will present as a creek wide ledge 4-6 feet high. Note the unusual Triangle Point Rock on the pour over lip. Its marks off about 1/3 of the creek's width, in from river left. On River Left (Left of Triangle Point Rock) is a sneak stepping down some smaller ledges. This is the safest playboat line. The main hazard on Geddes is in this drop just right of center. There is a vertical pin block that is about 5 feet wide and will trap your bow especially the bow of a shorter play boat with low bow volume. Most creek boats seem to glide over the 'Clam shell' pin block. This block is not visible at 6 blocks exposed on the gauge and will be undetectable during a scout.
Funny thing is that the Stone block is near a perfect rectangle block and not a clam shell at all.
Paddlers who finish the Tohickon during a big rain see creekers ready to jump on geddes. They opportunistically think they can jump on geddes with a playboat just fine. Very good Play boaters should have someone 'In the Know' to keep them out of this vertical pin line. At high levels (less than 6 blocks exposed) the pinned boater would be in a head underwater pin situation.(see photos) 'Don't take a knife to a gun fight.....take the playboat somewhere else or have a very good guide. My first day on this creek Nils and crazy rick told me 5 out of 5 playboats they saw do that pin line pinned and one guys was breathing out of an air pocket with water crashing over his head.
The next big spot is Ass F***K Falls. It sports a natural low head dam effect on the river Left with a power tongue on the right. The tongue wants to slam you into and under a huge river right root ball. Under there is roots, fins of rock and its real nasty on the downstream side of this rootball. Its been getting more erroded and actually cleaner as time goes on. Many class 4-5 boater have had a swim at this spot. The hot read is to go left to cheat the line dealing with the root ball....leading over the low head dam pour over. Without driving strokes you can end up in the strong hole. Make sure your group knows that you can duck down and swim out the side of a hole underwater with the out flow. It is particularly helpful in this spot.....the site of my first class 4 swim. (Wayne Gman)
Clam Shell aka Stone Trap
Read and run leads right into this pin with a nasty piton. Extremely Low Flow but boatable. Healthy flows make this a very difficult situation. (click on the pic details for specifics)
SEE the gallery for pics of this hazard Dry.
Ass F**k Falls
Once the most feared rapid on the creek causing a startling number of swims and lost boats. The hazard is a uniform ledge on river left to the middle of the creek that caused a LOW HEAD DAM effect. Either rock fell in or part of the dam wall has blown out since 2006 and it is much less the keeper these days.
The line was a good boof over the Left ledge or a cool 'S' move around the ledge hole and very close to river right under an ugly erroded tree rootball with roots that would grab at the paddle and fins of rock partially exposed in the mud wall under 'in there' that would seem to 'come at you' like knives if you got pushed against the wall into the mess. The river bends to the left in this whole mess. At low water it's pretty easy to stay center and miss it all.
Mileage of the rapid is very guesstimated and only represents relative position to other named rapids.
Take Out
Tohickon Confluence Takeout
Take out at the confluence with the Tohickon. 5 car parking
Trip Reports
Log in to add a reportGot on the Geddes March 31 2017. No strainers from toll gate put in to tohickon take out
https://vimeo.com/211133767 long edit
https://vimeo.com/211138670 theatrical version
Just too low to run as an Elf run paddlers work the concept of line assited wading/crossing
Wayne Gman setup in the Hairy Clam Shell/Stone Trap teaching Creeking Safety. 100% rock solid pin. Big flows put your head under water. Boat Scouting typically leads directly to being in this spot.
Perfect Boof line for all levels on this 6' ledge drop @6.5 blocks exposed on the gauge. About 6 feet to the river right of the paddler is the 'clam shell' pinning rock. Particularly an issue for playboats.
Immediate view of Geddes creek downstream at the 2 mile putin at 6 blocks exposed dropping out already fast 2 miles upstream at the putin. It was 6.75 blocks by the time we got off the creek which is my cut off for not putting on.
Putin Bridge on Groveland Road
First big drop of Geddes at about 5.5 blocks
Pinned 100% rock solid in the Clam Shell. This is actually a picture from wayne g-man's creeking rescue class when a rain strom brought Geddes up to just minimal flows during a class. The class abandoned the site just after this shot. Ram, the assistant, was a tibetan Raft guide and wasn't even phased by hanging out there. Ram is sitting in a Wavesport BigEZ but has his feet out of the boat on the pinning rock. With real water pushing him down this can easily turn into a heads down situation. A local stud creeker said he rescued a near head down playboater at 6 blocks exposed. Note the pointed rock to the left of the paddler has be washed downstream 8/2011 during hurricane Irene. The boof line is just to the left of the pinned victim. Take care, maybe run left of the point rock at high water or portage on left. Of note is that after 2 minutes of yanking the kayak out Bob North boofed over the Ledge.....You have to be a creeking bloodhound to get geddes.
Ram assisting Wayne G-man on a dry creek swiftwater rescue drill that just flashed. We had to pull out, but not before we snapped this pic. His legs are not in the kayak but resting on the bow standing on the pinning rock. Butt seated down realisticly positioned.
Walking around a typical strainer at Geddes on the lower mile