Trip Report

I found a trip report of the river at 28,000 cfs:

From: 'Jimmy' <whitehtwoo@y...>

Date: Fri Sep 17, 2004 10:47 pm

Subject: Metro Hooch at 22 ft

How often do you get the chance to paddle the chocolate milk colored

water of the Metro Hooch at 22ft? Not since, well... today. Which

was my reasoning behind doing it. My buddy Jamie and I put in at

Powers Island just after noon. The water was at the bottom of the

walking bridge over the inlet and there were 2 dry steps at the

river. As we approached the 285 bridge, there were a few honks from

passing cars above.. I'm going to assume they were meant for

encouragement.

Lots of boilers and funky currents under the bridge and a small wave

train on the right, nothing really worth stopping for. About 100

yards down and around the bend, we could see the first set of shoals

and they were raging. We pulled over by the Riverside apartments

platform and planned our route. River right seemed the best bet,

doesn't hurt to be close to shore if need be.

Things were bouncy for the next 50 yards... and at Devil's Race

Course the waves grew to about 5 feet and were coming from all

directions. I got caught between one coming sideways and another

cresting right in front of me. It flipped me over (yuk!) and the

current started pulling me to the bottom of the river... upside

down. I tried to hit my roll, but couldn't get the paddle out of the

water fast enough before I started sinking. I had to punch out and

spend the next 20 yards floating to the shore. I collected my boat

and paddle, dumped out and met Jamie a few yards downstream.

Everything else from then on was a little pushy, but for the most

part washed out. The Palisades take-out ramp was completely

underwater and we ended up paddling all the way to the far end of

the parking lot, just before it hits 41.

Chattahoochee