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The Winter and Spring have been wonderful in the south east. Rain has been plentiful and the rivers have been flowing. The harvest of new discoveries have been ripe for the taking this season, yielding some of the best runs I have ever had the pleasure to kayak. The lack of posting these recent months has been a point of conflict do I share these new wonderful places with others or do I horde them all for myself. None of these places are really that hard to find it just takes a little digging and a step away from routine. We all are creatures of habit by nature. So many times runs get hyped and become the “cool place” to go. Crowds then flock to the run detracting from the solitude and beauty of these gorges and sometimes even threaten access. I like the seclusion of being in a remote place either alone or with my closet friends running a river. Long shuttles, flat water, tough portages, hiking in/ out all appeal to me. They provide a buffer keeping the crowds away. I have already seen one gem fall to the wayside of becoming over exposed and crowded, and fear it will soon happen to another. For this reason I keep my knowledge too myself and those closest of paddling friends. But every now and then you find a run that can protect itself. Big Soddy is that run.
Big Soddy Creek is by far the scariest thing I have paddled. It is also the best run on the ridge for a class V+ boater. This run has been on my radar for quite some time. After talking with several of the older and established boaters in the Chattanooga area, I got an overwhelming response of, “ It’s Dangerous and I don’t like. I won’t go back.” I only talked to a few boaters that really LIKED the run. Being I hold them in high esteem, I knew this was going to be a good run.
Seldom do runs live up to the danger hype given to them, Soddy does! When Mark said, ”Think Fist on Russell Fork.” He wasn’t lying, Fist would make some of these rapids look clean. This is not a place to test your limits or to prove yourself. Even the easy rapids have Class V+ consequences. Boat scouting is not advised for this run. This is a run where you take a solid crew and you watch your friends back. Ropes should set precedent over cameras here.
That being said, for all the danger there are rewards. For those boaters looking for complex boulder garden rapids in a pristine gorge, you will be pleasantly surprised. You are likely to see nobody else other than your group. For all the danger and intimidation of the rapids they flow together incredibly well. The highlight of the run is definitely Skywalker. This is a three part rapid, this is definitely the most rewarding and most consequential rapid on the run. There are no big drops on this run , there is only one slide; this is a boulder garden run. Everything is 100% runable, but this doesn’t mean everything has to be run to have a good day.
High water would be a nightmare in there so, when you are at the takeout be wise. There is no gauge there right now so use discretion or go with somebody who has been. They’ll know if it is good to go.
In my opinion this is one of the three the best run in the Chattanooga area (the other two aren’t Bear and Hendy). The gorge is beautiful, the water quality is good, and the rapids are phenomenal. This being from someone who enjoys mank. For a boater who is able to block out the dangers, stick the lines, and isn’t too prideful to walk if things aren’t going great Big Soddy will offer up a rewards. If you don’t like scouting, sieves/ undercuts, and technical whitewater, this probably isn’t the place for you.
I doubt this run will ever become popular, due to the extreme danger . When it comes to Big Soddy it’s not if but when. BE CAREFUL, SCOUT, SET SAFETY!
The Winter and Spring have been wonderful in the south east. Rain has been plentiful and the rivers have been flowing. The harvest of new discoveries have been ripe for the taking this season, yielding some of the best runs I have ever had the pleasure to kayak. The lack of posting these recent months has been a point of conflict do I share these new wonderful places with others or do I horde them all for myself. None of these places are really that hard to find it just takes a little digging and a step away from routine. We all are creatures of habit by nature. So many times runs get hyped and become the “cool place” to go. Crowds then flock to the run detracting from the solitude and beauty of these gorges and sometimes even threaten access. I like the seclusion of being in a remote place either alone or with my closet friends running a river. Long shuttles, flat water, tough portages, hiking in/ out all appeal to me. They provide a buffer keeping the crowds away. I have already seen one gem fall to the wayside of becoming over exposed and crowded, and fear it will soon happen to another. For this reason I keep my knowledge too myself and those closest of paddling friends. But every now and then you find a run that can protect itself. Big Soddy is that run.
Big Soddy Creek is by far the scariest thing I have paddled. It is also the best run on the ridge for a class V+ boater. This run has been on my radar for quite some time. After talking with several of the older and established boaters in the Chattanooga area, I got an overwhelming response of, “ It’s Dangerous and I don’t like. I won’t go back.” I only talked to a few boaters that really LIKED the run. Being I hold them in high esteem, I knew this was going to be a good run.
Seldom do runs live up to the danger hype given to them, Soddy does! When Mark said, ”Think Fist on Russell Fork.” He wasn’t lying, Fist would make some of these rapids look clean. This is not a place to test your limits or to prove yourself. Even the easy rapids have Class V+ consequences. Boat scouting is not advised for this run. This is a run where you take a solid crew and you watch your friends back. Ropes should set precedent over cameras here.
That being said, for all the danger there are rewards. For those boaters looking for complex boulder garden rapids in a pristine gorge, you will be pleasantly surprised. You are likely to see nobody else other than your group. For all the danger and intimidation of the rapids they flow together incredibly well. The highlight of the run is definitely Skywalker. This is a three part rapid, this is definitely the most rewarding and most consequential rapid on the run. There are no big drops on this run , there is only one slide; this is a boulder garden run. Everything is 100% runable, but this doesn’t mean everything has to be run to have a good day.
High water would be a nightmare in there so, when you are at the takeout be wise. There is no gauge there right now so use discretion or go with somebody who has been. They’ll know if it is good to go.
In my opinion this is one of the three the best run in the Chattanooga area (the other two aren’t Bear and Hendy). The gorge is beautiful, the water quality is good, and the rapids are phenomenal. This being from someone who enjoys mank. For a boater who is able to block out the dangers, stick the lines, and isn’t too prideful to walk if things aren’t going great Big Soddy will offer up a rewards. If you don’t like scouting, sieves/ undercuts, and technical whitewater, this probably isn’t the place for you.
I doubt this run will ever become popular, due to the extreme danger . When it comes to Big Soddy it’s not if but when. BE CAREFUL, SCOUT, SET SAFETY!
1 comment:
awesome report, excellent watershed philosophy, nice pictures, gnarly gorge.
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