Obed 2005 – Robert Martin

Participants: Chuck Hunley, James Woods, Beth Harrill , Stu Thompson, Ted Jean, Gary Lambert, Diane Owens, Jack Shuler, Paul Joffrion, Robert Wedell, Pat Glazier, Robert Martin.

This year’s Obed trip came close to being a complete bust. The Obed system was too low to run, as was most everything else. Our choices were the Ocoee, Pigeon, Nantahala and the Nolichucky. Everyone had there reasons for choosing one over the other so on the first day of the trip we were scattered all over the Appalachians from the Ocoee to the Nolichucky. On day one Chuck Hunley and James Woods were kind enough to meet some the group and take us down the Pigeon River, from Walters Power Plant down. It was a first run for me. It was like the Nanny on steroids. We stayed in Erwin TN that night, trying to stay within striking distance of the Obed in case the rain that was forecast delivered the water we needed on the Cumberland Plateau. The rain was supposed to hit Tennessee on day two so we decided to run the Nolichucky while we waited. So we made a “meat and potatoes” run down the Noli on day two, then headed for the Plateau. We drove through driving rain all the way through Knoxville, our spirits were high. When we got to Wartburg we found they had gotten little more than a sprinkle, “Rats!” Ted Jean and Gary Lambert were waiting for us at the Scenic River Inn and Pat Glazier and Beth Harril showed up later. The next morning we looked at the USGS gauges and found where the rain had hit the day before. It was North Alabama. The Little River Canyon had been on my list for years and we were only three hours drive from the take-out. Our caravan burned up the road between Wartburg and Desoto Stat Park in Alabama.

The Little River Canyon of Alabama: Chairlift Section.
Wednesday March 23rd 2005
River Volume: 2500cfs or so.
Difficulty: Class III+ (pushy) with a class IV and a class IV+
Paddlers: Openboaters; Jack Shuler, Pat Glazier, Paul Joffrion, Stu Thompson. Kayakers: Diane Owens, Gary Lambert, Ted Jean, Beth Harrill and Robert Martin.
Weather: Sunny and mild.

The Little River Canyon offers some outstanding paddling in one of the most spectacular canyons in the east. The Chairlift Section is considered to be a class 2-3 run with a class 4 at a rapid called Bottleneck. Ted and Gary knew the river well and volunteered to lead us down. The shuttle was easy and the drive along the canyon rim offered great views of the canyon. By the time we all got to the put-in it was 3pm. One suggestion to those of you who plan on running this section is to bring a short length of rope to drag your boat down with and don’t suit up until you get to the bottom. From the parking lot, at the rim of the canyon, to the water is down hill all the way. The normally green water of the Little River was brown as we put on. We began to get into some really sweet rapids with good gradient. “This ain’t no class 2-3 river.” I thought to myself. It was pushy, like the Upper Gauley without the big rapids.. The carnage started soon after we put on when we came to a horizon line that hid a nasty hole. (Blue Hole Memorial?) I watched Diane make the drop and get sucked backward into the hole. Beth made a last minute correction and snuck the hole on the right. I followed Beth’s line. The hole was working Diane pretty well when Ted came down. I think Ted realized that something was wrong when he rounded the corner above the drop to see everyone eddied out and pointing towards Diane. I thought he had jumped into the hole to rescue her but that was not the case. Ted did some fancy mystery moves, stern squirted through the maw of the hole and popped out unscathed. Diane had found a weak spot in the hole and was able to get out, but her boat took a different route. After a short hike she and her boat were reunited.

We began to shore scout the horizon lines after that. It was during one of these scouts that my back went out on me. I bent down to pull my boat up on shore and ended my trip with one wrong move. I was in pain the rest of the run and by dark could hardly walk.

The next big rapid was Bottleneck. If this rapid (at 2300cfs) were on the Chattooga they would call it the Six Falls. If it were on the Upper Gauley it would have a rafter type name like “You’re Going To Die” or something. The injured and downtrodden portaged this rapid. The young and the bold ran it. As I was carrying around the boulders on river right I caught a glimpse of Pat Glaziers orange canoe wash by, followed by Pat. Next came the hull of Paul Jofrion’s canoe followed by Paul.

Beth Harril came next. She flipped in the entrance curler and went over the drop upside down. She then proceeded to cartwheel out of the first hole, over the fold and into the second hole. I figured she was in for a good trouncing but she popped right up and out of the hole without missing a beat. Beth later made a statement that epitomizes the difference between a great paddler and a hack. She said, “I could feel the current around me and knew there had to be a way to use it to my advantage.” At that time she had only been paddling a few months. I usually curl up in the fetal position and throw myself at the mercy of the river. Gary Lambert and Ted Jean both had great lines and were rewarded with these excellent photos taken by Stu Thompson.

We made it to the take out at twilight and spent the night at the Inn at Desoto State Park. The next day I drove home in pain but the rest of the group paddled the Little again at a much lower level. Tad and Gary ran the Upper Two section and met the rest of the group at the put-in for the Chairlift section.

Notes: The Little River Canyon has simple shuttles, outstanding scenery and challenging rapids. Desoto State Park is Alabama’s premier state park and offers good lodging and an excellent restaurant.