Submit a trip report! 20 Miles on the Lower Wisconsin: 3 day weekend, mid-August, 2001 Location: Muscoda to Boscobel, 4+ hours from Chicago Class: Unknown  [more info] Rafting the Pacuare & Sarapiquí Rivers: 4/1/2002 Location: Costa Rica Class: III-IV  [more info] Vermilion: May 1 2005 Location: IL Class: I-II  [more info] Red River: May 6, 2007 Location: Near the Wolf River in Wisconsin Class: none  [more info] Big Fun on Gauley Tributaries: Memorial Day Weekend, 2001 Location: Southern West Virginia Class: III-IV  [more info]

Trip Report Detail Big Fun on Gauley Tributaries: Memorial Day Weekend, 2001 Location: Southern West Virginia Partners in crime: R.F., J.T., A.H Class: III-IV Flow Level: Southern West Virginia Full Report: As Memorial Day weekend approached, Dick Frye, John Tingerthal and Ann Halverson eagerly listened to reports of big rain fall in southern W.Va. When we heard that the Gauley was at 12,000 CFS and the New was at 38,000 CFS, we looked upstream into the "fruit basket" of the Gauley tributaries: the Cherry and the Cranberry. Saturday, 5/26 found us at Fenwick Bridge over the Cherry near Richwood W.Va. for a rendezvous with our Kentucky paddling friends. We opted for the lower Cranberry after assessing skill levels and the previous week's work schedules. We put in at Big Rock Campground after checking the Big Rock gauge (4.75'). 5 miles of fun class II with one class III gave way to 2 miles of big water after the confluence with the Gauley. Sunday, we headed for the seldom run, Williams which gave us 9 miles of continuous class II-III play spots at 1.5' on the Dyer gauge. Our Kentucky friends raced downstream leaving the 3 Chicagoans hogging every hole we could find. One spot, just about Twin Branch Falls gave us consistent 360s for an hour. Monday, we headed back to the Cranberry for the III-IV Upper Section. We confirmed with Rob from Baltimore, who had taken us down the Big Sandy over Easter. Rob gave us better information than the guide book and suggested we put-in at Campsite #13 rather than the usual Campsite #7. This gave us an extra mile of continuous III+ before the usual put-in. The biggest rapid on the upper, Cranberry Twist, occurs 2/3 of the way thru the run and at 3.75 on the Big Rock gauge, was challenging but not threatening. We were able to boat scout the entire run, but we had clear landmarks picked out as to the starting point of the Twist. W.Va. was left behind on Monday afternoon but we would like to go back and sample the Fruit Basket at a higher water level.