we have tried to maintain as objective a stance as possible in rating the rivers in this book. The reader can be reasonably certain, by the ratings, that Linville Gorge is a tougher run than the Broad River Gorge, and Watauga Gorge is a stiffer paddle, on the whole, than the North Fork of the French Broad (but the North Fork has one rapid tougher than anything in the Watauga Gorge).
The current ICF system does not allow for such delineation and doesn’t give the reader as much information as this revamped scale does. This is certainly not an ideal solution, but hopefully a step in the right direction. For instance, we have not attempted to define a Class 5.2 rapid, but will rely on the ICF definition of a Class V rapid and only suggest that a 5.2 drop is at the extreme end of what is considered Class V. We have not broken down Class I, II, III, IV, or VI rapids. We feel there isn’t much variation of difficulty within Class I, II, or III rapids. What most experts consider Class VI is run so infrequently that there is too little basis to make valid comparisons or quality differences among them. We welcome any dialogue or criticism to help us develop a more informative and realistic scale of difficulty in today’s brave, new whitewater world.
DISTANCE: Measured in miles from county and USGS maps; generally rounded off.
TIME: This is actual paddling time on the river, including time for scouting when necessary. When paddling with more than two or three boats, or when a lunch stop will be made, additional time should be allowed.
SCENERY:
AA Unusually beautiful, even to the spectacular; generally remote and wild
A Generally remote and wild; perhaps some signs of civilization but mostly uninhabited
B Mostly pastoral type of country with more settled areas
C Fair amount of development; general signs of civilization such as garbage dumps, autos left on the side of the stream, visual pollution
GAUGE: Where there is a USGS gauge located close enough to the put-in or takeout on a particular section, readings have been taken from it. Wherever possible a minimum level for solo paddling has been established. Generally a reading of 0.2 or
Where no USGS gauge is available, gauges have been painted, usually on a bridge, at a put-in or takeout. Generally, a level of 6 inches below zero can be considered a minimum for solo paddling. There has been some confusion over how to interpret the gauge levels. We consider the level to be zero when the waterline is even with the bottom of the zero.
GAUGE ILLUSTRATION
WATER SURFACE: Whenever information can be obtained by phone, such as for dam-controlled streams and streams entering into the Tennessee Valley, a telephone number has been provided.
A recorded message giving stream flow in the valley can be obtained by calling the Tennessee Valley Authority at (800) 238-2264. Two useful Web sites for finding information about river levels are:
http://lakeinfo.tva.gov/htbin/streaminfo
http://water.usgs.gov.
DIFFICULTIES: A brief description of specific points that might present problems for the paddler are listed, hopefully in enough detail to make them recognizable without taking away the thrill of running a new river.
DIRECTIONS: Detailed directions have been given to find the put-in and the takeout. Where there are several sections of a particular stream included, only the put-in on the first section and the takeout on the last section are described. It is assumed that anyone who intends to paddle a good bit of a river will obtain county road maps. These maps are available from the local county office of the State Highway Engineer or from:
North Carolina Department of Transportation
Division of Highways
1500 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27611
(919) 733-2520
Visit www.doh.dot.state.nc.us/operations/secondaryroads/maps.html to obtain an order form online. There is a charge for county maps.
Where a river flows through several counties, county roads will be referenced by name and number (Burke CR 1100) initially. Thereafter, only a route number will be given until another road in the next county is introduced.
Exertion brings vital physiological reactions when there are worthwhile goals to achieve. Without weariness there can be no real appreciation of rest, without hunger no enjoyment of food, without the ancient responses to the harsh simplicities of the environment that shaped mankind, a man cannot know the urges within him. Having known this during a period of life when I could satisfy the needs, I think I understand what wilderness can mean to the young men of today.
—Sigurd F. Olson
partOne
HIAWASSEE AND LITTLE TENNESSEE WATERSHED
TUSQUITEE CREEK
Tusquitee Creek heads up in Nantahala National Forest and runs along south of the Tusquitee Mountains. It flows primarily through a pastoral region before confluencing with the Hiawassee River downstream from Hayesville. The trip can be extended 2.5 miles by continuing on to the Hiawassee and paddling downstream to the second bend, coming close to CR 1300. Take out at the junction of CR 1345 with CR 1300.
MAPS: Shooting Creek, Hayesville (USGS); Clay (County)
class: I–II
length: 5.2 mi.
time: 2.5 hrs.
gauge: Visual
level: –5 in. & above
permits: No
gradient: 27
scenery: A–B
CR 1330 BRIDGE TO CR 1300 BRIDGE
DESCRIPTION: There are no difficulties. This is primarily a series of small rock gardens interspersed with an occasional ledge; however, be on the lookout for downed trees blocking the passage.
SHUTTLE: Take Tusquitee Street north out of Hayesville across the Hiawassee and bear northeast on CR 1307 to the gauge. Go beyond the gauge approximately 3.5 miles to CR 1330 and south to the bridge. To reach the takeout, take Tusquitee Street across the Hiawassee and bear northwest on CR 1300 approximately 1 mile to the takeout bridge.
GAUGE: It’s located on the southwest side of the CR 1307 bridge at the junction of CR 1326. The minimum level for a solo run is 5 inches below the bottom of zero. The river can be run almost all year, except during dry spells.
