![flint creek flint creek](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/lmwNQNJUtxg/maxresdefault.jpg)
![flint creek flint creek](https://images.fineartamerica.com/images-medium-large/flint-creek-colcord-oklahoma-michele-carter.jpg)
There is a diagonal curler wave from left to right that ends in a small rooster tail right at the edge of the drop and the hole at the bottom looks like it can be pretty sticky at higher water levels. It is a pretty straightforward drop of about ten feet with a nice big pool at the bottom for recovery. The creek started to get a bit steeper with more rapids just before we took off to scout the waterfall. Y'all had better not run over that waterfall, it's a killer." This filled us all with eager excitement. Along the way, we encountered a local who told Mark the magic words: "Nope, I've never seen anybody on this creek in a canoe before. Several feeder creeks added their water to give us a flow that was now adequate for good paddling. The first couple of miles were a bit bony with a few Class I shoals and two short portages around log jams. After a short shuttle on which we were only lost once, we arrived at the put in the level there seemed low, but paddleable. We checked the level at the take-out it seemed high enough, so we decided to go for it.
#FLINT CREEK FULL#
Mark, acting on a tip from Ricky Pollard, had thoroughly researched it on his topo maps and hiked part of it, but this group would be the first to see it full of water. To our knowledge, we were the first paddlers to venture down the East Fork. The East Fork (if you can catch it running) is definitely one of the best introductions to creek boating you can find: 1) less than 40 miles from Huntsville, 2) easy put-in and take-out, 3) short shuttle, 4) excellent Class II-III+ whitewater, some of it technical 5) a 10 foot waterfall, 6) a minimal flat-water paddle, and 7) a Dairy Queen at the take-out.įive of us, Mark D' (C-1), Gary Holder (C-1), Lee Foster (K-1), Dave Branham (OC-1) and Dave Curry (OC-1), set off from Mark's house into the unknown. The mud-bespattered debacle on the Lower Nantahala is now just a bad memory. a rope should be set.įlint Creek, East Fork Novem(1st Descent) Written by Dave Curry The hole below the falls is an issue at this level. Only one log below 1375, easily seen from upstream, but should be walked.īTW, 1.1' is a prime level, I had perma-grin below CR 1386. Some can sneak up, but most of these are negotiable. One is at the end of the pool at the bottom of the falls. JD reports on 3/6/04: Lotsa wood between CR 1386 & 1375, some riverwide. The connection is not shown in the Atlas and Gazeteer. The put-in road is actually on the same road as the put-in for Mill Creek, CR 1386 (Alvin Something? Rd) becomes Holmes-Drake Road as you drive north. Mark Coyle thought +/- 6" from this level is the sweet zone. I've heard of one run at 1' 2", and that was good. 6" is on the low side of medium but still fun. On the gauge, 0' was a bit of a guess and would be low indeed. This gauge makes judging the level a snap before even leaving the house. This run features an online Streambeam gauge, which is installed on the same structure (CR 1386 takeout bridge) as the old visual gauge and is calibated to read at the same scale. The paddle from there is flat and sometimes contains a few log jams, but takes only about 30 minutes. Watch for a rock towards the left side at the bottom. It is a pretty straight shot but could be a happening thing at high water. Finally, Carpal Tunnel rapid is just above the tunnel under the railroad tracks.
![flint creek flint creek](https://www.searchgulfporthomes.com/files/2015/11/DSC01270.jpg)
The action is fun all the way to the railway. At some levels it requires a ferry above a drop on river left with a hidden potential pinning rock. The 'Enema Within' is probably the trickiest. Above or around 1', the hole at the falls must be treated with respect.īelow CR 1375, the gradient picks up with a couple honest III's and one possible III+. Several more II's and II+'s are found between the falls and the CR 1375 bridge. It is not too difficult, though a curler from the left can cause problems. This is a fun run if you catch it with enough water.ġ0' Vinemont Falls is about 1/3 mile below the CR 1386 bridge. Therefore, I recommend you use the CR 1386 bridge as the put-in. If you put in at CR 1442, you will encounter 1.4 miles of flat water, class I/II, and a couple large log jams above the CR 1386 bridge. East Fork Flint creek is generally Class II with a few nice exceptions.