Russell Fork, Kentucky, US/Virginia, US |
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| Usual Difficulty | IV-V+ (for normal flows) |
|---|---|
| Length | 4 Miles |
| Avg. Gradient | 140 fpm |
| Max Gradient | 190 fpm |
| Name | Range | Difficulty | Updated | Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Russell Fork Gorge | ||||
| virtual-6393 | 125 - 1400 cfs | IV-V+ | 01h06m | 657 cfs (rc= 0.4 ) |
The Russell Fork is one of the classic Class V creek runs in the United States. The river is run year round and relies on a combination of natural flow and dam release from the Flanagan Reservoir on the Pound River. Every October, the Corp of Engineers draws the reservoir down over 4 weekends, putting anywhere from 800-1100 cfs into the Russell. Paddlers from all over the world converge on the Breaks to sample the awesome whitewater, reputation and sheer beauty of the 1600ft gorge.
While best known for its extreme push and danger in October, many are running the Fork at much lower flows. Below around 400cfs, the gorge is a good Class IV+ creek run. Extremely technical, but the pool/drop nature of the stream bed allows time to regroup between rapids and time to take in the incredible canyon. There are a couple of Class V drops at lower water, but you can easily sneak or portage.
Levels: Here are the flow ranges:
| 150-250 | ELF, but very enjoyable in the main gorge. Great level to see the caves at Fist and under El Horrendo. |
| 250-350 | Low Flow, but good padding! GREAT first time level for the solid Class III/IV creeker. |
| 350-600 | Medium Level. The teeth are coming out, more pronounced holes, but good lines all the way through. |
| 600-800 | Other than extreme high water, the TOUGHEST levels. Lines are kinda in between the medium and high water lines at all the big rapids. Not for the squeamish. |
| 800-1100 | Release range, solid Class V creeking. Pushy, very technical, but very pronounced lines. A bit easier than the 600-800 level. |
| 1100 and higher | Getting on the extreme upper end...VERY PUSHY and VERY BIG HOLES. |
Very high end boaters have been pushing the upper envelope of gorge runs. Several 4,000+cfs runs now. The upper and lower sections have been run up to 10,000cfs. Big, but manageable for Gauley comfortable boaters.
See also the Russell Fork,KY and Pound River,VA
Shuttle Directions
Russell Fork Gorge Takeout
Follow 80 over the Russell Fork bridge coming from Elkhorn City.KY and go about 2 miles. Look for
the big sign for Ratliff Hole on the right that signals the steep road down to the takeout/park
for the RF Gorge. There is some boater's camping and a nice park n' surf play hole.
For the putin follow 80 and climb east towards the Breaks Interstate Park. The Breaks has
some spectacular views of the Tower rock/rapid and Fist rapid - it would be worth a brief stop to
take it in. There is a lookout pull-off just inside the Park and another just off 80 past the
Park entrance. There is good camping at the Park as well but be aware that "quiet
time"is strictly enforced.
Garden Hole Putin:
Continuing past the Park on 80 you will come to the Garden Hole Rd on your right. This is a steep
in spots gravel road (2-wheel drive is ok but if it's raining the mud might make it interesting
for some) that is used as a putin by folks who don't want to paddle the upper class III section
from the putin at Bartlick Bridge (or the third putin on the class I-II section from Flannagan
Dam).
Bartlick Putin:
If it is your first time down I recommend that you might want to paddle from Bartlick Bridge
(look for VA611 on your right off 80 5-6 miles past the Breaks Park). The class II-III(+) section to Garden Hole is
relatively short (maybe 2-3miles) but can make a nice warm up for the Gorge section.
Haysi Putin:
If the natural flow is above 400cfs, add 2-3 miles to your upper run by skipping the turnoff for
Bartlick and driving on into Haysi. Class II with two Class III ledges. Great play above 800cfs.
Same distance shuttle, longer paddle. Stay on 80 into downtown Haysi and do not turn off that
road (80 will turn left). The putin is a parking area just before you get to Kiwanis Park
(old site of the Rendezvous).
Flannagan Dam putin:
Following 611 from Bartlick take the first road to the left and go maybe 2-3 miles till you cross
over the dam. Take the access road on the left down to the dam tailwaters putin which is
developed as a picnic area with large bathrooms, tables, covered pavilions, and a playground. By
putting in here paddlers can gain another mile of class II whitewater before Bartlick Bridge.
LONGEST SHUTTLE of the upper putin options.
For more great Russell Fork photos and information, check out the Russell Fork Info.
This section may be run year round when there is sufficient rainfall to fill the free-flowing Russell Fork or when the Flannagan Dam on the Pound River is releasing.
Scheduled releases are every weekend during the month of October. Check with the Army Corps of Engineers whitewater release web web pages for times and volumes.
Most accurate readings for the Russell tend to be adding the Haysi gauge & Pound gauge together (1461 & 1463). Those are usually within 10-20 cfs accuracy.
The Elkhorn City gauge is great, but only reads in stage and is a little hard to decipher. 6.3 ft is minimum, 7.4-7.5 ft is around 850 cfs. 8 ft is close to maxing out.
Check the rainfall gauges for Dickenson County, VA.
For more Russell Fork information, click here.
| Name | Range | Difficulty | Updated | Level | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Russell Fork Gorge | ||||||||||||
| virtual-6393 | 125 - 1400 cfs | IV-V+ | 01h06m | 657 cfs (rc= 0.4 ) | ||||||||
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| Mile | Rapid Name | Class | Features (Legend) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.5 | Towers | 5.0 |  |
| 0.6 | Fist | 5.0 | |
| 0.7 | Maze | IV | |
| 1.0 | Triple Drop | IV+ | |
| 1.2 | El Horendo | 5.0 | |
| 1.5 | Climax | IV+ | |
Towers
Fist
Looking upstream Into Maze from Tripple Drop
Looking downstream at 2nd and 3rd dropsYou will see a hump left of center on first drop. Paddle full speed ahead down the hump with your boat pointed straight. The left side is tempting, but the hole is much worse over there. As soon as you blast through the hole (dangerously sticky) spin to the left and catch the eddy.
After running 1st drop, you are set up perfectly for second drop if you want to pass up the first eddy. Second drop is a pussy cat, it's a big slide that angles river-left into a couple of big holes. Line up left of center with left boat angle and boogey through. Catch the eddy on the river left and line up for 3rd drop
Third drop is actually made up of 2 smaller drops, a 3' drop with a weird, POWERFUL hole and then a 6-8' bottom drop with a deep, powerful hole. There are 3 options at 3rd drop.
(1) You can do the sneak out of the eddy...just follow the 3 or 4" of water flowing down about 15' from the left bank.
(2) The standard line is to peel out of the eddy high, and then slowly work back left so that when you go over 3rd drop you actually just go off of it at it's highest point (it basically turns into a 10Â single drop) and into the pool.
(3) My least favorite option. You can peel out high and ferry toward the right, spin and run down both drops angled left. Keep lots of speed going through these holes because if the top hole grabs you, it's going to wreck you and the bottom drop is shallow. A friend of mine had to get a dozen or so stitches above his eye after going down the drop upside down.
STREAMKEEPER COMMENT: Folks who live on & run this river at all levels generally agree triple drop is the unfriendliest rapid on the Russell Fork. That doesn't mean the most dangerous, just the one that is going to give you the worst whipping if it decides its your turn. Depending on the level, all three drops take on extremely nasty traits. This is now the 4th killer rapid on the Russell Fork. Note that at ALL levels, the right side of 1st drop is a keeper hole. Above 700 or so, the left is too. AT least on the left, someone can get a rope to you. Make sure you hit the hump with good angle and stroke through the hydraulic keeping your nose high.
Whoever would describe second drop as a pussycat is sick, although 800-1000 (release) tends to be easiest. Below 700 or so, a huge roostertail in the middle will send you into the bottom hole at crazy angles. If stuck, the ONLY way out of the hole sends you straight into 3rd drop. Once you've done it, you'll remember for a long time. 3rd drop, although ugly, is the easiest drop to get past above around 3-400. But the line below 300 is REALLY interesting, basically a hard right to left ferry across the shelf, boof/sliding into the seam, ferrying in the toilet bowl in front of the fang rock, then dropping into the bottom hole. 30-40% of the runs are a guaranteed wreck. But at least you can roll up in the bottom eddy (if you get that far). sjr
El Horrendo
Travis' virgin run down the Russell Fork
(iCal)
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Gorge Section:Garden Hole Road (Breaks Park) to KY takeout (4 miles), Russell Fork Kentucky, US/Virginia, US (mobile)
User Comments
the word out that the Main Line at Fist has changed much for the worse from the big water event of
early May (2010). My take is that I'll be gunning for the eddy on river Left just above the cave
(what I call the low water line) at any level up to about 725. This line has no significant change
as far as difficulty. (still dangerous as hell if you f up the move). From about 725 up to about
1000, I would strongly consider taking the far river left sneak into the eddy and doing the Hairy
Fairy....or walkin it. I will say the Hairy Fairy is no joke as levels get above 900. Above 1000,
you can start doing the Fire Escape move on far river right. Always know the level if you go for
the fire escape as you can get rejected at levels below 1000 and go through a really bad spot
backwards. The moral to this story is that if you're planning on running main line Fist, you owe
yourself (and your group) a scout before you commit. In my eyes, main line is very very sketch
right now. The issue rests in the movement of the old "fan rock," which is now creating a huge
rejection wave/hole, which WILL typewriter you left. Gerald was discussing this w me two weeks ago
and I was in complete agreement after running main line at a low 700 level. Went for the eddy on my
next lap! Now after seeing the Gorge at a release flow this wkend, it may be an interesting
October. Thus, probably a good idea to start spreadin the word now. Who knows tho, as dramatically
as it's changed over the past 10 yrs, it may move again before then.
Rock completely (best). If you have to go in front of Undertaker, be aware that it is a large rock
sitting on three smaller rocks, so the water washes under freely, with almost no pillow. It's nice
to paddle under at less than 200 cfs, but very scary at higher levels.
rock---too little water and you go under, end of story. At 800+, this line is, in my opinion,
easier than the Box. Simply start right, angle left 45 degrees, hit the diagonal wave head-on, go
over the rock. Turn right to punch the second hole, behind the table rock.