Big Sandy Creek, |
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| Usual Difficulty | IV-V (may vary with level) |
|---|---|
| Length | 5.8 Miles |
| Avg. Gradient | 79 fpm |
| Max Gradient | 110 fpm |
| Name | Range | Difficulty | Updated | Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BIG SANDY CREEK AT ROCKVILLE, WV | ||||
| usgs-03070500 | 5.00 - 7.30 ft | III-IV(V+) | 04h44m | 4.2 ft (rc= -1.6 ) |
Logistics:
For those coming from the West, there is now a better road that goes South to Rockville from Morgantown Road. Turn under I-68 at Laurel Run and follow to the NEW put-in parking lot. See the Keel-haulers' map.
From the East or South, you can still head south from Bruceton Mills(I-68) or north from Albright on WV 26 to Valley Point (just about 6 miles from either direction). Look for the turn-off to Hudson Road (WV 15), take it west for 4.8 miles, and turn right down towards the river. Continue another couple miles (bear left at the next fork) to the bridge across the river. This access ends with a mile of rutty, muddy road to the Rockville Bridge and parking is limited on busy weekends. Those who don't have good 4WD often carry or drag their boats down to the bridge. To reach the takeout, head back up to Hudson Road and continue 2.3 miles west down to the Cheat River at Jenkinsburg.
Charlie Walbridge pointed out on 2005-05-04:
"Mountain Streams and Trails, the new owner of the Jenkinsburg Access, asks that private paddlers
running the Cheat and Big Sandy use the Upper Parking Lot during Cheat Fest Weekend. The Lower
Parking Lot must be kept clear for outfitter trucks and buses. Vehicles parked there make
maneuvering these big rigs difficult or impossible. (This is good advice for any high-traffic
weekend.)
"So please park right and give a big THANK YOU to any MS&T employees you see on or off the
river!"
Another option if you don't want to torture your car's suspension is to call Glenn Miller
(304-379-3404), whose shuttle service is reasonably priced and very convenient. Show up on time,
and whatever you do, don't stand him up! Glenn is a famously nice guy, and he and his service
deserve respect.
Run Description
The Big Sandy is becoming more popular every year as the jewel of the Cheat River watershed, the largest undammed watershed east of the Mississippi. The run includes two waterfalls--Wonder Falls and the more challenging Big Splat--along with several technical class IV rapids. Big Splat is an AW Standard Rated Rapid with a difficulty of 5.1 when the Rockville Gauge reads 6.1.
At higher water levels (> 6' at Rockville), it's often fun to run the Upper Big Sandy or the Little Sandy before the Lower. This gives a longer run including good play and scenery, and it gives those who don't want to tackle the Lower a good opportunity to enjoy the Sandy without fear. You'll find a nice surfing wave at the Rockville putin, and a great view of the beautiful Sovern Run Falls.
The mileages given for the rapids, described below, are pretty much guesswork. We'll nail that down with a GPS thingie...someday.
Here's Bob Gedekoh's description of alternate high-water lines on the Sandy:
Here are some "High Water" Sandy TipsIf you are nervous about the approach rapid to the falls it is possible to run it on river right if the river is above 6.3 or so. Scout this line first if you dont know it. At the bottom you will drop over a five- or six-foot ledge. When the river is above 6.8 most folks go this way.
Actually the recycle at the bottom of Wonder Falls can get nasty if you miss the boof at levels greater than 6.6. (Editor's note: some swear that the recycle gets nasty at 6.5.) At 7 feet you really need to be on line and make the boof correctly... or risk a dangerous thrashing in the recycle at the base of the falls. When the river goes above 7.1 or 7.2 there is another completely different way to run the falls on river left... not far from shore. But don't try it any lower than 7.1 or you will piton. Even at 7.2 you need to paddle off the lip fast and keep your nose up to use that river left line. I have run this river left line as high as 8 feet.
Another high-water line opens up at Zoom Flume at 6.5 on river left. It is a slide into and over an eight foot ledge. If you try this make sure you don't get pushed into the pin spot about five feet to your right at the brink of the ledge. The recycle at the bottom of this ledge gets nasty at about 7.3 and will recycle you if you don't clear it. This recycle is hard to escape. So if the Sandy is above 7.4 or so, consider going back to the usual Zoom Flume line (which is explosive), or scout the center and try to find another route.
When the river goes above 6.7 or so it becomes very hard to portage Big Splat on the right because you can't get back into your boat on the launch ledge. An alternate high-water Splat portage is available on river left.
At 7.5 and higher, there is a nasty hole at the bottom of the first rapid below Big Splat. I got caught in it a couple of weeks ago at eight feet and had to abandon ship. The worst part of that experience was that I had to be rescued by the son of a keelhauler. Oh, the shame of it!!!!
The Big Sandy above seven feet can be fun, but it is serious business. If you attempt it, make sure you are with a strong group.
Elf runs down to around 4.3 have been reported. Some rapids (including Wonder) may have different lines when run this low.
| Name | Range | Difficulty | Updated | Level | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BIG SANDY CREEK AT ROCKVILLE, WV | ||||||||||||||||||||
| usgs-03070500 | 5.00 - 7.30 ft | III-IV(V+) | 04h44m | 4.2 ft (rc= -1.6 ) | ||||||||||||||||
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| Mile | Rapid Name | Class | Features (Legend) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.2 | Wonder Falls | IV |    |
| 1.4 | Undercut Rock | II+ |  |
| 1.5 | Zoom Flume | IV | |
| 1.6 | Little Splat | IV+ | |
| 1.8 | Big Splatt! | 5.1 | |
| 4.4 | First Island | IV | |
| 4.7 | Bridge Pier Rapid | III+ | |
| 5.4 | Second Island | III |
After Big Splat is some more of the Class-3 boogie water that makes the Sandy such a joy. The paddler has to keep his eyes open, as there are pinning spots to avoid (especially at low water) and some play holes to enjoy, but for the most part, it's a fun slalom adventure. About a mile downstream, soon after a good play hole, comes First Island. This is a pair of narrow slots separated by a narrow, deceptively short and fast "pool." The second slot requires a solid right boof against the flow that tries to land the paddler into a very unpleasant rock.
Coordinates from Jeff Macklin (verified by GPS). The coordinates of the end of this rapid are 39.60871, -79.73970.
Soon after First Island, when you see a rectangular concrete wall on River Left, you've come to this rapid, which has a big-ol' ledge-hole at higher levels.
Thanks to Jeff Macklin for the GPS coordinates for this rapid!
Another mile below First Island is...Second Island. Not normally counted among the Big Sandy "Biggies," this one is a fun, straightforward Class-3+ boulder hop--unless you go left! If you go left, it's a blind, screaming drop with only a couple of feet of leeway. Call it a Class 5; this is a good rapid for elbow pads, as even a good line can give the paddler an unwelcome shot.
Just a few short yards below Second Island is the takeout, the confluence with the Cheat Canyon, and the beginning of the scariest experience of the day: the shuttle out!
Lat/longitude coordinates, verified by GPS, are courtesy of Jeff Macklin. Coords of the endo this rapid: 39.59684, -79.74444.
River Alert
State News
River Links
NWRI - Big Sandy Creek 3. Rockville to Jenkinsburg Bridge (Cheat River) (mobile)
User Comments
below Ghost Bridge (old bridge piers), which is in turn below First Island, has been removed, but
the tree is still there, and it seemed quite hazardous last weekend at 5.4. I definitely think that
people should stay away from the left side there below 5.8 or so. Even though we went right, there
is still a stout branch in the middle of that right slot, too, so boofing right with more than
lackadaisical momentum seems to be the best option. Also, pay attention because this tree/log could
easily shift, and I've noticed that this rapid seems to come up quite quickly at times, so you need
to look far ahead to plan for a potential escape from some shift in the strainer pattern. The log
that sticks out to the left from Graveyard Rock seemed a bit higher than what I remembered, too, so
beware, especially if you paddle a low-volume boat (not recommended), because it seemed like it
would have been quite possible to go under that log and pin with the current against your
back---very ugly, indeed! SYOTR Edit
from 4-5 to 3-4, but the grade is very much dependent on the level. I sometimes hear people compare
the Sandy unfavorably to the Upper Yough because they ran the Sandy at a fairly low level, while
they ran the Yough at the regular release level. Well, the Sandy at low levels is fairly easy,
great for the nervous advanced intermediate. I've run it down to 4.5 with only one additional
portage, and it is very user-friendly at that level. But, the Sandy can be run at a much wider
range of levels (as shown on the gauge) than can the Upper Yough. The Sandy has a range of more
than 2 feet, while the Upper Yough has a range of about 6 inches or maybe one foot, so you can't
compare them on a level-to-level basis. At high levels the Sandy is solid, steady Class 5, and Big
Splat is now much harder than it was---a solid Class 6. So choose the level that is good for you,
but don't generalize about the Sandy based on the one or two times that you ran it at 5.3, because
that's just stupid. Choose wisely, have fun, and be careful. Edit
III-IV(V+). The rapids may be mostly class III and class IV, but please keep in mind that strong
class IV skills are needed to safely run this river and, in particular, are needed to make the
portage at Big Splat. As other posters have indicated, this run is on par with other solid class IV
runs in the area, but overall the Sandy is more dangerous. Edit
across the the bridge at Rockville and there was no water. The gage was reading 4.8 ft. Maybe the
gage is down or broken, just letting y'all know and save on some gas. Cheers
make a difference in the way a level can feel ?----Yes, but the input from the tributaries is
usually proportional to the general level, because they are generally too small to change very
much. Edit
rapid of the same name. Only the branches are in the water, not the trunk. You can pass it left or
right; the trunk is to the right; it is leaning from the right shore. It probably is not a serious
pinning/drowning hazard, but if you swim there and get washed into the far right slot at First
Island, that would be . . . um . . . unfortunate, to say the least. It appears a bit suddenly, so
that might be extra-exciting at higher levels, but it's not bad below 6 feet or so. syotr. Edit
5-point-something-range and I apparently had some water in my boat that I failed to notice, causing
me to miss my boof at the last, big drop. (The water tends to run into the bow suddenly upon
launching, pulling the nose down---very nasty.) I kind of pencilled in and flipped. I waited about
2 seconds to roll, and, when I came up, I was in the undercut below the falls, over to the left,
about 2 feet behind the lip. So in the 15 years that I have been running this drop, this has never
happened before. There has always been some small percentage of water shooting backwards and
sideways into the undercut, but I'm inclined to think, especially after watching it for a good
while, that perhaps more than half of the water, at some levels, is no longer moving directly
downstream, but is moving upstream and sideways into the undercut---very disturbing! Perhaps
something has changed at the base of Big Splat Rock recently, or perhaps I just haven't noticed a
change that occurred some time ago, but it has not always been this way. I managed to push/pull my
self and boat out, but when I went to look for my paddle, it was floating at the top of what
appeared to be the equivalent of an 8-foot culvert draining straight to China. As I went to grab it
(I couldn't get too close), it disappeared, so I grabbed the other paddle that had been floating
there when I arrived, and used it to paddle out (I carry a spare, though). (I hope its owner didn't
go in the sieve!) I guess it's probably gone, but my name is on it, and the phone number written on
it has changed, so if you find it, please call me at 410-624-6421. Reward! As I left, the Sandy was
slowly (very slowly) working its way up to 12 feet, and I heard boulders rolling downstream at
Rockville, so be alert for any changes. Anyway, if I had been 4 feet over farther, I would probably
be dead, because there appear to be no hand-or-foot-holds over there in the strongest part of the
sieve---terrifying! It certainly got my attention. I wasn't even really that concerned until later,
when I started thinking about it more. But I strongly feel that something has changed here, and
that that relatively small number of us weirdos who run this drop should be alert, very alert to
the currents there. The current is so strong that it doesn't even seem rational, but there it is.
Watch out! Edit
worse. I had thought that this hole was caused by a smooth streambed and a ledge, but instead, I
noticed on a low-water hiking trip that there is an oblong boulder in there that has shifted,
making the hole much stronger and pushing even harder into the undercut corner rock on the right.
So beware! ---Rob Farmer Edit
Rockville bridge on the river right side (old trail that runs from bridge to flat rock) was
constructed for additional parking. You are wrong. This road was improved to assist the logging
outfit which is working the woods at this very moment and will be for the next several months. They
are a very friendly bunch but definitly have the equipment to move a mere 2000 pounds of steel and
rubber if it were in the way . I rode down the new road on my 4 wheeler. Their equipment is set up
a good way back and they are running heavy log trucks in and out on this road . Get the drift? Not
a good place to park. We have a camp up on the hill at the top of Sovern Run Road. Just got home to
Jersey and found your site. Nice pics and info. Just looking out as you crazy river rats surley
provide us with many hours of stream side entertainment throughout the year. Edit
hole. This is feeding more water into the hole, it is also pushing the current during your exit
more river right,making it more difficult to catch the eddy. My advise is just be prepared to run
the entire rapid without catching the eddy.If the horseshoe does flip you, of course nail that
role, but if you miss it STAY in your boat and take the hammering in it. J.Black
you are heading this way: As expected, some wood has moved around a bit on the creeks here in
northern WV. On the Big Sandy, there are 2 logs in play that could cause some trouble. Hard to
describe the location of the first one, but I'll try. Well below Big Splat, the creek mellows out
for awhile, gets kind of shallow, and splits around some small boulder islands, then suddenly you
get to a decent rapid (not sure if it has a name). The rapid is basically a series of offset holes
(or rocks at lower water), then an almost river-wide hole (about a 3 ft ledge) usually punched on
the right. Just below here the rapid continues over a couple of small ledges and then you get to
the overhead cable that spans the creek. The big tree is lurking in the middle ledge hole and
extending to the right bank. The second tree is blocking the main line on the left side of Second
Island near the end of the run, extending from the left bank. It's gigantic and will likely be
there for awhile. At today's level (7.5) it was easy to find routes around both of these, but they
might surprise you if you aren't paying attention, and as the level drops they may become more
difficult to get around. Decker's creek also has some wood, mostly in the Hairline and just below
on the left, but it looks passable. Heads up this weekend, and have fun. Jay
Starting at Bruceton Mills, go south on 26 about 5 miles or so (estimate) until you come to Little
Sandy Creek (unmarked). 2) Immediately south of the creek, turn right on Little Sandy Creek Rd,
drive through a small community and past a large-ish church. 3) Follow this road. After a mile or
so, stay right at an unmarked fork near the crest of a hill. 4) Shortly after you crest a very
steep hill, turn right (downhill) on Sovern Run Rd. (unmarked). If you cross the one-lane bridge
over Sovern Run, you've gone too far. Drive down Sovern Run to Rockville (i.e. the put-in bridge,
unmarked). 5) Takeout: Drive up Sovern Run Rd. Turn right at the top. Cross the one-lane bridge. 6)
The road basically comes to a T. Turn left. Continue to the Mt. Nebo Church. 7) At a funky,
four-way intersection at the church, stay right, and go up the hill. Follow this road to the bridge
across the Cheat (Jenkinsburg).
I'm not cool enough to sandbag people. (Streamkeeper note: This is not my rating but it is AW's
rating, see link: http://www.americanwhitewater.org/content/Wiki/safety:class5benchmarkrapids for a
list.) I and my friends call it Class 6, at moderate levels and above. Certainly, even at ideal
levels it's no easier than 5+. This includes the upper part.
-Don't confuse running the approach rapid to the (Big Sandy/Wonder) Falls with running the Falls. I
have stood on rocks at the base of the Falls that are only one foot below water level, right in the
middle of the right-side chute. To run that side is to risk a serious piton injury.
-And I enjoy the Sandy down to 4.7.
-Oh, and, probably, portaging Big Splat on the left is a good idea at or above 6.0, due to the eddy
fence on the right, at the must-make eddy. Sneak left well-upstream to increase your longevity.
FYI.
I noticed that someone rated Undercut Rock Class 2+. This is ridiculous and very dangerous! The
left side is Class 3, while the Undercut Rock itself is Class 5-6!!! The description implies that
the right side might be Class 2+, and that could get someone killed!!!
-And it is too harder than the Upper Yough and the Watauga!
Also, for you hard-core boaters out there, please note that the second ledge in Big Splat is
changing. Where there used to be a flat, smooth slab, much of the slab has broken off and is
tilting perilously. This creates piton spots on the formerly-smooth bench above the U-hole. Note
that the water pushes more to the right, now. This slab is undoubtedly the next Big Splat Rock,
waiting for a big flood to move it farther downstream.
down to 4.8'Rafter like 5.8 or more.