Cartecay, Georgia, US |
|
| Usual Difficulty | II(III) (for normal flows) |
|---|
| Name | Range | Difficulty | Updated | Level |
|---|
Most of this section of the Cartecay River runs through a residential area. There are no
restrooms after you put in and most of the river banks are on private property. Local
outfitters have restrooms and changing rooms. So, please take care of these needs
before putting on. The outfitters are located on Lower Cartecay Road. You will paddle past
cabins and homes on both sides of the river for most of this section. Most of the homeowners are
friendly toward the boating community, but they do not want to see you nude, nor do they want you
going to the bathroom in their yard. It is recommended that you keep your groups small and quiet
and not stay too long at any one spot. In short, please be respectful to the home
owners.
Visit 2. Lower Cartecay Road to Stegall Mill Road Road (Middle Cartecay) for more details.
We have no additional information about how various flows affect runnability (or playability) of this section of river. If you can provide additional information, please either directly contact the StreamTeam member for this reach, or add a 'comment' or a 'report' with your information to help out your fellow boaters.
| Name | Range | Difficulty | Updated | Level |
|---|
| Mile | Rapid Name | Class | Features (Legend) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.5 | Rooster Tail | I | |
| 1.5 | Mr. Twister | II+ |  |
| 3.0 | The Narrows | II | |
| 3.0 | Clear Creek Falls | III | |
Mr. TwisterYou will see some cabins high up on the ridge on river left. Usually you will see a bench on a rock on river left as well. Since the bench marks the entrance to the rapid, we call it the benchmark. Run this one down the center and punch the hole. The hole is grabby and will flip or surf an unweary boater. There is a large recovery pool after this drop.
Note: The "Shark Fin" tree limb was not visible at 2.2'. I paddled right over the spot where it used to be, but found not indication of it. Still be careful.
Clear Creek Falls
reach
state
reachlink
3. Stegall Mill Road to DNR, Cartecay Georgia, US (mobile)
User Comments
side of the bottom of Mr. Twister looked a little crazy and of course Clear Creek was very
intimidating, but there was a nice straight line. Most of the videos I have seen of people going
over the falls needed to make a move left over the curling wave at the top, but it was seriously a
straight shot. The Narrows was exactly like its description. A lot of quick moves and plenty of
lines at the top. I chose the middle line instead of going around the right. The middle included a
two foot drop into a area of aerated water. Caught me by surprised how far I sunk and found myself
swimming. At 2.3 I rode right over top of the rock that had "broaching" potential. Not sure that is
accurate at 2.3. This run included a lot of fun whitewater. Wave trains and shoal rapids were
scattered all over the first 3.5 miles. T I wish someone had warned me of the last 2 miles...
NOTHING BUT FLAT WATER! Oh my god.. it was horrible!
are going up the hill. Go past the dumpsters and there is a dirt road that winds downhill thru the
woods and ends up in a gravel lot at the river. Sometimes it is gated shut at the first mudhole but
it is still possible to hike in and out ... about as far a carry as most of the Chattooga access
points.
great. Fun surfing at the end. Also a sweet jumping rock/seal launch just past clear creek about a
14 foot drop.
Cartecay River Experience.
downstream about 2-3 feet left from the rock a thick branch sticks out in the middle of the
current.
Hunting" in the area.
had a little problem due to lower water levels. Two strainers are present after Clear Creek Falls
and before DNR.
time on the river for me, (did the short section years ago in a kayak), and the first time doing it
in a 16' tandem canoe. This is a great river for those just starting out. There are definitely
plenty of spots to get your heart pumping. We tried to boof the rock on river right at blackberry
falls and this proved to be the first of 2 wet decisions. The other being at clear creek falls
where we went right of the bolder at the bottom of the drop on river left. All in all, for 2
novices paddlers fairly new to whitewater canoeing, This was a great run and I'll definitely be
coming back. Plus, you can't beat the shuttle service provided by MOE.
at Mr Twister is almost invisible under water at this level. I think the left line is the safest.
Rob B took the left line fine and I took the middle line ok at this level.<br>
<br>
As a side note, from off water Clear Water looked pretty nasty at this level but was pretty easy
run despite volume.<br>
<br>
At this level there are several very small rapids between Clear Creek and takeout with a couple
pretty nice surf spots (one very sticky, fun one for beginners on river left about 3/4 mi down
stream from Clear Creek).
From: river0013<br>
<br>
The online guage on the Coosawattee (just a bit further downstream) is a very good indicator and
nearly mirrors the Cartecay gauge on 52. The key thing about the Coosawattee guage is it tells you
CFS...that's a much better indicator than a ft-in level. <br>
<br>
I normally figure 2/3 of the flow on the Coosawattee is coming down the Cartecay, the rest is from
the Ellijay River. 4ft on the Coosawattee equals 2300 cfs...two thirds of that is about 1500 cfs
on the Cartecay. At 2ft on the Coosawattee it's about 365 cfs on the Cartecay. So while the level
has doubled there is nearly 5 times as much water coming down. <br>
<br>
That's a lot of water coming down a small river bed. As a comparison there's about 450 cfs on the
Nanty (a slighty biger riverbed) and 1100cfs on the Ocoee (a much bigger riverbed). <br>
<br>
Sometimes the Coosawattee guage isn't accurate if the thunderstorms are very isolated...but for
widespread rain it works great.
From: river0013<br>
<br>
The online guage on the Coosawattee (just a bit further downstream) is a very good indicator and
nearly mirrors the Cartecay gauge on 52. The key thing about the Coosawattee guage is it tells you
CFS...that's a much better indicator than a ft-in level. <br>
<br>
I normally figure 2/3 of the flow on the Coosawattee is coming down the Cartecay, the rest is from
the Ellijay River. 4ft on the Coosawattee equals 2300 cfs...two thirds of that is about 1500 cfs
on the Cartecay. At 2ft on the Coosawattee it's about 365 cfs on the Cartecay. So while the level
has doubled there is nearly 5 times as much water coming down. <br>
<br>
That's a lot of water coming down a small river bed. As a comparison there's about 450 cfs on the
Nanty (a slighty biger riverbed) and 1100cfs on the Ocoee (a much bigger riverbed). <br>
<br>
Sometimes the Coosawattee guage isn't accurate if the thunderstorms are very isolated...but for
widespread rain it works great.