Looking Glass Creek, North Carolina, US
|
|
Along Highway 278 (2nd bridge up from LGF to 1st bridge up from LGF)
| Usual Difficulty |
IV-V(V+) (for normal flows) |
| Length |
2 Miles |
| Avg. Gradient |
187 fpm |
Sliding Rock
Sliding RockPhoto of Chris McFadden & Joe Moore by Lori taken 06/12/05 @ 800 cfs
Gauge Information
River Description
This run is infamous for containing Looking Glass Falls. Noted boater Corran Addison ran the falls
in the early 90's sustaining a major back injury. Supposedly he was wearing a batman costume while
running the drop.
Looking glass falls was later run successfully in January 1996 by Russ Kulmar.
But enough about the outer edge of boating. Above the falls is supposed to be some nice class 3 and
4 creeking including Sliding Rock and Super Sliding Rock. Super Sliding Rock can get up to class 5
with high flows. The entire run is roadside. Its probably best for mere mortals to take out above
the falls.
Sliding Rock Info
StreamTeam Status: Not Verified
Last Updated: 2010-11-16 21:38:37
No rapids entered. If you know names, and locations of the rapids please contact and advise the StreamTeam member for this run. 
User Comments
anyone wants to look up the falls, leland davis' book has great info on it and a good pic of corran
doing it. apparently four people have done the falls with multiple conclusions. also i hear the 55
footer has a mere 2 to 3 ft of water to land in. Tyler Mc Edit
pretty sure its a bit over rated. Just below Sliding Rock, there is a big slide, but its kind of
wide and shallow, and not particularly steep. Most of the water goes right over what I guess is the
4 foot boof (probably more like 5 or six) onto a long slide. This would be cool if it were not for
the rhododendron bushes that make it if not impossible, at least really dumb and painful to go that
way. Below that was a cool little drop with another strainer on the funner looking line just after
a good boof on the left. It looked like you could avoid it, but we just went to the right. <br
/><br /><br>
About a mile or two further up is a series of three drops, two slides, and then one probably ten
footer through a narrow little shoot. We weren't sure how deep the pool was on the landing, the
creek was kind of low and we were in playboats, but it looked like fun.<br /><br /><br>
<br /><br /><br>
Also, I've heard sliding rock is illegal. I wouldn't run it if there's a lifeguard posted there.
Should be fine in the winter, or really if there's enough water out to be running it.
<br>
Forum: BoaterTalk<br>
Date: Sep 08 2004, 14:14 GMT<br>
From: jhhssmurf1215<br>
<br>
on september 8th 2004 at 8:30 A.M. Austin Rathmann and Pat Kellar ran looking glass falls. Pat ran
first and boofed down the middle of the falls. his line was excellent resulting in only a bloody
nose. Second Austin ran opting to pencil off the middle of the falls hoping the high water had made
the pool deep enough. It hadn't. His line was perfect although he did hit rocks at the bottom of
the pool after he landed. neither boater had any serious injuries and yet again two asheville boys
fired up a big one. Everyone get out and enjoy the hurricane be safe and have big lines!!!!<br>
<br>
was slightly above min. for Looking glass.<br>
<br>
We putin at the 1st bridge above the sliding rock parking area and took out after running the
"sliding rock" rapid.<br>
This made for an approx. 1 mile run.<br>
<br>
There is a 4ft boof onto a 15ft slide and around the next bend is a two- tiered 15ftr. Be sure to
run the 2nd drop center or left of center to avoid a rock that comes off the rightbank , which may
or may not be visible.<br>
<br>
If you've been looking at some big slides, you might have been on Looking Glass Creek, a trib of
the Davidson River. I've heard that this can get up to class V. This run includes sliding rock (the
swimming hole), and super sliding rock (a more serious one downstream) with a takeout at looking
glass falls, the obvious 70 ft spinecrusher. These can run anytime of the year after a good rain.
Look at online guages for N. Fork French Broad. Usually when that run gets too high people start
looking at Davidson.