4.2 & 4.3 - Tallulah Gorge

[hotBOATERchick]

Considered a southern jewel, Tallulah Gorge is an experienced paddler’s playground. Running through the Tallulah Dome rock formation, this 2 mile gorge with 1,000 feet high rocky cliffs runs 5 times a year thanks to the hard work of many river advocates include the GCA, ACA, AW, and AR. With releases in November and April, a trip is usually coordinated at least once a year.

This weekend was no different. 4 of the 6 boaters left Richmond early in the newly minted #Boofbus in a hurried attempt to meet the GA state parks 10pm curfew. Sitting on pins and needles, while watching the Garmen push our arrival time from 9:56 all the way to 10:03 and back again, had us wondering if the Walmart parking lot would be our only options. A quick food stop and the driving focus of Jon D. had us arriving at 10:02 with gates still open at the Tallulah Gorge State Park! A quiet night overlooking the gorge in a well maintained and economical campground!

We (Dave, Sejal, Jon, Jacob, Luke, and myself) met at the put-in at 9:30 sharp Saturday thanks to a boater from Atlanta who shuttled us over from the campsite. Gearing up, there is a clear method to the madness of the 1st rapid (Put-In) and lots of advice from how to best approach this Class 5.0 from running down, heal – toe each step, and sliding your boat.
Arriving at the bottom step, buttered up in sweat and effort, we scouted the Entrance rapid (a.k.a – Last step) and donned our gear. Since this was my PFD, the adrenaline running through my veins was palatable and the Tallulah legs (muscle fatigue) made this an interesting 1st rapid. At the top eddy, you no longer see the rapid but a horizon line of sorts, paddling up to set your line to boof holes and catch the sides of others, this rapid was full of THOTies (Those holes over there). Paddling through to the 1st eddy on river left, we gathered to then descend Tanner’s Boof, in what turned out to be my 2nd best boof of the weekend.

Tallulah is chocked full of slides, boofs, Thoties, and lines. Not every line was perfect, catching an eddy in Tom’s Brain Buster on Day 1, I thought, this is an unintended pro-move here.

We scouted, we learned and epic moments included, everyone stomping Bridal Veil, Jon’s kickflip off Tanners on Day 2, Dave and I both had sick boof’s at the bottom of the Road to Aintry on Day 2, well fought Thot battles, fist bumps on the lake, and Steve Fisher at the takeout on Day 1!!! (Shut up!!! I just paddled the same river as Steve Fisher, NO WAY!!!)

This trip wouldn’t have happened without Dave Kessman and Wade Kinker!

Shout out to the #boofbus for taking glamping to a whole new level and Jon for marathon driving!