Coastals

Well, I was a bit hesitant to say the least about paddling after Sunday’s incident at Goshen. It’s a very sobering reminder of what can happen when there is a small mistake made or momentary laps in judgment on a river. Needless to say this didn’t help with the case of the nerves that I usually get when running a new river for the first time. However the day was perfect and the water was right on a river that I have been eyeing for years.
So it was that Kelsey, Fenster and I set a course for the Bullpasture River in Williamsville VA. The drive amazing, much better than the I-81 gridlock that you get going to Balcony or the Maury. The river looked mighty intimidating on the shuttle, starring down into the gorge with what appeared to be no way out. Being that none of us had ever been down this river before we decided to put in about two miles upstream of the gorge in order to have some good warm up time. The upper section is absolutely amazing I think Goshen might have a run for its money on the prettiest gorge in VA.
We set off down the river, after a few mishaps in the upper miles Kelsey decided to take out at the swinging bridge. This left Fenster and me to run the meat of the gorge. After the swinging bridge it walls in pretty good. A hike out from here might take all day climbing up to the road. The gorge was great continuous class III type stuff. We smoothed S turn with no scouting and continued on down to Double Ledge. We got out to scout this one. It looked pretty straight forward. I ran it first with no issues but even in my Jefe I got pulled a bit back into the top hole and had to struggle to get out. Fenster ran next, while I set safety and filmed. I think it was a combination of not enough momentum and his boat being smaller (LL CR 250) that lead to him being sucked back into the hole (I have his special permission to describe the following). He then failed two roll attempts which is way out of character for him, I am usually the one who swims and I think this was his first one in over a year. I watched paddle and boat go over the second ledge but no Fenster. For a moment I was worried but then I saw his hand as he climbed out on what he thought was the shore but it was actually the huge rock mid rapid. I rushed off downstream to rescue the gear then returned to debate on how to get him off this rock. The consensus was the only way off was to jump into the rapid at which time I would rescue him from the bottom hole via throw rope. Plan went well at first but then as he jumped in and of course was sucked back into the whole I though crossed my mind as I threw the line. (Wow I don’t think I repacked my rope correctly after I was practice throwing in my yard the other day) Well I was right it hung up halfway to him. The look on someone’s face when the rope doesn’t get to them and they are trapped in a whole is needless to say wide eyed. My second attempt was on point and pulled him right out. After a min to calm the nerves he fired it right up and smoothed both drops. Then it was down to 5ft ledge. We both scouted and fired up flawless runs. Then we proceeded down through a bit more II-III to the take out.
The Bullpasture is a great run that I highly recommend. I will be trying to get on it as much as I can this year. It has some awesome rapids and great photo and film opportunities in a gorge that really remote so you feel like your on an expedition. I will post some video of the trip as soon as I load it onto YouTube. Thanks for reading my long too much info trip report Hope you liked it. I get pretty bored at work sometime and enjoy reading all of your long ones as well. That’s 1 PFD for me so far this year.

SYOTR, Chris

Thanks for the trip report and glad of course that Fenster emerged unscathed. That hole can be quite bad-natured.

Cool that you got to do it expedition-style too. That can be part of the fun.

Sounds like you guys ran the center slot at the double ledge thing. Next time through take look at the bank-right slot. Good fun drop which generally keeps you out of the hole (although it can typewriter you that way depending on level).

On the scenery side, did you notice a particularly lush little creek coming in on the right early in the run?

Cheers,

Ken

Great trip report, I have been wanted to hit the Bullpasture for over a year now. I had a couple friends run the Bullpasture for thier first time Sunday and thier report was much of the same...FUN FUN FUN.
If this rain holds, I may try and run it this week sometime.

Looking foward for the pics and Vids.


BillyG

Chris- thanks for the great trip report. Now I wish I had gone with you guys! Lesson learned- whenever I am trying to decide whether of boat or not, I should go ahead and do it. I think Pat Keller said something like that in the Green Race Movie...

Could someone give me the exact quote

bambam wrote:
On the scenery side, did you notice a particularly lush little creek coming in on the right early in the run?

Ken,

I took out right around this creek (if it's the one you're thinking of). Right around the swinging bridge and platform to swing into the river? I walked up it a bit and had a local guy tell me that there's a really cool cave at its headwaters to explore.

Bullpasture was a gorgeous run, and probably just a little out of my reach for the moment, especially in a new, smaller boat. I'm hoping I'll be able to work on my roll a little more and get out there again someday soon.

Kelsey

Maybe, maybe not, the one I have in mind tumbles out of a hole in the mountain within under 50 yards of the river -- visible by boat.

Ken

No, that wouldn't be it then.

What was the CFS and the visual bridge gauge level, please?

thanx,

I believe it was about 350 cfs, and the water was .5 on the bridge gauge

paddlemor wrote:... whenever I am trying to decide whether of boat or not, I should go ahead and do it. I think Pat Keller said something like that in the Green Race Movie...

Could someone give me the exact quote

That would be Tommy Hilleke. "Generally, I think that if I have the opportunity to paddle, and I've got something else to do or I feel like I shouldn't go for some reason, then I force myself to go and I always have a great time. So, I guess when in doubt -- Go, Paddle." I like Tommy's philosophy.

There are at least 3 caves in the immediate vicinity of the Bullpasture. The cave that spawns the tributary creek has an underwater entrance (at least in the spring/winter), a rather large interior room, and a few hundred yards of stream passage.

The entrance to Marshall's cave is in the side of the gorge about 1 mile from the put-in. Unfortunately, it is so popular that it has been borderline trashed, and the bats no longer winter there. A lot of passage to explore, though, on at least two levels.

There is also a large underwater cave which is being explored by cave divers. The entrance to that one is in the big pool just past the swinging bridge. You have to take your squirt boat to get into that one