OCT Shenandoah watershed trip Saturday, May 11

[Daryl]

My preferred trip for Saturday will be on the not as frequently paddled South River from Crimora Park to Grand Caverns. This is approximately a 10 mile class I trip on a small river with nice current suitable for [s]beginners and[/s] novices.

Since it's a small river, strainers could potentially be present. We ran the first 6 miles of this trip back in February, and that section was strainer free. I'm not sure what the strainer situation is the last 4 miles.

2.5 feet on the Dooms gauge is minimum for this trip:

http://waterdata.usgs.gov/va/nwis/uv/?s ... 2620,00062

The level is currently above that now, and with some scattered rain forecast this week, I think it will hold. If not, we'll move downstream on the South Fork Shenandoah somewhere.

To locate this section, just look for Crimora Park and Grand Caverns on this map:

https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=21 ... a6e1&msa=0

I'll post a follow up later this week.

Daryl

[nancy]

Shorn and I are thinking about camping in the area this weekend and would like to paddle this section.
We're keeping an eye on the river level which has gone straight up with the rain Tue.
We're also keeping an eye on the weather forecast with storms forecast for Sat.
Will probably decide Wed night if we'll go.
nancy

[Daryl]

It looks like my worry about not having enough water didn't materialize. There's a lot of water in the South currently, but the gauges have started to make the downward turn, and I think it should be at a reasonable level by Saturday.

The weather forecast is for a 60% chance of showers on Saturday. So there's a 40% chance we'll have great weather.

Let's meet at the put-in at Crimora Park at 10:00am Saturday.

If you need any further info, please let me know. And please let me know if you're coming.

Daryl

[nancy]

Daryl,
Is the trip still on?
If so, we'd like to go.
We'll be camping at Walnut Hills.

nancy

[Daryl]

Hi Nancy,

Yes, the trip is on. Glad you and Shorn can make it. Meeting at 10am at the put in at Crimora Park.

Daryl

[Daryl]

One additional note, with the extra volume of water in the river now, I no longer classify Saturday's trip as a beginning paddler trip. It's still suitable for novices though. The extra current and possibility of strainers make having some boat control in your toolbox a good thing.

Daryl

[nancy]

Our boats aren't loaded, we haven't put together any of our camping gear.
We'll have to cancel.
Hope to see you soon on a river.

nancy

[RangeRon78]

Unless the Moormans comes back up overnight, I'm thinking now it won't hold for a run tomorrow. It's at about the minimum and not dropping fast but still dropping some. I will check it again early in the morning and make a call, but I expect to join Daryl on the South River tomorrow. Please call me on my mobile number if the trip is going to be cancelled.

Ron Wiley, Jr.
434-960-6665 (mobile)