For anyone around the Atlanta area, do you know of any quick paddles that one could do maybe after work one day before heading home? Maybe a 3 mile trip or so… In particular, something with some class I/II rapids along the way? I’m looking to play around in my whitewater boat a bit and test it out but have little time to do so for the next few weeks and need a short distance to travel for putin and takeout… Something like this would be ideal for a quick 30 min or so run before I head home for the night!
The classic 1-2 run near Atlanta is 2.5
miles long from the Powers Island put in to the Paces Mill take out. There are long, wide, intermittent shoals. In terms of training and playing, these shoals have strong currents, sharp eddy lines, and multiple eddies. Many routes are possible.
At low to medium levels, it is possible for kayakers and some canoeists to paddle down to the second rapid, Devils Racecourse, and then paddle back up to Powers Island. Otherwise one needs a plan to shuttle from the Paces Mill take out. It takes about an hour and a quarter to walk the shuttle if necessary.
The only problem I’ve had lately is that for some reason the Corpse of Engineers has been running high and variable water levels. I’ve run this section as high as 6000 cfs, but I only do that when I’m sharp and in good shape. Otherwise I like levels below 3000 cfs, when this section is less washed out.
I don’t have any links handy to help you, but I’ll try to get back and post some tomorrow.
Not sure how far that is from Rosewell
but there is a nice set of shoals on the Chattahootchee there.
jack L
Thanks!
I’m trying to figure out how I would deal with transportation. I was thinking of doing something really odd like bringing my bike, chaining it up at the take-out spot, then chaining up the boat, riding the bike back to the put-in to grab my car. I’m not sure how feasible it is to do this in that area…
Specifics?
Where specifically in Roswell? Anywhere around Azelea park? I’ve paddled there but it’s mostly flat with a mild current heading down towards the dam, I think… The other day I was up there and the current was a lot stronger than the last few times I was there though.
Roswell is the city north of there.
Would this happen to be the route?
http://www.daftlogic.com/projects-advanced-google-maps-distance-calculator.htm?showroute=9785&verify=de3239f0c1947e7a84acfaeda4ffb1de
Water levels
– Last Updated: Apr-25-11 3:25 PM EST –
Edit: Found what I was looking for:
http://waterdata.usgs.gov/ga/nwis/uv?dd_cd=06&dd_cd=07&dd_cd=20&format=gif&period=7&site_no=02336000
The rapids are half way between…
Garrard Landing Park (at Holcomb Bridge road) and Riverside Park (at 535 Riverside road).
You would either need a shuttle, or paddle down to them from Gerrard landing or up to them from Riverside Park unless you could find a launch place on Riverside Drive, (not to be confused with Riverside Road)
They are right beside Riverside Drive
We will be racing there in a few weeks
Jack L
You mean the shoals just above the
lake, Island Shoals? They’re ok but not nearly as useful for whitewater training as the several shoals between Powers Island and the Paces take out. The local decked whitewater downriver racers train there. They usually paddle downstream several shoals, and then back upstream.
Yes, that’s the route. If you open that
gauge page you found, and on “available data for this site” you open “location”, you’ll have really great map options, including the ability to see the shoals on the satellite or hybrid page.
Like many Georgia shoals on larger rivers, some of the shoals have dynamited passages where logs or other commerce used to pass. It is along these dynamited channels that the best eddies are found.
Is it possible
To get back upstream in those rapids? I was assuming it would be difficult to do that?
I’ve done it when the flow is low, by
charging back up through the chutes. Takes experience. Of course one could pole back up.
If water were higher, there is a trail along the bank on the south side, and one can carry a boat back up to the Park Headquarters and parking.
There’s an interesting shoal at the Jones Bridge unit of the park, which can be accessed either from the NPS property on the north side or the Gwinnett County park on the south side. Worth a visit sometime.
Your question is under G2d’s post, so
I assuming you are asking about the rapids that he is talking about which is different then the ones that I am speaking of, so I’ll bow out of this now.
Jack L
Whitewater Creek Rd?
There appears to be a put-in here which is half way between what you mentioned. Is anyone aware of this area? Is it possible to put in/take out here? I’m still trying to find a good spot for solo training. I’m by myself sometimes and can’t shuttle. So some spots with some rapids that would allow me to walk back or paddle back would be nice…