Matt and I enjoying Chinese Feet
Taken by Kirk Workman
Yellow Creek Falls
Taken by Kirk Workman
So this year we had an amazing January and early February in WNC. During my time back around there was a possibility to do a little bit of everything. There was rain, snow and sunshine so the triple threat of kayaking, snowboarding and mountain biking were all in play. When I got back I returned to find the Cascades at a decent level which was a nice way to get that redemption after an injury out there last fall. Sadly there was a nice piece of wood blocking one of my personal favorite moves on the run. So on lap number two I decided to hop out and shift the piece around a bit so the move opened back up and it was glorious to snag the three foot wall boof again. So a few days of rallying out to the cascades got me feeling back in the game again and then it started to snow so it was time to head to the mountain to shred until the fateful day that it dumped in WNC. One of the better and less run hometown goodz was in, Yellow Creek. Yellow Creek is somewhat dynamic as the last third of a mile of the creek before it enters the Cheaoh River kind of drops off the face and provides some quality slides and boofs with some really sketchy stuff chalked in there for good measure. Aside from a few massive siphons, sketchy water quality and wood galore it is a quality steep. If you only run the lower portion you start with the cleanest twentyish foot drop
The pinch boof, the best possible way to end a cascades lap
in the south with a sometimes tricky entrance (level dependent) and roll into three fun slides before portaging a nasty siphon. After a quick jaunt through the rhodo hell of WNC you putin below the siphon just in time for a rapid with a sketchy piece of wood that leads right into one of the most intimidating drops of the run which features a few siphons and undercuts but ends in a super fun slide. Theres a double boof and you have then made it down the Mini Raven. Also thanks to a major rain event many other area creeks came in and provided much needed time in the smokies on the always beautiful Big Creek. All in all it was an amazing time off from work and tons of goods were had.
Big Creek Quicky from Paul Butler on Vimeo.
Some go pro of my favorite rapids from Big Creek.