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Re: Cheoah River by Harrison Metzger

Contributed 06/01/2006  Responses:  0

We did have a blast. Here is Harrison's trip report from Boatertalk, titled "Our Own Private Idaho".

Ran it Sunday at 1,040, I think this was my seventh canoe run and 10th time down the river. It has been great at every level I have run it, from 700 cfs up to 1,500 cfs. This was the first time I had run it at 1,000 cfs release, and it was a very nice level. Padded but not too pushy. A good medium level. Clean run top to bottom, didn't see many other boaters out there, which was amazing. Why would anyone be at the Ocoee when the Cheoah is running? (I mean by choice, obviously the Cheoah is a step up from the Onoee, but anyone comfortable on the Upper Ocoee should be able to run at least the top and middle Cheoah).

The water quality on the Cheoah is this amazing clear emerald green at the top, and nice and warm. This river is unlike anything else in the Southeast in its continuous western feel.

We had one rescue at the bottom of Takeout Rapids, the biggest one on the upper section. After threading through the right center line I caught a rr bank eddy just in time to throw a rope to a member of my party who had wet exited his kayak in one of the bottom holes. Note to self: Make sure feet are firmly planted on shore before doing this again. I reeled him in, but the power of the current dragged me down the sharp road rocks, lacerating my shin. As I was trying not to get dragged downstream, my canoe paddle and bilge pump got knocked in the river and floated off through the rapids downstream

A little while later, a well-known poster on this board swam in the same hole. After I chased and stopped his boat, (using my spare paddle) a kayaker retrieved my paddle and pump and gave them to the kayaker in my party who was hiking down the road to retrieve his kayak. Thanks, unknown kayaker! Reunited, our three-man group continued downstream.

The Land of Holes and the entire river was an absolute blast at this flow. Our kayaker exited the river just upstream of the Forest Service bridge and I and my fellow open boater continued down through the steeps. He got out and carried the entrance to Bear Creek falls, but I sucked it up and paddled this rapid down the far right line. This is one of the toughest most continuous stretches.

Every other run on the Cheoah I had run the right side of the falls, and almost every time something unexpected has happened to me. So Sunday I went for the boof. What a rush! Got a great launch but still disappeared in the froth at the bottom. (Photo: Harrison boofing)

Made the rr eddy to dump out my canoe. There my buddy rejoined me and we paddled down to the lake.

Halfway down White Highway I saw Skully and another BT's on a Shredder, and fellow open boater George "Abbeysway," Saw their Shredder run of the boof line a the falls, as well as some raft guides going for the big boy. Skully also said the Cheoah is becoming one of his favorite runs.

By the time we got to Tapoca Lodge Rapids and Yard Sale, my partner and I were so beat we were not even really trying to run dry lines any more. This has to be the best part of the Cheoah, and I was saddened that it was one of the last releases of the year for this magnificent river.

The Cheoah is, as the B-52s would say, Our Own Private Idaho. There are so many fantastic play waves and holes on this river. I only wish I had more energy, but with nine miles of nonstop class III-IV+ water, I usually end up blowing by spots that on any other river I would hang out and play. You cannot beat the lush Smoky Mountain scenery, great water quality and continuous action of the Cheoah. If you are up for it, by all means don't miss it next weekend.