spring river info

[shawn_rackley81]

Was wondering what spring river would be like at its current level (7'). My girlfriend and I are tossing around options for a Sunday run. I have paddled the spring more times than I can count. But only during the low scrapy summer levels. My question is, at the current level would it make the rapids/falls bigger? Or would it just wash out most of the drops? Completely cool if it makes things tougher. But if it washes out most of the ledges will probably just opt for an eleven point river run from Greer to turner. Any insight will be very appreciated.

[Jim Krueger]

Over the last ten or more years of paddling the Spring during the annual school up there in late May-early June, I have always used the Hardy gauge. This morning that gauge is reading 4.60ft. Unfortunately, this gauge is one that data isn't saved past 120 days, so I can't compare the level exactly from one year to the next without writing it down when I'm up there. However, I think most years when the school is held, we have between 3.40 to 3.60ft. on that gauge. A couple of years ago we did float it at a little over 4 ft. which was a blast.

Best Regards
Jim

[shawn_rackley81]

Thanks for the info Jim. I have been running the st Francis upper and lower a lot lately. But bringing the lady with me this time so figured if the spring was good when its up would be a lot closer drive than the saint. Plus the girlfriend isn't ready to run the lower saint yet. Lol she has done the upper once with me though. She has ran the spring river with me a bunch. But always at the summer lows. So I figure if it makes it more interesting instead of washing out at higher levels, we would both enjoy.

[RiverRummer]

The spring doesn't change much at higher water levels. just makes some of the ledges easier. it won't get big and gnarly.
If your paddling whitewater boats you can go anywhere and over every drop you want. But in longer rec. boats you'll want to avoid some of the ledges. but there's an alternate route or a good spot to drop on all of them, on all but the highfalls just as it joins the south fork. still do able in a rec. boat but you will swamp at the bottom.
at higher levels you can stay right of sadler falls and do those ledges that are usually to low of a flow to do, if you want to avoid that part. I do it in a Jackson Star ( 5'6") and also take my Dagger Axis 12ft. often. no troubles with either boat.
Sorry about not catching this earlier, I hope it still helps.
I usually do Dam3 down to some friends property 2.5 miles downstream from Many Islands.
sadler falls is the only place my beginners have trouble sometimes. I've paddled the spring for 20 years now in a WW boat, but only got the rec. boat 2 years ago and it does fine.
Hope to see you there! I'll be on it often this summer...... as usual

[shawn_rackley81]

And you are correct. 3'difference in the gauge then what I normally run at summer levels. And like said not much difference. No scraping, water had a good push and flow to it. But didn't make anything wild. Still did dead mans curve instead of the falls. Which was a little more fun than usual. But it did wash out some of the drops on dead mans curve, but it was OK cause it turned the drops in to nice big standing waves. Ha! Saddler falls didn't look to fun from the up river side so we just ran dead mans curve. But after running dead mans curve we inspected the falls from the downstream side and found one nice chute just left of center that would have been a good drop without scraping. Would go back to the spring this weekend. But I think the girlfriend and I are going to do a section on the eleven point instead.