Shoal Creek!

[mmcqueen45]

Anyone out there been on or know much about Shoal Creek? Southwest Paddler has it rated at a III/IV. I've crossed over it a few times on Spring Lake Rd. and elsewhere and I hope to hike it and see what it has in store sometime. Looks pretty wicked. Anyone got any pictures of it when the water is up enough to float?

Matt

[Cowper]

I think calling it a III/IV is a bit of a stretch by today's standards, but that said, it is a very nice place to be when it is running. The main thing to be aware of is that it is very "brushy" in places - you may even find a spot or two where portaging around a river-wide strainer is necessary. Other trips, you might just have to be really good with your moves to find a slot not blocked by the strainers.

From a "safety" perspective, a Class II with strainers can be more dangerous than some other rapid that might be rated as a Class IV-. No rating system can completely account for all of these variables.

Just "follow the rules" - don't run anything blind; try to safely "eddy hop" your way down.

Yes, go check it out - maybe you'll join the ranks of those who do NOT want to see this gem dammed by the local water association. (Yes, they ARE trying to do that...)

[Max Carruth]

Ive been looking at it alot in the past year, been up there 4-wheeler riding around springlake road and that whole area. Each time we go I try to see alil more of it. For what Ive seen that drop they call "landbridge" is the biggest Ive seen. Agreeing with cowper saying that the willows will be bad (maybe as bad or worse than Sugar creek). If your in the area you should try checking out Gutter rock creek on the other side of hwy 309. It has more grdient than shoal(100fpm). The put in is a mile hike in off of FR 1601 just south of cove lake. The take out is the first low water you come to on Robert Hill road. I think it looks easier to hike it from the take out unless there is 2 vehicles in the group and you can set up shuttle. You wont find as much info on this one but it has been ran a time or two. Ive also heard that the spring lake spillway can be a hoot at the right level. More of a class II play run I think though. If you go see any of these let us know what you think. Nothing else to do on a paddling message board with no H2O.
Max Carruth

[Gordon Kumpuris]

Well I'll be darn......I always thought the creek was called "Shoel" creek i.e. the
Shoel Hades; the world of the dead (a sub-terranian retreat, grave, hell, pit.) The Israelites understood Shoel to be the invisible domain for dead souls both righteous and unrighteous.. All awaiting the final resurrection on the last day.
Now I see it's actually Shoal creek. i.e. a sandbar. What a difference a vowel makes! I kinda like the former spelling better

[Chester]

This past November, I hiked about two miles of Big Shoal Creek, starting from the bridge on Spring Lake Rd. and going downstream. I videoed all of the rapids and turns in that section, and made a DVD for reference. There were two places I believe, where the creek gets shallow and brushy strainers were present, calling for a scounting or portage. I did not see any logs or trees down in the creek during my walk. My impression, up to that stopping point, was that it was a class II+/-III stream. However, another blind 3.5 miles remain to the take out on St. Louis Valley Rd. :shock: