Selected Spot: Sweet Cheeks WV        Current Flow: 2460cfs

Spot Info...

Spot Info: [Refresh Current Flow For All Spots] Last Refreshed: 03-19-2024 3:08:51 AM PDT

Name:   Sweet Cheeks WV   Current Flow: 2460cfs Recorded on 03-19-2024 5:00:00 AM
River:     Water Temp:
Country:   United States   Turbidity: ?
Region:     PH: ?
State:     Min Flow: 2400cfs
City:     Ideal Flow: 2800cfs
Lat, Long:     Max Flow: 3200cfs
Gage Name:        
USGS Gage#:        
Gage Url:   http://waterdata.usgs.gov/wv/nwis/uv/?site_no=03192000&PARAmeter_cd=00065,00060,62614
Predict Url:   none defined... find one at NOAA

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Quality: Exploratory Poor Moderate Great Epic

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Journal:
NameUserExplore DateExplore FlowQuality
Flood?
Sweet Cheeks WVjosh09-16-2011 12:00 AM2800cfs10
NotesMY TRIP: During Gauleyfest weekend 2011 I spent a total of 4 days sessioning this spot. Friday I hiked a Ninja in down the trail at Carnifex Ferry State Park, and put in below Pillow. Had a great first day getting used to the spot. Stashed my boat on river left in the woods then swam across the river and hiked back up. Saturday I ran the upper in plastic, stopped and switched boats, and had another 3 sessions before continuing downstream. Sunday I hiked into Pillow, swam across the river, 4 more sessions. Then I floated down a few more rapids to the top of Lost Paddle and got out river RIGHT and hiked out. Monday I ran downstream in my Jet and had another great session with Maverick before hiking out to Carnifex again. By stashing a boat for several days I was really able to dial in the spot and spend all my energy there without worrying about getting too exhausted before lost paddle. NEW ACCESS BETA: A few hundred yards above the confluence with the Meadow and the top of Lost Paddle find a beach on river RIGHT (big enough to park 4 rafts, and surrounded by rippled blocks 6-8 feet high). Walk downstream until the beach turns into a trail and take 2 rights up into the woods. Here you find a wide trail that ascends back to the Carnifex Ferry SP. This hike out takes 30 minutes and is very enjoyable! Because it follows the old horse and wagon trail from days when the ferry was the only way across, it never gets steeper than 10 degrees. Much better than trying to he man up the pillow rock trail. By the way, if you DO decide to hike out at pillow, make sure to put in at the pool ABOVE sweet cheeks to ferry back over. Word is that river right bank next to SC is all jungled out with huge rocks that are a pain in the ass to portage over. Hit the pool above and it\\s a quick bit of clear rock hopping upstream to the trail. Going downstream to the Carnifex Ferry trail is much gentler on the body overall. PS history buffs: you can find old stone bunkers from the Civil War Battle in the woods above the trail. Imagine being a soldier shooting at the enemy from behind your pile of rocks... When the trail takes a sharp left, following a side creek and the river noise goes away, don\\t worry you\\re still on the right path. Sweet Cheeks has a high price of admission: You either run Insignificant and Pillow or you have to gut it out and walk down the STEEP pillow rock trail. But it\\s worth it! For those who aren\\t up for running downstream in a park and sink boat, the hike in is well worth it, especially if you can stash it a few days. To drive to Carnifex Ferry continue south on 129 past the summersville dam a couple miles. When the road takes a 90 degree right at Kessler Cross Lanes, take a left onto Carnifex Ferry Road? until the road ends and the park. The trail down to Pillow rock starts left of the overlook, and the trail up from the ferry comes out behind the shelters to the right. CHARCS: At 2800 it\\s perfect. Attainer\\s right is an eddy with return service. From the eddy you surf a little wave 20 feet left. As I surf over, I try to get high on the wave so as it ends I am charging down the face with extra upstream momentum. Crossing another 10 feet of fast current takes you to the seam. This is where having a stick comes in handy, 4 quick strokes gets me a lot higher on the seam than handpaddlers. I was going left, initiating into the river right current, which goes under the river left current. I was chopping in with a big stern pry on my left and then keeping it extended in a stiff arm and having great results. Most everybody else goes righty and backcut here though. Underwater it is smooth as butter once you\\re down. 20 seconds every time for dialed in sinkers. The real surprise was on Monday when I was nailing 5-15 second rides in my Jet! This was my starter boat and is cut HIGH and has puffed up volume around the toes. First I put a 20 pound rock in my lap as ballast, but then I was getting rides without it too! Of all the spots in WV I\\ve tried to sink that thing, this is probably the easiest to get a bigger boat DOWN. We\\re talking Twisted Sister style easy entry without the scare factor. At 3200 it starts to wash out. The seam is still right there but the wave is starting to disappear and the last 10 feet of current is FAST. Handpaddlers and LOW boats don\\t bother. Big boats and sticks could probably get good rides, but the current is starting to intrude into the eddy and you really have to fight to get back upstream. At 2000 it gets a lot weaker, and the most powerful part of the squeeze seems to move downstream. Also entry wave is not as perfectly formed so it is difficult to keep upstream position on the ferry out. The underwater rock on river right is starting to become visible, it is 45 degrees to the current and it becomes clear to the observer why there is such a strong current dropping off there. HEARSAY: Steve O said one old schooler who loved the spot said the BEST level was 1500. Maybe team Fayettenam will do some exploring next summer? Ricky said Chuck Kern used to charc in, drop his paddle and get 30 seconds, coming up left at the very bottom of the eddy. J Pou was told by somebody if you start getting really long and deep rides, watch out for a couple rocks 15-20 seconds in. You may bump against 2 for a second, but don\\t worry, just hang out and you will go up and over them. You CAN go lefty! On river right above the spot, there is a really nice surf wave, all day glassy carving. When you are ready to take a break from sinking, put in at the pool above, and ferry over for a nice surf. From the spot you can look upstream and see rafts getting flipped on Volkswagen Rock. If you are going downstream with other non-sinkers, you can usually convince them to watch carnage at Pillow for a bit while you get a session in. It is also great fun to get rides underneath your friends in plastic who may have not seen mysteries before.


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