2012 Paddling Season...Game-On!

Start me UP 2012!

Another cold Canadian winter has come and gone. Paddling season 2012 is underway!  The 2012 paddling season started off with my annual March migration to Tennessee.  Lenoir City, TN is where we call home for 9 days.  

This area keeps calling us back year after year because of the combination of warm sunny weather and hundreds of creeks to choose from within a 150 mile radius.

There is a ridiculous selection of rivers and creeks to paddle close by when the rain Gods shower us with merriment, and for times when there is no rain to chase, there are always a few steadfast reliable go-to options. The concept of “chasing rain” is rather foreign to Ontario paddlers whose hometown creeking window is 2 weeks long comprised primarily of snow melt. Chasing rain is a delicate balance of figuring out flows on the fly and estimating with some luck to determine which aspect of a creek is prime.  If the lower sections are in flood, one needs to travel higher up the run, above a tributary or five.

Another great part of paddling in the area is a variety in landscapes.  To the South, are the Great Smokey Mountains. The Smokey’s are a fantastic place to paddle and photograph as river access is straight forward and paved roads often snake alongside the river.  The ability to help out an injured paddler or to swap out camera equipment is fantastic. The rivers in this watershed tend to be clean and clear, many of these rivers as well are host to fantastic drops and waterfalls. Rocks tend to be round and frequent.  It’s a flowing boulder garden where dream boofs come true.

To the North-West is the Cumberland Plateau which has a different character entirely. (I’ll save that for another blog).

The bottom line is that when paddling friends converge into this area and the water is flowing, great times are about to happen.  In seven days of paddling, we hit some rivers for the first time, and others multiple times because they are just too good not to.  Highlights included the Crooked Fork, Tellico, Conasauga, and the Little River Smokies. These rivers are always thrilling to boat. 

Baby Falls

The Tellico River is a South-Eastern classic, which serves as an excellent example to try and capture what it is that draws me in time after time. The Tellico River has crystal clear water, beautiful scenery and a mountainous setting, these aspects combined are a great excuse for a weekend hike…..add water and you’ve got a class 3-4 playground that is nothing short of awesome.  The ledges make for great glory boof practice. 

Boofing the beak!

Tight eddies throughout to sharpen skills along the way.  Baby Falls is the perfect learn-to waterfall….so long as you get out before diaper wiper if you find yourself on the “Tellico swim team”. 

"Safety Break"

Just below baby falls is the famous post card image at Bald River Falls.  It’s a great carry-up waterfall when water flows are sufficient. Shooting the lower section is a very intimidating and exciting entrance.  The rocks at the top are very slick and words are difficult to communicate over the thunderous roar of the upper waterfall section. 

Bald River Falls

Continuous class 2-3 three leads you to the most technical aspect to the river…Jarrod’s knee.  It is a five sectioned rapid that never disappoints. As a whole, it’s rather confusing, but when you break it down into 5 separate steps, it seems to fit together like puzzle pieces.  I have sat and studied this rapid many times over, and I still have much to learn. This is part of the beauty in rivers….so many secrets…so much to know and learn. If you get a chance to paddle in Tennessee, don’t pass it up, you’ll be in for an awesome time!