We had Mark, Ned, Peter, and Gary (K1s) on a beautiful day on the Hopeville Canyon stretch of the North Fork, South Branch of the Potomac. The temperatures were in low 70s and the water level was at 760 cfs (neither pushy nor scrapy). Wildflowers had not yet emerged on the cliffside, but we did see a bat flying across the river at lunch time, just above Avalanche. There were no significant strainers along the way; all lines were open. If you’ve never paddled this section, you are missing one of the more beautiful runs in the area.