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After an unseemly amount of to-ing and fro-ing, we decided on Cedar Creek over the Cacapon, its running off far more slowly than projected: 345 cfs [min 200] at Stephen’s Fort, where we put in. Great level - pads all rocks and keeps you moving right along. We: Barb, Miki, Allison (PFD), and myself, with several other good friends having begged off because of maladies, oversleeping, and fear of the predicted strong winds (gusts up to 48 mph).
Cedar Creek is an ideal springtime run - bluebells, incipient redbud, columbines springing from the rocks, but no dogwood in sight. Trees only just starting to leaf out - therefore the unusually protracted and slow run-off.
Arriving at the traditional U.S. 11 crossing / takeout, we were rudely surprised to find it fenced off by the Virginia Dept of Environmental Quality (DEQ) - purpose unknown, though we (CCA Access Committee) will find out. Another of the constant drip drip of access restrictions hemming in our favorite streams. On the other side of the creek, the absent landowner’s caretaker (another drip drip of societal change, beyond the scope of this humble TR) told us that The Man prohibited paddlers from parking and taking out there.
Repairing to our chosen put-in - at Stephen’s Fort (1746) off Middle Road/SR 628, we were pleased to find that the landowner remembered the favor he’d given a CCA trip back in 2021, and kindly replicated it. His reluctance was due to partying teens and others leaving trash piles below the bridge. Barb & Miki set the shuttle just outside the DEQ’s new gate, while Allison & I dragged kayaks to the stream side, and paddled up 100 yards to see the beautiful limestone rock formations and the waterfall gushing from the cliff.
We pushed off at 12:30 - with 5 inches under us, according to the Lou Matacia gage painted on the bridge, again 345 cfs according to the USGS gage just upstream. The trip took a long 10.6-mile/ 4 hrs 30 minutes. But beautiful to be out, and the breezes were not as bad as advertised - only, how is it that a “westerly wind” can be in your face as you proceed down such a tortuous stream?
We found only one obstruction - a stream-wide log strainer, possibly a carry-over on the left. We debated that over lunch on the right bank, then decided to drag down that side and re-launch into a side stream. Then came Minebank Road/SR 622 (also the scene since yesteryear of the advance of “No Trespassing” signs complicating that put-in.) My remark about Frederick Jackson Turner fell on deaf ears, or maybe I needed to speak louder.
The main rapid comes at the beginning of the end: A heavy-duty broken LWB (low-water bridge) extends from river left, catching lots of logs. The Class III break at the right harbors a mean rock to pay attention to- but the run-out is straight, and all ran it with aplomb. Another Cl. II+ rapid follows, and then swiftly follow the Valley RR bridge, the Panther Cave, and the abutments of the old Valley Pike. A bit farther at 5:00 we found our old Rte 11 take-out.
This we used, rather than that at Bowman Road that Gertler mentions, because of our ignorance of the Class III- rapid immediately followed by a LWB, that is in the mix. Grove and Corbett have the most exhaustive descriptions, but without an initial look-see, not a place to lead / coordinate your people down.
Hendrik urges the paddler to look on Google Earth to see how the lower creek wends through the deep quarries of the mining company on both sides. Luckily not visible from the creek-bottom.