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Trip Reports

VA Catoctin Creek - Aug 5, 2018
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Nine of us (Angel A, Barb B, Gary & Ginny Q, Lisa S, Pam W, Paul S, Tim T & Wayne McD) took advantage of recent rains to run the Taylorstown to Potomac section of the Virginia Catoctin Creek. Nobody had major difficulty running the rapids on a warm sunny day with multiple sightings of bald eagles and great blue heron. We paddled in a more organized than is often the case for CCA trips, with designated lead and sweep paddlers and maintenance of a peloton between the two.


Level was 309 cfs, which was plenty for a scrape-free run. However, two caveats: 1) the bottom 1/4 of the creek, home to some of the best rapids, was submerged by backwash from the mighty Potomac (Point of Rocks gauge was at 10'), and 2) we noticed that debris is piled against the USGS gauge on Taylorstown bridge so we may not be getting an accurate reading.

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