18 May
Five paddlers: Barb B, Miki K, Virginia D, Jim S, and John S played the patience game and caught the North Fork South Branch Potomac R at 705 cfs on the long slide down from a peak of 6980 cfs after the storm on the 14th. The old cruiser section is a delight. Fluffy bunny rapids between cobble banks covered with now 40 year old lime-green sycamores. It was obviously still spring--abundant birds were singing in the trees along the stream. All the birders I paddle with were on other trips so no IDs. I did note redwing blackbirds posturing and a bald eagle flew along with us, probably looking for an osprey to steal a fish from.
Three of us continued through Hopeville Canyon. The contrast between the earth-mover engineered cruiser section and the more pristine, more natural canyon was striking. Boulders are wasted in the cruiser section--lined up to create vanes to recenter flow and to bulwark the river banks after the '85 flood that cleared space for the sycamores. The vanes create odd diagonal waves and structured pourovers. The recent flooding has resculpted the cobble bars and flats. It is a wonderful paddle but has the feel of a Disney ride. The canyon by comparison has boulders arranged midstrean by Mother Nature to smack you when you pick a poor line or miss a carved turn. Landslide was different somehow, and the rapid after the big stone cube has been rearranged in the middle. I was too busy getting smacked to note the details.
There was remarkably little debris post flood. Lunch at Champe Rocks ledge was a treat as always. Dry hair day, most paddled elegantly. Trip was rated 10/10.