Five Classic American Class V's

Class V is the most iconic of all river grades. The experts only, see-God-if-you-swim, wash your pants type whitewater that populates both your greatest ambitions and your darkest nightmares. These five runs are some of the most famous class V stretches of river in the country. The criteria for selecting this list is difficult. I wanted sections that were not class IV with just a single V, or runs that were once considered class V and now probably IV+ by today's standards. I also was not just seeking the hardest, gnarliest creeks in the country, but rather as close as I could come to listing THE solid class V runs that have defined that grade for many years in their subsequent regions. That being said, the list is arbitrary and without doubt other people would have their own opinions about which runs I should have included.

#1. Gore Canyon (Colorado)

The author on Pyrite Falls in Gore Canyon

Gore Canyon is perhaps Colorado's quintessential class V run. Located on the world-famous Colorado River, Gore Canyon is its signature stretch in terms of sheer whitewater difficulty. While not as technical or dangerous as a great many modern class V classics, Gore Canyon boasts a history and reputation that unparalleled in a state renowned for its plentiful whitewater. Augmented by the Gore Canyon race, this famous section of gnar is considered a guardian for fledgling expert kayakers and a rite of passage for many up-and-coming paddlers looking to break into "real" whitewater in the region. (Read a Gore Canyon trip report for more)

# 2. Green River Narrows (North Carolina)
The Green River Narrows is without question one of the gnarliest and most iconic stretches of whitewater in the Southeast, indeed, the entire country. The site of another famous wildwater race, the Green Narrows has been the location of more kayak films and youtube carnage videos than almost anywhere else. Its keystone rapid, Gorilla, is one of the most recognizable drops in the country and its fearsome reputation is well earned. For more Green River Narrows gnar, check out this video.

#3. Cherry Creek (California)
In a state that dominates in terms of steep, gnarly creeks an plentiful whitewater, Cherry Creek is one of the most famous and classic stretches of river of all. The Cherry Creek/Upper Tuolumne Rivers are a world-famous stretch of challenging whitewater, and Cherry Creek is the most fearsome section of it all. Beautiful gorgeous and dangerous, Cherry Creek remains one of the great testpieces of the United States.

#4. North Fork of the Payette (Idaho)
Idaho is a classic playground for whitewater in the American West. Boasting megaclassics like the Middle Fork, the Salmon, the Snake and the Selway, this state is arguably one of the premier whitewater destinations of the world. The North Fork of the Payette, however, is without question the quintessential stretch of gnar in this glorious, whitewater-filled state. Its signature drop, Jacob's Ladder, has thrashed and abused whitewater enthusiasts for generations and remains one of the classic stretches of gnar today.

Great Falls, Potomac River. Photo courtesy Wikimedia Commons
username: NortyNort

#5. Great Falls (Maryland/Virigina)
Though relatively short, there is no doubt that the Potmac's Great Falls is perhaps the most famous and most frequently paddled class V stretches of river in the country. Coupled with its famous race, more paddlers have sharpened their teeth on this mega classic than almost any other section around. This unique and dangerous stretch of river, combines big water and steep creeking, and with a variety of lines and variations has proven to be an enduring classic that will continue to pique the ambitions of new generations of elite paddlers for years to come.

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VIDEO: Green River Narrows

One of the iconic class V creeks of the American East! The Green River Narrows are one of the pre-eminent expert kayak runs in the United States. This video give a good look at this amazing and intense stretch of river.

VIDEO: Kayaker Stuck in Gnarly Whirlpool in Mexico

Kayaker gets stuck in a gnarly whirlpool on the Upper Jalacingo river in Mexico. Some tense spinning in circles followed by some upside-down time, a swim, and a eventual rescue.

FRYINGPAN RIVER Lower Pan

Put-in	Seven Castles
Takeout	Basalt
Length	7 miles
Difficulty	250-500 cfs	IV-
	500-1,000 cfs	IV
	> 1,000 cfs	IV+

Special Beta: Good intro to creek boating, but beware of wood!

Fun Factor:
Fear Factor:

The Lower Pan is an excellent off-the-beaten path run with beautiful scenery, easy access, and surprising high-class whitewater. Though meager releases from Reudi Reservoir often choke the life right out of the Lower Pan, I rarely miss an opportunity to paddle this section when the water level rises.

Driving up from Basalt to the put-in you will be able to see much of this run. Beware, however, of spots where the river lies away from the road, as this run does have a way of accumulating some gnarly log placements. The crux rapid, just below a pull-out 2/3rds of the way through the run, is partially visible from the road, but you must use the pullout to see it all. This rapid is long and a bit technical and swimming anywhere on this creek is ill-advised. I have seen swamped kayaks lost here.

The slide just below the put-in

The usual put-in is just above an obvious slide that is clearly visible from the road. There is a good pull-off here to park your car and gear up. Though the slide looks big from the road, it paddles fairly easy. Dodge a hole at the top and stay upright and you will be fine (III+/IV-). A couple of quick, semi-technical rapids come in quick succession. Beware of log placements in these tight, bony drops. Not far downstream the river enters a zone where a large mudslide five-ten years ago completely re-channeled the river. Now the creek has been diverted into a grove of trees. Beware of strainers here until the stream is able to re-establish its channel.

A long stretch of II-III whitewater follows with fun turns and good eddies. Always be alert for possible strainers. After a couple of miles the river mellows out and you pass some very beautiful homes along the riverbanks. There is a possible river access on the right at a large right-hand meander. As you come out of this turn you enter the crux rapid.

You come around a right-hand turn and the rapid will come into view. It is a good idea to eddy out here. This rapid is probably best pre-scouted from the pullout as you run the shuttle, and might be worth a look for those uncomfortable with class IV. Though the rapid itself is only IV- (except possibly at high water when it is more difficult) the bony streambed makes for gnarly consequences in the event of catastrophe. The river drops down a straightforward chute with large waves then bends left and tumbles through a series of small ledges and holes. A pinrock here or there spices things further. Things taper slowly but remain vigorous for a few corners before mellowing. A sharp drop just as the canyon opens up and you start to enter Basalt, however, can spank you if you are off-guard. This rapid is particularly treacherous at high water (III+/IV).

The Pan mellows as it rolls through Basalt. The takeout at 7-11 in on river left just below the river empties into the Roaring Fork.

GETTING THERE

The takeout is in Basalt just off Highway 82 at a dirt boat ramp next to the 7-11 store. To reach the put-in, head upstream on the Fryingpan Road 4.2 miles from Basalt towards Reudi Reservoir at a dirt pullout next to an obvious slide rapid. The pull-out next to the crux rapid is found 1.8 miles up Fryingpan from the 4-way intersection with Two Rivers Road.

CRYSTAL RIVER Meatgrinder

Put-in	Redstone
Takeout	Penny Hot Springs or Avalanche Creek
Length	2.2 miles (3.6 miles to Grizzly)
Difficulty	< 500 cfs	V-
	500-1,500 cfs	V+
	> 1,500 cfs	VI

Special Beta: Cold, manky, gnarl

Fun Factor:
Fear Factor:

Meatgrinder has a sort of reputation in local boating community. Meatgrinder was once considered the most difficult rapid in the United States. Many great valley boaters (in an era when many pioneers of the sport like Fletcher Anderson and Roger Paris resided here) passed on the Meat. In the 1980’s, however, the rapid gained the attention of Matt Gaines and Kevin Padden who made the first descent together in 1983. Gaines and Padden had earned a reputation as some of the gnarliest kayakers out there and were even later called “the godfathers of hair boating”. Their descent of Meatgrinder was a benchmark in Colorado boating and a step above Barrel Springs, Pine Creek, and Gore Canyon, which were considered the cutting edge of difficulty in those days. In the mid-1990’s the drowning of Henry Filip in Meatgrinder solidified Meatgrinder’s reputation. Filip was an elite creek boater and part of the group of 1990’s paddlers that pushed Colorado’s boating to the next echelon. It was a sad and tragic event whose consequences resonate in the minds of valley boaters today.

Meatgrinder at 1,000 cfs

In today’s modern era, where even younger generations have pushed valley kayaking into places such as Yule Creek, that I would never have considered even in my more daring days, Meatgrinder obviously no longer holds the title as “the most difficult rapid” in the country or even the valley. I once paddled this section with a pro kayaker from the Fayetteville, NC scene who was disappointed with Meatgrinder saying there was a “green tongue all the way down it”. He claimed he was not only a veteran of but also a contender in many Green River races. Perhaps Meatgrinder isn’t what it used to be, but it still deserves respect. Don’t be surprised to encounter a sort of voodoo attitude towards it from the locals in the valley. If you paddle the Meat above around 1,200 cfs you will especially understand why.

If you put-in in Redstone you will first encounter some very mellow, beautiful corners interspersed with large red boulders and deep pools. These are popular swimming holes and jump rocks during the summer in low water. This area is one of the calmest on the entire Crystal River and belies the tumultuous cascade you are about to encounter in a few corners.

Pre-scout Meatgrinder in its entirety, it is a long and menacing rapid with truly terrible consequences. Logs often jam themselves in particularly nasty locations and the rapid gets rapidly more difficult and dangerous as the water level rises. There is some boogie water lead-in that draws you to the entrance drop, a broken ledge that can be taken center with a dash or left with good boat angle. The best channel depends on the level, though center seems preferred. Logs often clog this first drop. Below the river bends right through some manky gnarly water with holes, laterals, and bad rocks. Some water works left into a class VI channel that is often plugged with lumber. Aim right around a giant red-colored boulder. At lower levels you can eddy out river right just as you get next to the big boulder and catch your breath for the last hard part. As you move around and behind the big boulder there is usually a steep section and a small boof with plenty of opportunities for trouble. Sometimes you can catch an eddy on the left just past here.

For the less hardy, a trail through the woods brings you to a small eddy where you can put-in here below the rapid’s multiple cruxes. This is usually called “Lower Meat” and makes a good way to extend the Narrows downstream. Lower Meat is still challenging, but probably a full grade easier than the upper part of the rapid. Lower Meat does get class V-ish at high water. As a runout, Lower Meat makes for a bad place to swim and a difficult place to make any attempt at a rescue. The difficulties continue for a few hundred yards past sporadic holes and nasty rocks before calming in a meadow before the Narrows.

The Crystal River Valley changes in character a bit below Meatgrinder as it leaves the blocky red sandstone that defined Meatgrinder and the town of Redstone and enters the gray, sharp granite of the Narrows. Takeout on river left at the Penny Hot Springs. At a good boatable level, the hot springs will be underwater, too bad because after the Meat, you might need to decompress.

GRIZZLY CREEK Lower

Put-in	By foot, one mile up
Takeout	Colorado River confluence
Length	1 mile
Difficulty	all flows V (P)

Special Beta: Colorado big water with roadside access!

Fun Factor:
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I used to hike up Grizzly and ponder the subtle kayak moves that his little creek would require. The continuous corners and small boofs and drops. Now I know better. I include this run only because people are still curious about it after it inclusion in the second edition of Dave Eckhardt and Gordon Banks’ Colorado Rivers and Creeks. In recent years, be it a surge in recent deadfall or loss in motivation by the local paddling community to keep it clean, this creek has become clogged to the point of worthlessness. The amount of work it would take to bring this creek to a viable standard is immense. Even less encouraging is the knowledge that it even if you put the work in, the creek will almost certainly clog once again.

As it stands now, I give it a full class V rating for the wood and consequences factor. In reality, most of it is continuous class IV but heinous strainers and other hazards seem to warrant the higher grade. When this thing really gets going it is full-on V+ with disastrous consequences.