Panther Creek trail – strategies for success by Will Richardson | Sep 20, 2005 | Whitewater | 0 comments September 20, 2005 Ok, so you’ve just paddled the Upper Gauley for 6 hours and with hardly a break. Your loop muscles (lower back, calfs) are fried, your wave-wheelers (obliques) are cinched up tight, and your hip-dysplasia is so bad you feel like on old German Shepard on his last trip to the vet. Perfect time for a scenic stroll through the beautiful West Virginia mountians! Here are some ‘tips’ to make your stroll just super. In advance: Glue some foam where your shoulder meets your cockpit rim and duct-tape over it till it is secure for the whole season. Both Sides! Take only what you need for the river – yes a throwbag is essential, but you can probably leave the dry clothes in the car. Wear shoes! Now that you are at the take-out: Step one: COOL DOWN! take a swim in the cool clear waters, wash off the sweat, and get chilly Step 2: Get EVERY DROP of water out of your boat with your sponge or your buddies. Step 3: Prep your gear: wrap drytop around your waist securely (double knot), tie your shoes on tight, helmet clipped in your boat, PFD on, secure everything so that when your brain is looking for any excuse to stop it won’t find any. Step 4: mentally prepare for battle this means getting some rockin tune going through your head that has a medium-slow pace you can hike uphill to. ( ie Sympathy, Kashmir, Highway to Hell or modern equivalent) Step 5: Git going – slow and steady – and don’t stop till you hit the top! Things to look forwards to on your way 1. the lovely Panther Creek falls opens your walk. You can pass slower parties by walking up the creekbed around the big rocks here. 2. The straightaway at the top of this first pitch – smile as you make your pass, anyone stopping here is in for a long day. 3. The steep, slick section of dirt and laurels: we suffered a summer of drought to make this section so passable this season, so you better enjoy it! The footholes are small, but no mud yet . . . 4. The rock garden: appreciate the cool breeze as you step carefully through the mossy rocks and logs. Contemplate what the creek has been doing for the last 100 feet of gradient . . .and push on. 5. The next steep – this is my ‘switch’ point where I go to my left shoulder. If you don’t rotate often, you’ll be sore in your neck and back tomorrow. This one is way worse than you remember. Think of this as ‘the beginning of the end’. 6. The Overhung Bluff on the left: DO NOT rest here!!! It is a morale breaker that sucks the life out of your assault as the mosquitos suck the blood from your veins. Push on past the throngs of people wishing their boats would stop sliding down, that there was a dustless place to sit, and that the mosquitos would stop eating long enough for them to catch their breath. Forge ahead to . . . 7. The Old Shed marks the light at the end of the tunnel! Ponder whether this was an old still, is still an old still, was / is a hide-out for ‘bad’ locals on the lamb, or will serve as the perfect meth-lab for your special Gauley-fest batch next season (couldn’t we all use a pick-me-up about now?). 8. The step-over log: Now we’re there! You can hear the boats hitting the grass with a thud, the wails of elation, and the cheers and jeers of those who’ve recovered already. So get your act together: wipe the sweat from your eyes, reduce the gasping to a minimum, stand up tall, and plaster a smile on your face. No matter how much you’ve suffered, you’re about to walk out of the dark and into the light – and a field of friends desperately hoping you’ll look worse for wear than they did just minutes ago. For extra style points: make it to the car before dropping your boat get all your gear put away and load your boat before popping the first beer / soda / water help the last guy in your party by loading his stuff and handing him something to drink then relaxing till he’s ready See you in the the field at the top of the hill! Clay Submit a Comment Cancel replyYour email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *Comment * Name * Email * Website Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ