Big South Fork of the Cumberland

Special thanks to the very knowledgeable and friendly staff of Sheltowee Trace Outfitters
Thank you Dania, Sioux and Rick

Well, there is a lot to say about the Big south Fork of the Cumberland River. Let's start with the fact that the river was very scenic and remote. Numerous rock faces marked the steep canyon walls. The river was strewn with the biggest boulders I've seen. The paddling offered much more flatwater than expected. After starting the trip at Leatherwood Ford, we (7 people and 5 canoes) proceeded through mostly class 1 water at a flow of 750 cfs (provided by an electronic gauge at the put-in) 2 Miles into the trip, a class 4 was reached ("Angel Falls") This was a nasty looking rapid consisting of a narrow chute passing an undercut boulder. There was a large hole halfway through it causing a "Brain Wave" near the bottom. After pondering for awhile, we decided to portage using the hard to find trail on river right. Let's just say, with all the gear we had, it wasn't easy.

After the portage, we covered a few more miles and decided to camp. Note that camping should be done on the flood plain and boats should be tied off. This is due to the fact that the river can rise drastically without local rain. Believe me there is evidence of this. We saw debris about 30 feet up in the trees, including a tent. Also keep in mind that a good accessible campsite may take some time to find.

The next day, we decided to make up some time. So, we paddled almost continuously. We were informed that there was a long pool a few miles above Station Camp (8 miles in) This is the last access point and some opt to put in here. Well, most of this day seemed to consist of flatwater paddling and watching turtles slide into the water from rocks and downed trees. Eventually, there was some good class 1 and a good class 2. The class 2 was marked by a large boulder in the middle of the river. Sitting in the eddy behind it, the rock looked like a face. This was a good place to boat scout from. I ran it far left through a narrow passage.

After misjudging our distance, we arrived at Bear Creek (22 miles in) We then proceeded downstream a short distance to set up camp. This site was at a rapid. The bank possessed big boulders and tent spaces were provided upon the hillside. Morale was definitely higher that night. All of us climbed onto a large boulder on the river bank and enjoyed stargazing into the vivid sky. Orion was picked out. We dined on filets provided by Chef Doug and enjoyed partying by the campfire while listening to bluegrass music.

Day 3 was the best paddling to be had. Rapids were more frequent. Some deserving a class 2 rating. I ended up out of the boat while posing for a photo in the midst of some strong waves.

After running a few good rapids, the environment became more extreme. Rock formations were impressive. We arrived at a sharp left bend in the river. Two lookouts were seen high on the right. The river appeared to end. Finally, the long awaited "Devils Jump" This rapid is given a class 3 rating. It may deserve a 4 due to it's complexity. We found the portage trail on river left after climbing up the bank. Part way down, we climbed over boulders to scout. I was hesitant due to the fact that none of us had ran anything of this nature. Strategies were discussed. Nick stated he'd run it down the middle. My thought was to follow the advice given by Rick at Sheltowee Trace Outfitters. Since there were converging currents at the top of this rapid, entering the chute from the right would cause the bow to stay straight. Nick agreed and proceeded. Nice run! He may have scraped the rock a little. A few moments went by. I stood above the entrance and pondered. Next, Doug proceeded flawlessly in a 15 foot Coleman Ram X. Impressive! Andy decided to run it with the bulk of his gear. My decision was made at this point. Andy proceeded a little too far to the left causing the boat to head right and the bow hit the boulder. A "crack" was heard, sounding like a bat breaking at a baseball game. He was pushed to the left and stopped briefly. Then after entering the waves at the bottom, the boat swamped. I was anxious and jumped in my boats backwards. After turning around, I lined up for the blind chute just right of center. I made it to the first wave at the bottom and got tossed left. After hitting the second wave, I got tossed hard to the right. Being completely sideways, I lunged out. Nick said I looked like Superman.


Above the sharp left bend	Nick's run


Pondering above the entrance	Andy's run

While I was being washed towards Andy, Nick got a hold of my canoe and kept it from being pulled back into the rapid. He then manned it without a paddle to a flat rock in the water. We carried our gear around the rapid and started to set up camp at a sandy flat area just beyond the portage trail. Nick and I had to paddle our boats down in the dark. There was a lot of talk about "Devils Jump" that night. Since Lori and Jerry's 17 foot Ram X was left above, Doug and Nick were taking wagers on running it down. Also discussed was the damage to Andy's canoe. The yoke was cracked in two and the wooden gunwales were split. Also, the end cap in the front was stripped out. I also wanted another crack at the rapid. However, the next morning was cold and no one felt like getting back into wet clothes. So, we packed up. Andy duct taped his yoke together and we proceeded 0.5 mile to the take-out at Blue Heron.


"Angel Falls"	Grueling portage


Rock faces	Good class 2