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I enjoy telling this story.
Back when I lived in Roane County TN, myself and WHspin started hitting up Tiney Piney into Whites as often as it ran. We kept wondering how high we could paddle it. We had made several successful trips in the 5ft realm. One spring, it was raining cats and dogs, and I knew the creek was going to go. Called my bro, and set things in motion. When we arrived at the take-out, level was 2 1/2 ft. We knew it was still rising, and it was still raining. At the put-in, we guessed the level at around 4-5 ft. We put on, and made the run in about an hour and a half. Still raining. I looked at him as we were driving up to get the other vehicle and said "We have enough daylight to do it again.". Without batting an eye, we busted ass to reset our shuttle, and back to the put-in we head. Still raining. Once back at the put-in, it's BIG! Muddy, gushing torrents of chocolate milk screaming down this little creek. I start to second guess the decision, but my co-part states "Once we get past Baby Chimp, it'll open up." We were putting in at water level up in the trees. I was nervous. The eddies were worse than the main current. I was afraid of the hole at the bottom of Stairstep, so we hugged the left bank. At the bottom, we notice the hole is washed out, but it put us both in this nasty, swirling eddy that we were fighting. I mention we need to be on the other side of the creek to get out. My co-part again states "One more, then we're home free!". I lead, he follows. I plunge off the top lip of Baby Chimp and disappear. As I resurface, I'm getting pushed into the left wall. I would get flipped, roll up, pushed back into the wall, then flip again. After repeating this act, oh, 12 to 15 times, I realize I got to try something different. When I roll up, I throw a hard back stoke, getting my boat in a different direction, and paddle like hell! I catch up with my buddy, and by this time, I'm screaming at the top of my lungs "I WANT OFF THIS RIVER NOW!!!!". Now, Baby Chimp drops into this cool looking little pocket gorge. There was no escape where we were. We had to keep paddling to find a way out. We round the corner, and there is this river wide bus eating hole. I skirt the left corner, but my buddy gets stuck in it. I catch the first eddy I was able to find, and pray he makes it out without swimming. After what felt like forever, he shows up, and eddies out beside me. I didn't want to admit defeat, but this creek was kicking both our asses! We hiked back up to the put-in, tail between our legs. We guess Whites peaked around 8ft that night.
Since that run, when ever I go to run the creek again, I have a gage rock that is just upstream from the Hwy 70 bridge at the put-in. The large rock in the middle of the creek needs to have boatable flow around both sides for a good run. If the rock is covered, try another creek! |
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Tiney Piney @ flood New 
BoaterTalk 
