Cain Creek

The put in:

Drive up from from Mobray Mountain road leaving the North Chickamauga Pocket Wilderness area (which is the take-out), then on your Gazetteer on page 24 look for Barker Camp road, turn left onto it,from there drive down to a pull around area, you have gone to far if you hit a Tree Farm, from there (you hike down from the left side of the road) It's a short hike , but just don't forget any gear.

From Ted Hayes:

The state has plans to put a gate at the end of Barker Camp Rd, blocking off access to the lower Cain Creek put-in (Rockhouse) & Cooper Creek. They want to put a combination lock on the gate to ALLOW boaters the right to access these put-ins. I'm going to e-mail the Ranger that I talked with on Sat, & find out when this will happen. I'll post updates as they take place.

So it didn't happen as of 31 May 2008

From Tom Montgomery:

"the old pine plantation used to be owned by Bowater is now owned by the state, part of the Cumberland state trail system..  it is posted and is foot traffic only past the gate...  just a word up,  it is patrolled by park rangers all rules apply....  so if this is one of your swimming holes i would think about what i was packing in there....  "
 

The put-in gauge:

After you put on the creek, look on your left for a stick gauge that Andy Turner nailed on the tree, you want a minimum of 6 inches. If it is less than this , you need to take out cause you are going to have a long day.

First major rapid:

It is a 5 foot ledge that at high water has taken some boats; you run this ledge almost sideways

Then it's on...

Mandatory Portage Rapid:

                                          As for now the trees are gone thanks to Ben and Tom

                               Photo of Tom Montgomery  photo by Jordan Rice                                                        

Mossy Creek:

Use this as a landmark just to know where you are at. It adds a lot more water into the run and starts helping give Cain its push at good water.

Big Splat:

This one has broken ankles , so the trick here is to right the curler just to the right with about 5 degree angle. And if a mishap occurs gather your gear quickly because Vortex is coming quick.

                                                                         Big Splat

                                       Paddler Chris Brigman    Photo by Matthew Wallace

Vortex Rapid:

The trick here is to walk!  For the brave the trick is to run the dry sandstone, into meat of the drop, the washout will remind you of Gorilla. This one is over quick if you decide to run it. This rapid in the 90's was cutting edge, today it is a benchmark for Class V boaters.

                                                                 Killer shots of Vortex

                          Photo by Jordan Rice  Paddler : Kelly Voncannon

                                      Paddler Matthew Wallace    Photo by Ben Davis

                                The rapid right after Vortex...notice the boil and the horizon line

                              Photo by Jordan Rice  Paddler : Shawn Richards

After Vortex:

Is the run out, and onto a 5 drop ledge that is better to run on river right with lots of speed

                           DrainPipe Rapid: Photo by Matthew Wallace      Paddler Ben Davis

Drain Pipe: 

After the run out with Vortex , you will run a long series of  eddys that is better to eddy hop one eddy at a time and work your way down to the big one of drain pipe. Now you see how it got its name. You can walk on river right but it is a total B*tch, so try to take on as many eddys as you can.

The trick here when at the bottom of the rapid is to have a driving hard angle onto the rock/boof on river right, you must drive on it high, even higher than you think. Driving high will make it easier to avoid the undercut waiting on you on river left.I have never hit it high enough. If you do go too far left make sure to stick your bow into the undercut. By doing this you will flush out.

                                                      Final Approach

                           DrainPipe Rapid: Photo by Matthew Wallace  Paddler Ben Davis

                                    Photo by Jordan Rice  Paddler :  Ben Friberg

Then it's onto the Chick!