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Run: Little River Canyon

Section: Suicide

Class: IV-V Put-In: Rt. 35 1st Rt. 176 lot

Gradient: 120, 80, 20 Take-Out: Chairlift, Powell Trail, or Canyon Mouth Park

Length: 2.5 Precip. Gage:

Shuttle: Rt. 176 or Rt 35 / Rt. 273 / CR 275 Delorme Gazeteer: P. 27 A7

Water Q: Primary Gage: LRC (bridge/AL Power/USGS)

Links: TOPO MAP Required Level: -3"/325 cfs (1" is better - 650 cfs)

PICTURES Indicator Gage:

TRIP REPORT Required Level:

Notes:

I prefer 0" as minimum, but it can be run down to -3" or so. This is the best known run in Alabama. III and IV abounds. Put-in is either the first pull-off on Rt. 176 or just above the falls. The falls are run by the skilled and psyched above 6-8" on river left. At about 7" the Suicide is pushy and at 12" it is very serious. Levels higher than that are beyond my means to comment on. You'll find me at Johnnies, Little Bear, or Wolf (not the Wolf in the canyon) if it is higher than 8"-12".

After a couple squirrely rapids, a river wide and very easy 8' drop can be run almost anywhere. Mammoth Rock is recognized by just that on river left at the bottom of a boulder garden left, or an easier 'sneak' right. Terminal Eddy is best run out of the back of the eddy on river right. Watch out for the undercut on the left, which harbors wood as of early 2003. Of course, calling attention to undercuts is somewhat redundant, because they are everywhere on this run.

Eventually you arrive at the big three: Avalanche, Cable, and Pinball. Avalanche is primarily a pinning hazard run left through the eddy and then back into the main flow. Below 3-5" it is boat and body abuse, but it goes. The walk and scout are easy on the left. Cable is a straightforward V - a 12' waterfall followed by a boof to the right. The first drop is a major pain as the water gets lower, and alternate lines are required below 0". The second drop is not trivial, normally run close to the right edge (not too close) of the main drop. If you swim left, you may go under an undercut. Pinball is bona-fide class V. Not a place to make mistakes. Scout or walk right if you have not seen it's non-trivial moves and scary undercuts before. The walk is easy. Once you get past Pinball, it is surprisingly flat for quite a while.

As of 3\23\02 there was a log in the slide entrance to Pinball on river right. Best to sneak the entrance through the maze in the middle. (thanks Shane Hulsey) May be gone now, can't remember (early 2003).

Mileage is to the top of the Upper 2 section. Linked map only shows down to Chairlift put-in. The first shuttle takes out at the Chairlift (not recommended, but I've done it too many times). Essentially everyone always runs the Suicide together with the Upper 2. Many people take out at the chairlift, while others continue on to the Canyon Mouth park at the bottom of the Chairlift section. Another take-out option exists at the Powell Trail a short distance below Bottleneck on the Chairlift section.

Roughly, INCHES (35 bridge) = (CFS - 600) / 100. As of 12/2001, this seems to work out very well for at least flows from 600-1000 cfs. In early 2003, it seems that the flow at the bridge will be a tad higher than this correlation would suggest, but it is still close. This is ONLY for the internet USGS gage, the Alabama Power phone gage is not accurate and is about 100 cfs low at lower water.


Run:	Little River Canyon
Section:	Suicide

Class:	IV-V	Put-In:	Rt. 35 1st Rt. 176 lot
Gradient:	120, 80, 20	Take-Out:	Chairlift, Powell Trail, or Canyon Mouth Park
Length:	2.5	Precip. Gage:
Shuttle:	Rt. 176 or Rt 35 / Rt. 273 / CR 275	Delorme Gazeteer:	P. 27 A7
Water Q:		Primary Gage:	LRC (bridge/AL Power/USGS)
Links:	TOPO MAP	Required Level:	-3"/325 cfs (1" is better - 650 cfs)
	PICTURES	Indicator Gage:
	TRIP REPORT	Required Level:
Notes:
I prefer 0" as minimum, but it can be run down to -3" or so. This is the best known run in Alabama. III and IV abounds. Put-in is either the first pull-off on Rt. 176 or just above the falls. The falls are run by the skilled and psyched above 6-8" on river left. At about 7" the Suicide is pushy and at 12" it is very serious. Levels higher than that are beyond my means to comment on. You'll find me at Johnnies, Little Bear, or Wolf (not the Wolf in the canyon) if it is higher than 8"-12". After a couple squirrely rapids, a river wide and very easy 8' drop can be run almost anywhere. Mammoth Rock is recognized by just that on river left at the bottom of a boulder garden left, or an easier 'sneak' right. Terminal Eddy is best run out of the back of the eddy on river right. Watch out for the undercut on the left, which harbors wood as of early 2003. Of course, calling attention to undercuts is somewhat redundant, because they are everywhere on this run. Eventually you arrive at the big three: Avalanche, Cable, and Pinball. Avalanche is primarily a pinning hazard run left through the eddy and then back into the main flow. Below 3-5" it is boat and body abuse, but it goes. The walk and scout are easy on the left. Cable is a straightforward V - a 12' waterfall followed by a boof to the right. The first drop is a major pain as the water gets lower, and alternate lines are required below 0". The second drop is not trivial, normally run close to the right edge (not too close) of the main drop. If you swim left, you may go under an undercut. Pinball is bona-fide class V. Not a place to make mistakes. Scout or walk right if you have not seen it's non-trivial moves and scary undercuts before. The walk is easy. Once you get past Pinball, it is surprisingly flat for quite a while. As of 3\23\02 there was a log in the slide entrance to Pinball on river right. Best to sneak the entrance through the maze in the middle. (thanks Shane Hulsey) May be gone now, can't remember (early 2003). Mileage is to the top of the Upper 2 section. Linked map only shows down to Chairlift put-in. The first shuttle takes out at the Chairlift (not recommended, but I've done it too many times). Essentially everyone always runs the Suicide together with the Upper 2. Many people take out at the chairlift, while others continue on to the Canyon Mouth park at the bottom of the Chairlift section. Another take-out option exists at the Powell Trail a short distance below Bottleneck on the Chairlift section. Roughly, INCHES (35 bridge) = (CFS - 600) / 100. As of 12/2001, this seems to work out very well for at least flows from 600-1000 cfs. In early 2003, it seems that the flow at the bridge will be a tad higher than this correlation would suggest, but it is still close. This is ONLY for the internet USGS gage, the Alabama Power phone gage is not accurate and is about 100 cfs low at lower water.