Potomac River: Kayaking Harpers Ferry's Fastest Rapid - 100 Yard Dash - 5.86ft. Millville/3.2ft. POR

Kayaking 100 Yard Dash, at 5.86ft. Millville/3.25ft. Point of Rocks, with ‪@jasonwalker7166‬ on the Potomac River, at Harpers Ferry, West Virginia
Which level do you find 100 Yard Dash & White Horse to be most technical and/or challenging? Friend, ‪@glenndouglass9921‬, a seasoned ‪@RiverTrailOutfitters‬ raft guide and experienced local kayaker, once commented that in terms of substantial change, "there is a big difference between six feet and eight feet." White Horse was the local playground of my grandparents and many others of their generation and before then, where in the vicinity, my grandfather and his sister witnessed the drowning one two brothers in the early 1950s, where one brother was trying to save the other. Seeing such young bodies lifeless on shore after attempted rescue and resuscitation, left a chilling and lasting impression on my grandfather and his sister
Please comment if:
- if you have a story, or one of those memories for the ages, to share from 100 Yard Dash or White Horse
- you would be interested in joining up for kayaking trips, kayak races, or local attaining trips
- are looking for a crew to join up with
- would like to collaborate in making kayaking photography/video projects
At a glance, the geology of the river wide ledge home to: White Horse, Cogler's Hole, 100 Yard Dash, Bass Rock, and Washing Machine is due to the processes of the formation of the Potomac Water Gap (a double water gap), at 258ft., is the lowest crossing point within the Blue Ridge Mountains. The first gap, just upstream of White Horse at Maui Wave is between Elk Ridge Mountain and Blue Ridge Mountain, where the Potomac cuts east into its confluence with the Shenandoah River. The second gap is downstream of White Horse near Weverton Cliffs, where the Potomac cuts through South Mountain and Short Hill Mountain. The two gaps are separated by two valleys of the Blue Ridge Province, Pleasant Valley (MD) and Loudoun Valley (VA). White Horse, as part of the adjacent park and play spots of the river wide ledge, and as part of The Needles (Potomac River) and Staircase (Shenandoah River) runs is a known and sought after destination for whitewater kayakers. White Horse is just downstream of Harpers Ferry National Historical Park and parallels the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park and the scenic Appalachian Trail, which passes by through Harpers Ferry, WV to Weverton Cliffs, MD
"But When You Ask, You Must Believe And Not Doubt, Because The One Who Doubts Is Like A Wave Of The Sea, Blown And Tossed By The Wind." - James 1:6
Details:
Date: August 17, 2020
Class: III
Level/Stage (flow rate):
- Potomac River: 3.25ft./8,770cfs (Point of Rocks)
- Shenandoah River: 5.86ft./7,770cfs (Millville)
Water Temperature: Shenandoah River: 78°F
Stream Gauges:
- USGS 01638500 POTOMAC RIVER AT POINT OF ROCKS, MD
- USGS 01636500 SHENANDOAH RIVER AT MILLVILLE, WV
* The NOAA Harpers Ferry Stream Gauge, which is the most accurate gauge for The Needles, was offline & has been offline ever since it was destroyed from the severe damage to the Winchester & Potomac Railroad Bridge & the Goodloe Byron Memorial Pedestrian Walkway from the CSX train derailment at Harpers, Ferry, WV on 12/21/2019. The combined readings of both the Harpers Ferry & Millville stream gauges provides the most accurate measurements of the true flow rate for all of the rapids from The Confluence to the U.S. Route 340 Sandy Hook Bridge.
* The Point of Rocks gauge is used is approximate the flow rate for the Potomac River at Harpers Ferry, WV due to the following statement from the NOAA Harpers Ferry Stream Gauge " This gauge ["Potomac River at Harpers Ferry"] does not provide readings below 3.1 feet. To determine an estimation of values at low water, view the Point of Rocks gauge. At low water, values at Harpers Ferry are generally within a quarter foot - usually slightly higher - of those at Point of Rocks. Streamflow is typically a few hundred cfs lower at Harpers Ferry than Point of Rocks at low water."
Put-In & Take Out Options:
- Sandy Hook Beach - underneath Rt. 340 Sandy Hook Bridge (C&O Canal) (18954 Sandy Hook Rd, Knoxville, MD 21758)
- Sandy Beach (C&O)
- Potoma Wayside Park/Piney Run (210400 Jefferson Pike Purcellville, VA 20132)
- Harpers Ferry Campground (River Riders) AKA Bakerton (1816 Potomac Street Harpers Ferry, WV 25425)
Location: Harpers Ferry, WV
- Harpers Ferry National Historic Park
- C&O Canal National Historic Park
- C&O Canal Lock 32 (mile marker 60.2)
- Potomac Water Gap
- Blue Ridge Mountains
- Appalachian Trail
Featured Kayaks:
- Wave Sport Fuse
- Pyranha Burn ‪@jasonwalker7166‬
“Have Faith In God,” Jesus Answered. “Truly I Tell You, If Anyone Says To This Mountain, ‘Go, Throw Yourself Into The Sea,’ And Does Not Doubt In Their Heart But Believes That What They Say Will Happen, It Will Be Done For Them. Therefore I Tell You, Whatever You Ask For In Prayer, Believe That You Have Received It, And It Will Be Yours." - Mark 11:22-24

[@jasonwalker7166]

Ha! I was like.... that guy looks familiar

[@PotomacPassageOolikhanna]

Haha is right, your Thanksgiving surprise! We so gotta do this again and take a ride on ol` White Horse when the big flow comes back! What a paradoxical day that was....so low and slow in coming down on The Needles, and then the all at once change of the sight at The Confluence..that stark dividing line of the Potomac's clear low flow mixing with the hard pumping hot chocolate of the Shenandoah.

[@FrankensteinDIYkayak]

whitehorse is much more than just a generic class 2-3 downriver run. playboaters like the eddy on the left for eddy fun and attainers have a number of likes up it. too bad there wasn't a map at various levels of the waves, rocks, eddylines, etc for discussion putposes

[@PotomacPassageOolikhanna]

Related Videos of 100 Yard Dash:
- "Whitewater Rafting the Shenandoah (7.39ft.) & Potomac (15.48ft.) at Harpers Ferry with River & Trail" (30:45) - th-cam.com/video/jngN7epugys/w-d-xo.html
- "Prijon T-Slalom First Impressions: Attaining 100 Yard Dash (the bottom half), at 1.47ft." - th-cam.com/video/rVlv_zvzodc/w-d-xo.html
"Attaining 100 Yard Dash: Kayaking the Potomac River at Harpers Ferry, West Virginia" - th-cam.com/video/IoSzJ9cLQ5c/w-d-xo.html
"Kayak Paddle Break - Attaining 100 Yard Dash on the Potomac River at Harpers Ferry, West Virginia" - th-cam.com/video/pLKG2QdJZQA/w-d-xo.html
- "Kayaking the Potomac River: The Needles to White Horse, at 5.0ft., Harpers Ferry, West Virginia" (7:20) - th-cam.com/video/EYpKlvqIAPc/w-d-xo.html
- "Kayaking the Potomac & Shenandoah Rivers at Harpers Ferry at Flood Stage: 21.74ft., 6.4.18" - th-cam.com/video/-Dz2AlXveuE/w-d-xo.html (a legendary run - Mike M. and his elite crew)