[deepsouthpaddler]

Whats the best class V creek on the planet? In the US you hear lots about the US classics like the little white, the green, upper cherry, etc, but I have no clue what else is out there around the world. I've seen videos of incredible looking creeks in canada, norway, chile, the alps, corsica, NZ, mexico, brazil, central america etc. Got me thinking, what is the most awesome class V creek run on the planet. If there was one ultimate badass run that tops them all what is it? If its not just one run, whats the most awesome destination for creeking on the planet?

 

[[email protected]]

I'm not to good with shit outside of the US but for me the best day run in the US is the Little White, it has everything you could want, people talk about the green being the best but I don't even count that one in my top 10.
As far as the best multiday class 5 run that is a bit harder but from what i have done I would say dinkey creek followed closely by upper cherry and devil's canyon on the middle feather. I think the best one is the Middle kings but I haven't done that one yet.
What is your top run Ian (SSV?)
For me the best place to paddle is California in the US, but in the world I would love to go to Chile or Norway, NZ scares me.

 

[JCKeck1]

San Gerardo, Costa Rica. We were running creeks with 500-800 feet per mile with no major portages. People (including myself) had been dissing on CR, but that's because they were all in Turriabla, which is the wrong city. If you're looking for class V it beats the pants off Ecuador. It's also 1/2 price of Chile or NZ and infinitely cheaper than Norway. CR is about to blow up as a paddling destination - word is getting out and awesome 1st Ds are being done all over the country.

I agree with Tom about UCC being awesome and the Green being pretty heavily over-rated. Also a huge fan of the Clark's Box and Hells Gate.
Joe

 

[darcyg]

San Gerardo, Costa Rica. We were running creeks with 500-800 feet per mile with no major portages. People (including myself) had been dissing on CR, but that's because they were all in Turriabla, which is the wrong city. If you're looking for class V it beats the pants off Ecuador. It's also 1/2 price of Chile or NZ and infinitely cheaper than Norway. CR is about to blow up as a paddling destination - word is getting out and awesome 1st Ds are being done all over the country.

I agree with Tom about UCC being awesome and the Green being pretty heavily over-rated. Also a huge fan of the Clark's Box and Hells Gate.
Joe

Joe, you are right--Ecuador's most common boating areas are most awesome for Class IV and IV+. But Ecuador does have some really amazing Class V if you get off the beaten path. I haven't paddled Costa Rica, so don't know how they compare, but I think Ecuador is pretty cool!

As for other places with amazing Class V creeking--don't overlook British Columbia. Things are amazing out there! Tatlow and Ashlu just to name a couple...

 

[sarapiquichino]

if you all colorado kayaker are interested in costa rica for kayaking,surfing,rafting,class II,III,kayaker,learning Spanish,family trips contact me chino 303-945-0040 or came to me house to plan your personal trip 642 carr st lakewood co 80214 all of this trips are going to be for september,october,novemver,december 2010, I am from costa rica this is me Chino Kayak

 

[C12Charles.Nobles]

I'm goin to costa rica in december

San Gerardo, Costa Rica. We were running creeks with 500-800 feet per mile with no major portages. People (including myself) had been dissing on CR, but that's because they were all in Turriabla, which is the wrong city. If you're looking for class V it beats the pants off Ecuador. It's also 1/2 price of Chile or NZ and infinitely cheaper than Norway. CR is about to blow up as a paddling destination - word is getting out and awesome 1st Ds are being done all over the country.

I agree with Tom about UCC being awesome and the Green being pretty heavily over-rated. Also a huge fan of the Clark's Box and Hells Gate.
Joe

I'm goin to turrialba and la virgen where are you talkin about with all the class V creeks about to blow up?

 

[Gary E]

Not in Turrialba! San Geraldo is sick!

 

[sarapiquichino]

I am with you bro, in sarapiqui we got patria river,la paz 75 feet pozo azul got 3 drops of 15-20-30 feet drops,but perez zeledon or san gerardo got the best creeks in costa rica

 

[BrianK]

probably not in the running for the worlds best, but the Alseseca is damn fun. I have only been on the classic section, a IV/V section of bedrock pool drop waterfalls. Above and below the classic are serious class V sections with vertical drops as big as you want to go. See hotel charlie 2. Best part is that it runs most of the year.

 

[deepsouthpaddler]

Costa Rica sounds awesome. Want to see some more pics of those 500-800 ft/mile creeks!

I do love SSV, full contact mank at its finest. I realize that there is a lot more out there every time I see a nice pic from cali or BC though.

Embudo and big south are the best runs I've done, but I haven't really boated much hard stuff outside of the rockies.

I've been wondering where in the world geology, water, and access combine to make the best runs.

 

[Phil U.]

One major consideration with the Green is that it has a valve at the top that lets it run reliably year round... just sayin.

The best class "5" creek for me is Sandy Stream in Maine. Most of it is really vert class 4 but its all Cali style exposed granite pool drop with a few slides and a little bebop thrown in. There are a few other readers of this board that know that gem.

Phil

 

[JDHOG72]

Alkali Creek in Wolcott

 

[Kato]

Turrialba is not necessarily the wrong town, the Chirripo Atlantico is nearby and it's the real deal.

But I think if I had to run 1 river for the rest of my life it would be the Little White. It's got everything and no hike.

 

[craporadon]

Keck and Gary E, you guys better post some pictures of this new mecca in CR that beats Cali. If the middle kings was in CR, halfway through the run, you would hit the ocean. Cool to hear CR has something other than overrated rivers. Post pics in this thread.

 

[ski_kayak365]

Ian, You should change this thread to what the best of Costa Rica is and then restart a thread on the best in the world.


If I had to guess, overnight, sick big water class V....Himalaya's. Tibet, Nepal, stuff running off Everest, China

Norway, Iceland, has big stuff, big drops, plenty of first D's. Africa of course. I hear Iran/Pakistan/middle east has some sick shit, but good luck going there in the next 1000 yrs.

everything outta my league. Though Iceland would be interesting.

 

[kuuskv]

I think the green to southeastern boaters is the same as the big south is to colorado boaters.

A green boater can run the big south and say "so what, I've run better stuff" and a big south/colorado boater can run the green and say "so what, I've run better stuff" so the comparison is hard to make.

In the southeast - the green is definitely the river of choice. There are many other rivers here of much higher quality (raven fork, linville, toxaway, etc) but the people that run those rivers probably run the green at least 10x for every single run on one of those harder creeks. It's easy for us to take the green for granted, because it's always running (been always running high lately), but when everything is dried up around the se in the summer - it's a mecca.

My favorite run in colorado is pandora's box, followed by the vallecito, followed by obj. The Clark's Fork was pretty rediculously awesome - but A LOT of effort for a handful of good rapids - still worth it though - just make sure you bring enough water (I didn't).

If you're ever in the southeast and you want to run something a little better than the green, check out overflow creek in the chattooga drainage - it's twice as long and has much better/bigger rapids and it's probably easier than running all the rapids on the green, but a little harder than green light. Also, if you want to get scared, make sure you check out the raven fork and toxaway.

In the costa rica conversation - my favorite there is the pozo azul, but then again its the only big run i did while I was there.

As for the rest of the world, rio palguin in chile looks awesome.

This is a good thread - I'm looking forward to seeing what others have to say.


Kevin

 

[bjett]

Another world-class class V run in the SE is the Russell Fork Gorge.
Yeah technically not a creek, but it sure seemed like creek boating to me at ELF levels.
I've never run it at full release but it seems to be a religion for thousands of boaters in October.

 

[cbieh589]

So, not so well known. Demshitz runs it pretty regularly but Raymondskill Creek in Eastern PA is pretty sick.

 

[xkayaker13]

Raymondskill and the Russel Fork would struggle to make the top 100 creeks in the country let alone the best in the world.

The whole "best creek" debate is very subjective. The answer depends so much on personal preferences.

I personally thought the Middle Kings was great, but I've talked to other people who disliked that stretch, and claimed they would not do it again.

I haven't kayaked much in foreign countries, but in terms of the United States the best day runs are probably the little white salmon or the south branch of the middle feather. The best self-support trips are probably upper cherry or middle fork of the feather (devils canyon).

I add another vote to the green being overrated; it was way to bouncy for my preferences. Just because it runs a lot doesn't make it world class.

 

[Schizzle]

The best V is not on this planet, but I promised them I wouldn't say anything if they would in turn promise not to use the anal probe.