Greenbrier - Middle Prong Little Pigeon // Kayaking the Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Рет қаралды 12,124

5 ай бұрын

It is just hard to beat a day in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
My dad gifted me Leland Davis' book "North Carolina Rivers and Creeks" in my first year of paddling. In a time before the current informational powerhouse of AW, before all the social media and KZbin, there were these books. They were your portal to the world of possibilities. Of course in that first year, I was looking for runs I could do...class III/IV runs. This photo on page 161 captured my imagination and was immediately bookmarked. It was the first river I saw a photo of and knew I had to paddle it one day. Somehow in all these years I never did.
I am on somewhat of a kick here lately to go experience a lot of runs that I never got to or havent been to in far too long. The Oconaluftee was wind in my sails. It reminded me of this photo. I dug the book out and returned to that page again this past weekend.
During the premiere of the Oconaluftee last night, we turned 23,000 subscribers on the channel! I thought I should celebrate on a river somewhere. I happened to notice that the river from page 161 was running. Up until midnight I tried to drum up a rally but the crew kept falling apart. I reached out to Blake Fowler after noticing he was inquiring about any possible runs. He answered the call, met me at the river and I got to turn page 161 into a memory! Another perfect day paddling in the smokies....I finally paddled that page - I finally paddled the Tennessee Greenbrier!
Always carry a safety whistle! - amzn.to/3GMaKwI
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Пікірлер: 46

@blakefowler3712 5 ай бұрын

I’m so glad I could share this pfd with you Pete beck ! We had us a great day !

@brannonmckay8746 5 ай бұрын

This looks great! What was the level?

@RiverKingsKayak 5 ай бұрын

Thanks brother!! So stoked you made the rally. Lets do it again soon!

@RiverKingsKayak 5 ай бұрын

@@brannonmckay8746 2.1 on the paddlers gauge

@mountainhobbit1971 5 ай бұрын

sure looked like a super fun run...glad you finally got to experience 'page 161'. I kind of miss the end of the video where you show us your place that you ate, reflecting on the day's run....a recap of sorts and a type of closure.

@RiverKingsKayak 5 ай бұрын

Thanks Mountainhobbit! I meant to record dinner with Dirt Dobber and Charley from Outdoor Supply Company, but we got to talking and laughing and I totally forgot! Doh!

@mountainhobbit1971 5 ай бұрын

oh its ok, I totally understand! I thought maybe you decided to stop doing it. @@RiverKingsKayak

@WhitewaterGypsy 5 ай бұрын

Glad you shared this bluebird day on the Greenbrier in TN. Wish I was there!

@RiverKingsKayak 5 ай бұрын

Right on Matt! Thanks again for your videos. They (like so many runs before) were my scouting tool. Got to catch a run together soon!

@paulherring8959 5 ай бұрын

Some of the longest straightaways I've ever seen on a small river/creek run, almost like it's manmade but too pretty to be made by man. Reminds me a bit of Laurel Fork of the Cheat but maybe a class lower in difficulty. Had the pleasure of paddling with Leland Davis somewhere around 2000 on the Lower Blackwater. He was with a group doing the Upper/lower full run and, not considering myself as Upper B capable at the time, I offered to escort Andria, his future wife, down to the confluence and down the nearly insane billy goat trail to the river to wait for his group to catch up with us and run the Lower. Years later Leland answered a query I put up on Boatertalk on whether a paddler that had no trouble with the Upper Yough could take on the Green Narrows without too much risk. He ended up offering to lead me down a Green lite run and I had very little problems with his lead, even acing Go Left. As excellent a paddler as Leland is he struck me as a very humble guy always willing to help others that fell short of his skill levels. And his book on NC is the absolute must have bible for that state and runs just outside of it. BTW I love that you make your vids with sound and let the river provide the music.

@RiverKingsKayak 5 ай бұрын

Good stuff Paul! I had the pleasure of boating Wilson with Leland once way back in the day. Had a blast.

@KentuckyWoodsman 5 ай бұрын

Another great run Pete! Glad you finally got to check this one off your list!

@RiverKingsKayak 5 ай бұрын

Thanks Chris!! Me too! What a fun little river!

@justincredible1024 4 ай бұрын

Man i liked that one 6:00 in.Great content keep it up.Heckuva paddle and trip

@RiverKingsKayak 4 ай бұрын

Thanks a ton justincredible! Thanks !

@vincedavis5326 5 ай бұрын

That is a favorite stream for sure. Nice video Pete!

@RiverKingsKayak 4 ай бұрын

Thanks Vince!

@johnlemelle 4 ай бұрын

Looked Awesome! Hopefully one day I will have the opportunity.

@RiverKingsKayak 4 ай бұрын

Thanks John! it will be there waiting for you!

@followingrj 5 ай бұрын

Such excellent commentary as always

@RiverKingsKayak 5 ай бұрын

Thanks RJ!

@1978JWJ 5 ай бұрын

4:44 Pete, there is a lower section to this run that is also really good. Past the HWY 73 bridge to Richardson Cove off of 416. It's about 9 miles at this point but you can cut off a few miles with an alternative putin lower down and still hit all the meaty rapids. I'd compare it too middle Tellico, Elkmont on the Little, etc. Probably a dozen or more class 2 rapids and five or six class 3, two of which at higher water levels easily turn into class 4. It's way underrated and overlooked!

@shawhi1 5 ай бұрын

Thanks for the beta 🤙

@RiverKingsKayak 5 ай бұрын

Oh man!!! I must return for the full day!!! Thanks a ton 1978!

@shawhi1 5 ай бұрын

That was fun! It always amazes me how you (Pete) can run a pfd and know where to go just based off of literature you've read. I really enjoyed this one.

@1978JWJ 5 ай бұрын

Thats the way it use to be. I remember back in the days of BoaterTalk forums when Leland first put that book out! Then a few years later Kirk put out his! Before that everything else was decades old.

@RiverKingsKayak 5 ай бұрын

Thanks a ton! On rivers like this one, it is pretty much a read and run. That leaves room for me to remember the few important nuggets...like islands go right and rapids go left lol. The rest of it is just sending the boogie!

@RiverKingsKayak 5 ай бұрын

for sure!! it is almost a lost art to pfd unassisted (without an on water guide).

@justincredible1024 4 ай бұрын

Wow just watched it halfway through and dam if it isn't the best kayak footage iv'e ever seen.Wow dude you guy's damn daredevil's in that unrelenting stream where you don't know where the next big stone or boulder be lying in wait.SMH LOL

@RiverKingsKayak 4 ай бұрын

Thanks Justincredible!

@jam7547 5 ай бұрын

Love your videos . videos make me dream and. Hope to run rivers again.. just found out I will need surgery on left. Arm .. corpal tunnel on wrist and. A clean up of elbow. And clean up of shower. So spring doesn't look great...

@RiverKingsKayak 5 ай бұрын

That is what it is all about Jam! hang in there and you will be back on the water in no time!!!

@olladypaddlin8891 5 ай бұрын

Wow! I’m currently watching this video and just saw the bit where you come to the picture in the book. Page 161. Amazing. I’ve got goosebumps. Love it!!

@RiverKingsKayak 5 ай бұрын

Thanks olladypaddlin! That was a really cool moment for sure! I remember hoping to see it one day.

@colelaughter4811 5 ай бұрын

Looks fun man ! And super pretty. I’m digging the exploratory runs. Blake is an A+ doood to share any river with

@RiverKingsKayak 5 ай бұрын

Indeed Cole! Thanks brother!

@WVWes 5 ай бұрын

These swift little rivers are what i want to experience! Theres a couple up my way im hoping to try out this year. Great video, Pete!

@RiverKingsKayak 5 ай бұрын

Yes sir Wes!! The small rivers are such a fun experience! The micro creeks like the Oconaluftee dont get a lot of attention these days, but are a super cool experience! The greenbrier was a total blast!