The Hidden Treasure: Racing down Wills Creek!
"A box without hinges, key, or lid, yet golden treasure inside is hid." - J.R.R. Tolkien
WIlls Creek is a rarely paddled gem of a Class 3-4 run with one Class 5 rapid, tucked in the mountains of Pennsylvania, just north of Cumberland, Maryland. It is comparable to many of the other classics of the region like the Big Sandy and the Middle Fork of the Tygart. However, since it is nestled in its own area and is not very close to any other streams, it is often overlooked and passed over. This is such a shame because anyone who has been fortunate to make that turn at Cumberland and head north will tell you that they were greatly rewarded for their effort. Over the years, I have made this journey many times, always returning with tales of whitewater and adventure!
I was excited when I saw that Wills was on the list of venues under consideration for the PA Creek Race series. When Wills was running high in the middle of the week, I hoped that it would hold enough to still be an option on Saturday. Finally on Friday, with the gauge holding just above minimum, Jason Rigby announced that the race would indeed be on Wills. I was excited to get on the water as a couple attainments had been my only time spent paddling this winter. Plus, this race also gave me, as your favorite spermologer, a chance to write another literary masterpiece about some current news!
Adam Rettig and I headed out early in the morning for some racing action. After passing the town of Hyndlman, we headed upstream to do a prerace scout. We met up with Jason Rigby at the town of Fairhope, where the race was going to start. We debated between a doing a 2.5 or 3.5 mile course. As the racers began filtering in, we decided to take a practice run on the 2.5 mile course. After a leisurely paddle, we were ready to go, having picked out most of the trouble spots that the low water was presenting. One of the key spots was just above a major rapid called Yo Yo, where a tricky section of shallow water could cause you to venture into a channel too low to paddle through. The key marker that Adam and I had picked out was a cloth piece about the size of a flag that was dangling off the supporting wall for the railroad tracks. I made a mental note that when I saw that, I needed to head right. Since the race course was so much fun, we decided to add the next mile of similar rapids on to the race. We headed back up to start the race, leaving that last mile as a "mystery" for those unfamiliar with the run.
There were many strong paddlers that showed up for the event, making for a very competitive race. They read off the list of racers and I ended up being the next to last to go. Starting behind me was Dr. Gameday Dave Carey. I knew that I had to paddle hard and clean because he would definitely catch me if I made any major errors. The racers took off in one minute intervals and my turn was approaching. I always get a little nervous before a race, especially one that starts off with a pretty challenging rapid. I jirbled the last drops of my Red Bull into my mouth and got ready. I sat waiting in the eddy, trying to manage the goose chills and place them in the back of my mind. Huh? What in the world is a goose chill??? Soon, it was time to start so I took off. The first rapid is called Railroad Cut Falls and is the only rapid on the run that can be considered Class 5. It has a series of ledges with accompanying holes that get bigger as you get further into the rapid. They can definitely demonstrate a mean pussyvan to a paddler who makes even a small error. The resistentialism of this rapid caused each racer to give it its due respect. I opted for the right channel in the approach because it lines you up in a twisting chute that rockets you toward the lower ledges. The first splash gave me extreme curglaff but I shook it off and focused on the task at hand. The bottom two ledges have the largest holes but the low water definitely made them easier to negotiate. I took a stroke to raise my bow over the large boil of the third hole and moved to the center where the powerful bottom hole is broken up.
The next mile contains constant Class 2-3 rapids with tricky lines to avoid the shallow water. One ledge is diagonal and, according to Maryland and Delaware Canoe Trails, has a tendency to mess with left handed canoeists. Luckily, I have two blades so I cruised through the ledge with no problems. As I went further down the course, I could see Adam in the distance and figured we might meet up in Yo Yo. However, just before Yo Yo where the cloth was hanging off the tracks, Adam mistakenly took the left channel and ran aground as I motored down the right with the flow making a zafty pass.
Yo Yo steps up the action and is a long Class 4 rapid with multiple boulder drops, slots and boofs. I stayed left in the fast water, zigzagging back and forth around rocks and over drops to the bottom of the rapid. After the rapid ends, there is a 5 foot ledge that quickly comes at you. There are rocks, rebar, and a collapsed concrete slab in the landing if you are in the wrong spot. I went left of center where there is a nice boof that clears past all of the mess in the landing. As the boulder gardens continued, I kept pace and made sure to follow the water.
Soon, the 2.5 mile bridge came into view and the mystery mile still remained. Having run this section many times, I knew what to expect but I also knew there were some shallow spots and would need to be on the lookout for mank. This last part starts with a fast, narrow rapid with tight boulder moves. Some shallow channels lead to more boulder drops with a few horizon lines that hide the fastest route. As the whitewater was petering out, there was a long, shallow stretch with a lot of small rocks hidden just below the surface. I hit one rock and it deflected me into a slot where I wedged. I knew that unforgiving device known as the clock was ticking so I rocked and pulled aggressively (and cursed out loud) and eventually slid through, having only lost 5-10 seconds. Soon, the final bend and finish line came into sight.
What a fun race! Being able to come back and race on such a cool section of stream that had always been one of my favorites was a real treat! After everyone finished, we headed back up top for the awards ceremony and another lap of the run. The temperature started dropping so Adam and I didn't dither on the last run. After many great boofs, slots, and tight eddy turns, we bid farewell to the rest of the racers and headed home. We celebrated by heading to Sheetz and hitting up the soda squirt for some carbonated beverages! After getting beef-witted on several hamburgers, the drive home produced lots of laughs and excited talk about the upcoming paddling season! Special thanks to Jason Rigby with World Kayak for organizing such a great event and race series!
1. Bobby Miller : 34:01 (Large Bazooka)
2. David Carey : 34:37 (Large Bazooka)
3. Brian Kish : 34:57
4. Eli Loiben : 36:03
5. Bill Warble : 36:16
6. Jon Ludwick : 36:39
7. Zach Yomboro : 37:23
8. Seth Burdette : 37:36
9. Kirk Meixner : 38:25 (Large Solo)
10. Adam Retig : 39:43 (Big Bang)
11. Steve Kroser : 47:54 – #1 Hand Paddler and New Hand Paddler speed record for Wills’ Creek
For definitions of some of the more unfamiliar words in this article, go to
WIlls Creek is a rarely paddled gem of a Class 3-4 run with one Class 5 rapid, tucked in the mountains of Pennsylvania, just north of Cumberland, Maryland. It is comparable to many of the other classics of the region like the Big Sandy and the Middle Fork of the Tygart. However, since it is nestled in its own area and is not very close to any other streams, it is often overlooked and passed over. This is such a shame because anyone who has been fortunate to make that turn at Cumberland and head north will tell you that they were greatly rewarded for their effort. Over the years, I have made this journey many times, always returning with tales of whitewater and adventure!
I was excited when I saw that Wills was on the list of venues under consideration for the PA Creek Race series. When Wills was running high in the middle of the week, I hoped that it would hold enough to still be an option on Saturday. Finally on Friday, with the gauge holding just above minimum, Jason Rigby announced that the race would indeed be on Wills. I was excited to get on the water as a couple attainments had been my only time spent paddling this winter. Plus, this race also gave me, as your favorite spermologer, a chance to write another literary masterpiece about some current news!
Adam Rettig and I headed out early in the morning for some racing action. After passing the town of Hyndlman, we headed upstream to do a prerace scout. We met up with Jason Rigby at the town of Fairhope, where the race was going to start. We debated between a doing a 2.5 or 3.5 mile course. As the racers began filtering in, we decided to take a practice run on the 2.5 mile course. After a leisurely paddle, we were ready to go, having picked out most of the trouble spots that the low water was presenting. One of the key spots was just above a major rapid called Yo Yo, where a tricky section of shallow water could cause you to venture into a channel too low to paddle through. The key marker that Adam and I had picked out was a cloth piece about the size of a flag that was dangling off the supporting wall for the railroad tracks. I made a mental note that when I saw that, I needed to head right. Since the race course was so much fun, we decided to add the next mile of similar rapids on to the race. We headed back up to start the race, leaving that last mile as a "mystery" for those unfamiliar with the run.
There were many strong paddlers that showed up for the event, making for a very competitive race. They read off the list of racers and I ended up being the next to last to go. Starting behind me was Dr. Gameday Dave Carey. I knew that I had to paddle hard and clean because he would definitely catch me if I made any major errors. The racers took off in one minute intervals and my turn was approaching. I always get a little nervous before a race, especially one that starts off with a pretty challenging rapid. I jirbled the last drops of my Red Bull into my mouth and got ready. I sat waiting in the eddy, trying to manage the goose chills and place them in the back of my mind. Huh? What in the world is a goose chill??? Soon, it was time to start so I took off. The first rapid is called Railroad Cut Falls and is the only rapid on the run that can be considered Class 5. It has a series of ledges with accompanying holes that get bigger as you get further into the rapid. They can definitely demonstrate a mean pussyvan to a paddler who makes even a small error. The resistentialism of this rapid caused each racer to give it its due respect. I opted for the right channel in the approach because it lines you up in a twisting chute that rockets you toward the lower ledges. The first splash gave me extreme curglaff but I shook it off and focused on the task at hand. The bottom two ledges have the largest holes but the low water definitely made them easier to negotiate. I took a stroke to raise my bow over the large boil of the third hole and moved to the center where the powerful bottom hole is broken up.
The next mile contains constant Class 2-3 rapids with tricky lines to avoid the shallow water. One ledge is diagonal and, according to Maryland and Delaware Canoe Trails, has a tendency to mess with left handed canoeists. Luckily, I have two blades so I cruised through the ledge with no problems. As I went further down the course, I could see Adam in the distance and figured we might meet up in Yo Yo. However, just before Yo Yo where the cloth was hanging off the tracks, Adam mistakenly took the left channel and ran aground as I motored down the right with the flow making a zafty pass.
Yo Yo steps up the action and is a long Class 4 rapid with multiple boulder drops, slots and boofs. I stayed left in the fast water, zigzagging back and forth around rocks and over drops to the bottom of the rapid. After the rapid ends, there is a 5 foot ledge that quickly comes at you. There are rocks, rebar, and a collapsed concrete slab in the landing if you are in the wrong spot. I went left of center where there is a nice boof that clears past all of the mess in the landing. As the boulder gardens continued, I kept pace and made sure to follow the water.
Soon, the 2.5 mile bridge came into view and the mystery mile still remained. Having run this section many times, I knew what to expect but I also knew there were some shallow spots and would need to be on the lookout for mank. This last part starts with a fast, narrow rapid with tight boulder moves. Some shallow channels lead to more boulder drops with a few horizon lines that hide the fastest route. As the whitewater was petering out, there was a long, shallow stretch with a lot of small rocks hidden just below the surface. I hit one rock and it deflected me into a slot where I wedged. I knew that unforgiving device known as the clock was ticking so I rocked and pulled aggressively (and cursed out loud) and eventually slid through, having only lost 5-10 seconds. Soon, the final bend and finish line came into sight.
What a fun race! Being able to come back and race on such a cool section of stream that had always been one of my favorites was a real treat! After everyone finished, we headed back up top for the awards ceremony and another lap of the run. The temperature started dropping so Adam and I didn't dither on the last run. After many great boofs, slots, and tight eddy turns, we bid farewell to the rest of the racers and headed home. We celebrated by heading to Sheetz and hitting up the soda squirt for some carbonated beverages! After getting beef-witted on several hamburgers, the drive home produced lots of laughs and excited talk about the upcoming paddling season! Special thanks to Jason Rigby with World Kayak for organizing such a great event and race series!
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World Kayak Blog - Wills Creek Race
Results :World Kayak Blog - Wills Creek Race
1. Bobby Miller : 34:01 (Large Bazooka)
2. David Carey : 34:37 (Large Bazooka)
3. Brian Kish : 34:57
4. Eli Loiben : 36:03
5. Bill Warble : 36:16
6. Jon Ludwick : 36:39
7. Zach Yomboro : 37:23
8. Seth Burdette : 37:36
9. Kirk Meixner : 38:25 (Large Solo)
10. Adam Retig : 39:43 (Big Bang)
11. Steve Kroser : 47:54 – #1 Hand Paddler and New Hand Paddler speed record for Wills’ Creek
For definitions of some of the more unfamiliar words in this article, go to
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18 Obsolete Words
More pictures below!18 Obsolete Words
