Team paddler Charlie Mix checking in.

When most people think of Alabama, they think trailer parks, tornadoes, and confederate flags. Not beautiful 500 foot deep canyons, mountains, and burly class V drops. Little River Canyon is a beautiful gorge nestled in the foot hills of the Appalachian mountains in the northeast corner of the state. LRC offers all of this; including confederate flags.

The truth is Little River Canyon is just the tip of the ice berg of hidden gems that Alabama has to offer to the adrenaline seeking enthusiast. During the peak of the season, winter and spring, one can almost always count on Little River to be at a runnable flow. This makes it a great place to train for creek boating. It offers large technical rapids and waterfalls to challenge even the most experienced paddlers and also has easier rapids for those that are just learning how to boof and rally.

Each water level offers it's own set of challenges and dangers. Little River Canyon is an excellent place to get comfortable boofing over sieves and undercuts in normal Alabama fashion.

As stated, this is only a sample paddling that Alabama offers. There's a variety of steep creeks that flow into the canyon itself and in the rest of the state.

Here are some pics of Little River Canyon at a low flow:

terminal eddy LRC Charlie Mix entering Terminal Eddy

Tuck pin ball Tuck on Pin Ball

tyler phillips humpty dumpty Another 'Bama Boy, Tyler Phillips, on Humpty Dumpty

charlie pin ball Yours truly at Pin Ball

all pics taken by me and Ben Berhard.

For more info on Alabama kayaking go to: www.alabamawhitewater.com and check out my blog: www.bama-boys.blogspot.com.

Stay tuned for more updates throughout the season.

-Charlie Mix