Western Maryland Boating

This is the second of three posts about little know creeks in the region. This is one in the drainage of the North Branch of the Potomac River. Difficult Run drops down into the Kiztmiller Section of the North Branch from the West Virginia side.

Difficult Run (WV) - Tributary of the North Branch of the Potomac River

Difficult Run in WV  has 4 miles of 170 ft per mile with most of the gradient found in the last mile 7-10 significant rapids 

Rating: IV+ due to wood and the last 1.3 miles of the stream 

Runnable Levels:

If the bridge base is underwater or if the spray painted gauge is over 2.5 feet

Driving Directions:

 From Loch Lynn, MD (just east of Oakland) Turn at light go across RR and turn Left at the stop sign going south toward Gormania. Cross into Gormania, turn left onto Rt 50, approximately 2-3 miles outside of town then you will cross a small stream, Difficult run is the next stream that passes under Rt. 50. If you get to the green metal bridge over the Stoney River you went too far.  General Description

Difficult Run is a steadily dropping micro-creek without any major drops after the put in until the last mile of the run. However there are significant chances for wood in bad places and due to a lack of eddies there should be no more than four boats on a trip and really three is the best number of boater.

 Major Rapids

The first 2.5 miles or so consist of steady gradient with no drops of over 2 feet but potential for wood is high as the stream is as narrow as five feet in a couple places. Most of the problems stem from gravel bars with rocks of 2-4 feet in size the most significant drop in the upper section is the 100 feet of sliding drops above the Rt. 50 Bridge. 

The 2.5 -3 mile section is steeper with  on significant 5 foot boof (IV+), and rock pile rapids similar in type to those found on  the easier sections of Fike’s Creek(III-IV). The final miles has cut into more stable bed rock and has about half a dozen slide drops with more opportunity for wood and changes caused by mud slides from the eroding banks.

There is a 2 drop rapid of note which includes a slide like entrance into a 6 ft drop with a piton rock ledge 12 feet past the drop, a 25 ft pool and then a sliding 10ft vertical drop with no landing pool and several interesting lines.  The slide type drops continue below this until you hit the N. Branch of the Potomac about 2 miles above the confluence with the Stoney
River.