Sweet's Falls Rapid
History of Sweet's Falls
According to Wikipedia, in 1968 John Sweet became the first person to successfully kayak "The Devil's Backbone" rapid. It was later renamed "Sweet's Falls" in his honor. This rapid is the last and final Class V rapid you encounter during your trip down the Upper Gauley. This rapid contains the biggest drop at roughly 14 feet. Depending on how much water flow in cubic foot per second(cfs) are flowing through the river at the time you enter this rapid, the course can be easier or harder to navigate through. There are several different parts of this rapid that are named such as the Energizer, Sweet Line, Ejector Rock, Meltdown and downstream there is Fox Canyon and Vulture Rock where other rafters sit up there waiting for some raft to wreck.