3. Great Falls (Center Lines)

Great Falls of the Potomac River is a major set of rapids located about 15 miles upstream of Washington, DC. The main Falls lines drop fifty feet in one-tenth of a mile, creating a Class V+ set of waterfalls. In addition, a portion of the river flows around Olmstead Island in a channel called the Fish Ladder (additional channels flow at higher water). Center Lines (Grace Under Pressure/ Fingers) It is a spectacular cataract with some sweet lines, but  when running it - you are on the fringe of a massive channel surrounded by deadly sieves, huge holes,  and treacherously slippery rocks, and if you don't know it - its easy to get disoriented. There were major changes in Spring 2018 so everyone should scout because the ideal flows have changed. It is not obvious how to get out to scout if you haven't been there before, a guide is mandatory. Even the sleeper pourover in the class 3 approach rapid above the falls can dish out a beating at these levels, and all the other drops to the river left of Grace Under pressure and river right of Pummel are extremely seivey and dangerous. A substantial amount of the flow goes towards the Subway sieve or into the Maryland Lines, http://www.americanwhitewater.org/content/River/detail/id/5553  which will be stompy. Swimming anywhere near the Center lines is a life threatening mistake that usually requires an elaborate rescue in full public view. There have now been 2 fatalities here of experienced kayakers who had run the lines before, most recently in July 2013. http://www.americanwhitewater.org/content/Accident/detail/accidentid/3743/.  Know your limits out here and don't come without a guide and very experienced friends. Center lines is an intricate maze that requires  A LOT of scouting, and choosing the wrong channel, or swimming could kill you and put access at risk for everyone. Please be careful and always have a safety plan, this is serious class 5. ### History Paddlers have known about Great Falls as long as there has been whitewater kayaking. Many of the features -- such as the Spout, the Fingers, the Fish Ladder -- have names that predate paddling, in some cases by hundreds of years. But it was not until paddlers started running waterfalls regularly in the 1970s that paddlers began to seriously consider running the Falls. The first descent of Great Falls was made in 1975 by local experts Tom McEwan and Wick Walker, with the second descent by Steve McConaughy and Great Falls National Park Ranger Bill Kirby. The Center line was pioneered in the mid- 1980's by Paddlers like Eric Jackson and Chris Good. ### River Signals and Helicopters The Park Service patrols the Potomac with a helicopter most summer weekends. In an effort to minimize confusion, the helicopter pilots are trained to recognize three signals from paddlers. Everything OK\- Tap the top of your helmet with one hand. Emergency - Wave both arms together over your head (like jumping jacks), holding brightly colored objects if possible. Need Medical Attention\- Form an X with arms or paddles. Don't signal the helicopters unless you need them! And if being inspected, be sure to give the OK sign if you don't need assistance. Sometimes hikers call in "emergencies" that aren't actually emergencies.