5/10/2015: Big Laurel Cr., US-70 - Hot Springs

	With: Dan Bertko, Kim Buttleman, Lee Belknap, Karen Egbert, Jon Hitchings, Keith Merkel, Jenny Thomas
	Ned and Len hadn't arrived yet, so there were only eight of us on the creek. Big Laurel is one of the most popular Class III/IV creek runs in the Southeast and we were very lucky that this held at a minimal boatable level until we got there. The put-in for Big Laurel Creek is three or four miles up the highway from the campground, and joins the French Broad River three miles upstream from the campground, so we took out in camp and had a quick ten-minute shuttle to recover put-in vehicles. Nice. Everyone agreed that we would not want to do it any lower, but we had no mishaps and everyone also agreed that we were glad we did it. Once on the French Broad, we split around the two island groups, half of the group running Kayaker's Ledge at the first island group, and half running Frank Bell's Rapid at the second. We went to the Hot Springs Diner for dinner, but it was closed, so we went to the upscale Iron Horse Restaurant facing the RR tracks in Hot Springs and had a mighty fine diner.

	1. Keith and Jenny at the top of Big Laurel Creek

	2. Dan, near the top of Big Laurel Creek

	3. Near the top of Big Laurel Creek

	4. Kim, near the top of Big Laurel Creek

	5. Jenny, near the top of Big Laurel Creek

	6. Jenny & Kim, near the top of Big Laurel Creek

	7. Jon, in Stairstep on Big Laurel Creek

	8. Jon, exiting Stairstep on Big Laurel Creek

	9. Lee, in Stairstep on Big Laurel Creek

	10. Lee, exiting Stairstep on Big Laurel Creek

	11. Karen, in Stairstep on Big Laurel Creek

	12. Kim, exiting Stairstep on Big Laurel Creek

	13. Dan, in Stairstep on Big Laurel Creek

	14. Dan, exiting Stairstep on Big Laurel Creek

	15. Jon & Karen, on Big Laurel Creek as it gets more interesting

	16. Big Laurel Creek, as it gets more interesting

	17. Big Laurel Creek, as it gets more interesting

	18. Lee, on the ledge before Suddy Hole, on Big Laurel Creek

	19. Kim, on the ledge before Suddy Hole, on Big Laurel Creek

	20. Jenny, on the ledge before Suddy Hole, on Big Laurel Creek

	21. Dan, on the ledge before Suddy Hole, on Big Laurel Creek

	22. Karen, on the ledge before Suddy Hole, on Big Laurel Creek

	23. Kim, at Suddy Hole, on Big Laurel Creek

	24. Jenny, at Suddy Hole, on Big Laurel Creek

	25. Dan, at Suddy Hole, on Big Laurel Creek

	26. Big Laurel Creek, still interesting

	27. Big Laurel Creek, still interesting

	28. The Upper Narrows, Big Laurel Creek

	29. Dan, in The Upper Narrows, on Big Laurel Creek

	30. Lee, in The Upper Narrows, on Big Laurel Creek

	31. Jenny, in The Upper Narrows, on Big Laurel Creek

	32. Jon, in The Upper Narrows, on Big Laurel Creek

	33. Jon, getting his face washed in The Upper Narrows, on Big Laurel Creek

	34. Karen, in The Upper Narrows, on Big Laurel Creek

	35. Karen, getting her face washed in The Upper Narrows, on Big Laurel Creek

	36. Kim , in The Upper Narrows, on Big Laurel Creek

	37. Kim, in The Upper Narrows, on Big Laurel Creek

	38. Kim, entering the Lower Narrows, on Big Laurel Creek

	39. Kim, styling the Lower Narrows, on Big Laurel Creek