Friday, March 21, 2008
The Hailstones
Yesterday I go to paddle the crown jewel of Ozark White water, the Hailstones. Depending on who you ask its the first 12-16 miles of the Buffalo River. Not a hard river by any stretch. Just non-stop rapids the whole way. Luckily it was nice & warm. I've got the sunburn to prove it. The canyon that the creek flows through is nothing short of spectacular. What is really cool is the total isolation from civilization. The only sign of man you see before the take out is Tim Ernst's house poised on top of a cliff about 3/4 of the way down. We had a big group of 12 of us. A little unmanageable but still a good time. The group size did pay off when one of the open boaters stuck his boat in a cave. Took us about 30 minutes to get it unstuck. Level was just under 5', next time I do it I want it to be closer to 6'. I didn't have my camera but several of the others did. Once I track down some pics I'll post them.
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Oh yes! Good on you. All I remember are WATERFALLS! And I know that cave you speak of-river left?
ReplyDeleteI did it before Ernst's house was plopped up there. I swear you can see that thing from about 10 places around that area...it's like the Hammond's tower of the Upper Buffalo.
Oh look. I think I can see you down there: http://www.cloudland.net/currentjournal.html
Yep that's me down there, good eye! Mikey I didn't know you were that accomplished of a paddelr. What other Ark rivers you been on? Yep river left would be the one. I paddled into it on the back side. It has another chamber inside of it. Very scary if the water would have been higher.
ReplyDeleteNothing "spectcular".
ReplyDeleteRichland being the most intense.
I like the surfing spots on the Bear down by Omaha.
Mulberry has pretty water.
Big Piney.
Missed out on doing Beech Creek. Have you done that? Burly. Had friends get into trouble there.
Fallingwater.
That surf spot on King's.
Who did you run the Hailstone with?
Richland many times, Bear when ever it runs, Mulberry too many times to count, Big Piney, Haven't done Beech yet but next time Buffalo floods I'm going to try & get on it, Falling water I haven't done since every time it runs something else is pumping ie Bobtail. Trigger is one of my all time favorites (Kings surf spot)
ReplyDeleteTerri Prater, Will ?, Jay Wilson & James Maddox