Hurricane Creek Trip Report & Warning

[Half Ton]

Had a GREAT run on the Hurricane Creek today and enjoyed sharing it with some first timers. They both did great and enjoyed the water, spectacular scenery and new challenge. Pretty Cool!

However, what was not cool and which all who have never been, or have forgotten - occasionally bad things can happen to your vehicle when left behind while you are on the river.

Today's flavor of not good was that a REAL NICE person let the air completely out of one of the tires on my vehicle, and partially out of two. This act was so hateful and unintentionally malicious, that it really could have left a person stuck under a car, and without an arm or some digits.

Talk about almost spending the night at the put in, pinned under a car and bleeding out for a while.

Luckily for me, my river tripping partners would not leave until all my gear was transferred to my ride and we were rolling out together.

Because of their patience, general helpfulness, and wisdom - they noticed some things weren't right and stuck around to help. This teamwork really made it easy to deal with a less than desireable situation.

So the moral of the story is to always be sure to paddle with good folk, and to take an extra tire and air compressor with you if you plan on leaving your vehicle in the vicinity of the Hurricane Creek put in And to thoroughly addes the situation for booby traps befor you start jacking your car up to change a tire.

Richard and Chuck- thanks so much for your help, patience, and wisdom! I would still be there now if not for the both of you! I had a great time on the river and look forward to more time on the river soon!

-John

[Renee H]

Angry landowner or a paddler prank? I was always worried about the landowners up that way as they didn't seem to happy when we came driving up when the creek rarely ran.

[TonyC]

John, very glad to hear you are ok now. What happened should not be tolerated. Paddling is not a crime. Car tampering is. Hurricane is definitely on my list of rivers to step up to, and this gives me some food for thought. Did y'all report this to the police?

-Tony

[Half Ton]

I'll make a report just so it's on record.

Not in this spot, but I've heard it's good to have a spare catalytic converter or battery from time or to time also! Haha.

Usually it's the overnighter(s) that I have any concern over, but I guess it never hurts to be more prepared for the unexpected's of a long day trip and this was a good lesson.

I have one of those small compressors that has a charger and a few other gadgets that I will carry with me into any wilderness setting now.

I doubt it was a landowner and suspect it was just some deviants passing through. I'd like to think the best of the folk that live out there. I know a few of them and they are real nice folk.

[Schildwache]

So that tire held air? At least they didn't stick a knife through the sidewall.
Thanks for the trip, John, and your help.

That stream is definitely a huge step up from anything I've been on. When you see water actually falling away steeply downhill in front of you with waves you know you won't be able to see over when you get into them, you know it's time to gird your loins and get ready to paddle. There were several trees across the stream we had to negotiate, only one that we decided to portage, the others had at least a little room around an end to slip by, with a little margin for error, if needed. The dangerous one was laying across the bottom of a drop that could have been run, if and only if the run were completely clean. Water was running over the log at the bottom of a drop high enough to float over easily with about a 2-foot drop on the downstream side with little to no hydraulic. However, the straightest line tended to point toward the root ball and one would need to go over the log right in the middle to be safe. And if you didn't stay upright, even with a good roll, you wouldn't have time to get back up before hitting the log. Therefore, we decided to exercise caution, not get caught dead in the wilderness, and portage. My first swim came at the big rock with a hard left, now I'm upside down, cursing myself for neglecting my roll over the summer and winter, and swimming through a long rapid. Actually, I don't know how long it was, but it seemed liked miles, and swimming doesn't really describe what happened. I got rolled by the river. You learn how to keep your nose and toes up, but it's not always easy. John encouraged me to go back up and run the last section again, a short, steep bit, which we did. We made it through the boulder garden fine and numerous other rapids, I swam a couple of more times and finally made it out. A couple of days removed, what I remember from it is the #*^@!*# RUSH! Awesome! (please pardon the language).

[JBaumbe]

Half Ton,

Where did you park at the put in? I paddled Hurricane Sunday afternoon, but didn't see any other cars. I'm wondering if there is a better (although unfriendly) put in than where I went. I used the directions on the ozarkpages site and put in on Cub Creek.

Also, THANK YOU to whoever stacked the rocks on the bank at the downed tree. We took that as a warning and decided to get out and scout and then realized that we would have to portage. The water was low enough that we would not have made it over the tree.

[Half Ton]

The rock work was A paddler that put on before us. He put on before us by an hour or so. We caught up with his crew later on. I did not see any other vehicles on our way out, although we did pass a truck with two boats in it headed down there about 6 or so. Maybe that was you?

At cub creek, there is a low profile concrete low water bridge and small pull in on the right. It's the first trib you come to when you turn right after making it down into the valley. If you crossed it and kept going, then you would come to hurricane creek ford and if you crossed hurricane and kept going you would head out of the valley and come to Deer. Sound familiar?

I've put in on buck branch before as we'll, but it is across the small stream to the left once you get down into the valley and right near the ozark highlands trailhead parking. It is more difficult to get down than cub creek. You must have been in the vehicle we passed on the way out. What time did you make it off the river?

Richard, I am glad you had a blast! I am working on the video edit and will have it together soon to post up for viewing. Man you had some nice lines, and font let those swims get to you. wevarecall in between them. wish my go pro battery would have lasted long enough to get the rest of our run and nice run through the one you took in a second time! Way to go man! Once tires were filled at Who'd a thunk it after making it out of the valley they sure enough have held air.

Thanks again for helping me out and for keeping me from being pinned under the car!

[Lupe]

Hi there -

Can you clarify that you were indeed parked at Cub Creek then? Did you have multiple vehicles there but was only one targeted? We've put on Buck Creek before due to problems with locals but it was a bit of a pain. I know the local there will not tolerate anyone stopped along the road right at Hurricane Creek, but thought Cub Creek was "safe" so that's why I'm trying to figure out if you were all the way to Cub Creek or not.

Glad you got everything working and with no injury. I just love that creek so much so it sure makes me sad to hear about this.

Thanks

[Canoe_Codger]

Sounds like it is time to add a game trail camera to the shuttle vehicle tool bag too. In all my years, I've only had one vehicle messed with. Luckily I left the doors unlocked (to save busted glass) and they only swiped my Kraco stereo, $35 worth. They left the rest of my '66 Mustang untouched, the original pony floormats and hubcaps. I hates me some thieves and vandels.

Michael

[Half Ton]

Heather - yeah. Cub Creek. Turns out this is a recurring problem that happens from time to time based on conversations I've been having with others. We just had one ride down there for our group. Another group put on before us and had a shuttle driver to avoid parking, and the third group that I know of I am not sure about, but definitely put on somewhere behind us in time but not at cub creek at least when we were there.

It is an awesome creek, and seeing it from a boat is way better than seeing it from the OHT - although I love that view too!

What doesn't kill us makes stronger and wiser. The perps will not get away with their actions forever, and one day may wish they never had messed with anyone. CC - I like your idea !

[JBaumbe]

Just for clarification, I was mistaken and did not put in on Cub Creek. I put in on Hurricane. If you copy and paste this into google maps, I parked at the green arrow.... 35.762850, -93.143296

It turned out to be a good place to park because you can't see the car from the road (might not be the case in the winter) and it's easy access to the water. The only down side is you might get a couple scratches on your car on the trail in. Theres some standing water on the trail but it's all rock bottom so don't worry about getting stuck.

[Lupe]

JBaumbe - I think where you put on may be someone's private property. I don't know...this is just based on conversations (well, more like one sided yelling) we had one time with an area landowner. In which case, you might have been fortunate your vehicle was okay! I had thought because Cub Creek was NOT private property (I thought) that parking there wouldn't incur the wrath of the locals, but clearly that can't be taken for granted. I wonder if it would be worth off-loading at Cub Creek but then parking all the way back at Buck Branch and walk back to Cub to launch?

Definitely arranging as very few shuttle vehicles as possible or having shuttle drivers is best for this run, but that's not usually a luxury most of us have.

I hope we can figure something out that keeps everyone and everyone's vehicles safe, and lets others enjoy this beautiful gem of a waterway.