Big Strainer on Upper Piney

[Waterman]

High water from the storms on Feb 4 created a big logjam that is blocking the ford where Forest Service 1802 crosses Big Piney (aka Phillips Ford). On the river side of the logjam, there is a tree root from a very large tree that extends about 6 feet into the channel (shown in picture). I usually use this spot for my takeout on floats in this area, but today I had to choose another spot. The logjam is on the north side of the river; the south side is still accessible.

This location is two river-miles above Heltons/Treat on Big Piney so not many people float this area.

In May 2011, an F3/F4 tornado went through this area. The trees in this logjam were uprooted at that time, and the recent storms washed the trees into this new location. There is another ford approx 1 mile up stream (aka Waterman's ford), but the spur from 1802 that accesses that ford has been blocked since last May by approximately 40 down pine trees. So as of now, you cannot access either Waterman's ford or Phillip's ford from the north side of Big Piney from FS 1802, but both locations can continue to be accessed from the south.

These two logjams will mainly affect people in the summer as both locations are great swimming and fishing holes. It will also affect the 4 wheeler/SUV crowds in the summer who, before last May, could drive forest service roads along Big Piney all the way from Hwy 164 up to Hwy 123 near Haw Creek falls.

Pictures of the strainer and logjam at Phillips Ford are attached.

[Tim Eubanks]

Thanks, John!

[Cowper]

It sounds like you are saying these jams are primarily complicating access to the river, and use of the ford at low water, but that if someone was not taking out or putting in at these locations, they could safely move downriver by just avoiding the snags near one bank.

Is that correct? Or is there a significant river blockage too? And if so, how hard to spot it from upstream, before you are "committed" to the rapid?

[Waterman]

Correct. Access on the north side (river left) is the only issue, and there is not significant blockage in the river. This strainer is in a long, wide, and straight run that comprises two rapids. There is a relatively calm stretch between the two rapids, so it is fairly easy to negotiate to river right to avoid the tree. Attached is an upstream view taken in the calm spot between the two rapids.

Access on the south side is fine, and you can access a government campsite on that side by getting off of the river either right before or after this rapid.

It is possible to take out on the north side above this strainer, but if you miss your eddy, you will go into a willow jungle or this strainer. If you take out on north side in the pool below this strainer, there are about 15-20 large trees (down and mangled by the tornado) between that pool and FS 1802, so it is very difficult to get to the road from there.

As you can see in the background of the picture, the tornado went straight through this stretch, and there are down trees like toothpicks all along the bluff.