Buffalo June 11th

[deakin]

I'm taking next week off to take my girlfriend on a river trip and originally wanted to to the Buffalo from Gilbert to Schipps Ferry. I see that Gilbert is black but downriver is green. Anybody been through there lately? Is it doable or am I just wasting time? I seriously don't want to portage in this heat and I'm going to have a pretty heavily loaded canoe. I also don't want to sit at home next week unless I have to. I can't seem to find any water in the 5 state area...

David

[Deuce]

You'll have to drag for sure, but I don't think you'll have to portage. Just keep an eye on the gauges. There are lots of good sites, and I'm pretty sure Richard put together a really good spreadsheet, but I like this http://www.troop142bsa.org/buffalo_national_river.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; because it takes you to the gauges and interprets the levels on each one. You've picked a tough time of year for float camping, but I think if you pack light and are prepared to roll with it you can do the lower Buffy. And, if you get there and find it's just not feasible it's not as if there's nothing else to do up there.

[Deuce]

I think this has been covered in some of your other discussions, but is the Eleven Point just too far?

[deakin]

If it was just me I'd be all in for going a little farther North. I have a lot of constraints on this trip. I can't leave Texas (Houston) until Sunday and I have to be back the following Sunday. My girlfriend is not a real great paddler so the river has to be an easy paddle....real easy... I'm comfortable with the Buffalo because I've done it before. I know she can do the lower Buffalo but I wouldn't take her on the upper unless she got some more experience. The 11 point or Current are unfamiliar and I'm not sure I can do a 5 day trip and make it home on time. (I might just be paranoid) I'm also worried that she will have problems and I will NEVER hear the end of it. She would rather be on a flatwater river, I've had to really push to get her to agree to this trip.
I did look though, 11 point doesn't look like it has a lot of water either. Is there a good site to get more info?
I'd need a shuttle service since i have my own boats etc...recommendations?
I looked at Richard's chart but I'm a little confused on the levels/locations. St Joe says almost 3.60 and rising slightly. The chart says hwy 65 Tyler Bend 3.1’ -4.5’ is low but floatable. I know the levels come up as I get further down but are we talking dragging once a day? 40' In between every pool? (not fun) Dragging a little until I get a few miles downriver?
I know I'm not picking the best time but I had to wait for school to let out and last week was even worse than this week...I'm committed now, I'm floating "somewhere" Monday - Friday...:)
I should just move to Arkansas....

[Deuce]

I understand completely. We have to go when we can. Louis Covington is very familiar with the Eleven Point and the Current, so you might check with him. I think the Eleven Point has one or two whitewater features that aren't that challenging but may or may not spook your girl. Louis will know. I've never floated the Eleven Point, but I have done the Current and it would work for you. Looks like it's another couple hours of driving, but it's a nice float; similar to the Buffalo in many ways with the addition of springs that provide year round flow and are beautiful to look at. The downsides: shuttles are expensive (I was fortunate enough to get some help from fellow paddlers on my float) and it's a party river (being there during the week would mitigate the unpleasantness though). Given the choice between the Buffy and the Current the Buffy is the clear winner for me, but the Current is an excellent alternative if the Buffy doesn't work out for you.

[Deuce]

Here's some good info on both (and many other) streams. There have been a few inaccuracies noted with regard to accesses and such, but you can drill down further once you decide what you want to do.
http://southwestpaddler.com/docs/current.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[deakin]

The party river part is a big turn off for me. I like as much solitude as possible. If I can't work it out I can always paddle the Neches in East Texas. The water isn't great but it's very remote.
Or who knows, maybe there will be a freak storm...Everyone wash your cars!..:)

[Deuce]

Yeah, I don't like party crowds much either, but I really think since you'd be there during the week it wouldn't be much of an issue.

[deakin]

I use SW Paddler a lot. There's still nothing better than talking to someone though. Some of that info might be old. I just wish that last rain would have brought the levels up. I really thought it was going to be enough. It seems like either every river in the south is dry or has too many dams to paddle.

[kru1]

My wife and I just floated the 11pt over Memorial Day weekend. It wasn't a party river. Found plenty of solitude. From Buffalo City (the take out for the Lower Buffalo) it was an additional 1.5-2 hour drive to the put it at Greer's Crossing Campground (that was with lake effect traffic for Memorials Day as well). Not that much further northeast to the 11pt.

We camped at the Greer's Crossing campground on Friday night and got up early and hired a shuttle from Richards (~2 miles from the campground). It was forty bucks.

In all it was a 20 mile float, that could've been done in one day or 10 days, there's a lot to explore. Most of which borders Irish Wilderness Area.

kru

[Deuce]

Yep, which is why one must consider spring fed rivers some times. It sucks, I know. I love the Buffalo, but it's not always a viable option. Al Donaldson is a good source of info for the Current and Eleven Point too. If you'd like I can PM you his email address. In the interim we'll all wash our cars and water regularly and maybe that will incite the rain fairies to mischief on your behalf.

[deakin]

Sure, send me the email and I'll see how it sounds. I'll have to check with the girlfriend tonight and see what she thinks.

Kru: How cold was the water? Good flow? Any weird laws like Oklahoma? (no coolers over 48 quarts)

If you can only have 3.2% beer you need a 100 quart cooler minimum just for one day...:)

David

[kru1]

The water was refreshing to say the least. ~60 right near a spring source or in the springs themselves (which there are many). Further from the source it would warm up to about 65.

Flow was great, continuous. Not really the drop pool drop you get on the buffalo, but rather a continuous ~3mph (with a pool here and there). I could have floated the 20 miles in one day, but we did it in 3.

No crazy laws, it is all (or ~98%) public land (forest service) on both sides. It is a wild and scenic river. There are float camps along the way with picnic tables, fire rings, and pit toilets. You can always just camp on a gravel bar or bushwhack your own spot in the woods.

We did a lot of exploring trails along the way, and most lead to either a campsite, cave, or spring.

kru

[kru1]

Here's a decent map of the first half of the float. I've got a high resolution print version if you want, just pm me. I'll post up the second half next

kru

[kru1]

and the second half. Camps streams and bluffs are accurate, I didn't show the side roads as I didn't have time to collect the data.

kru