WEST GAFFORDS CREEK Tuesday or Wednesday, 4/14, 15/2015

[CAPTAIN ALEVE]

I have not paddled in over a year and would like to start out with a fairly easy 3 mile outing on Class II-II+ West Gaffords Creek in the Ouachita Mountains about halfway between Danville and Mt. Ida. Full information on the creek can be found on the website class2arkansas at the link below.

http://class2arkansas.com/west-gaffords ... eliminary/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Be sure to look at the photos and read the notes with each one for a possible hazard description. I plan to put in at the spot shown as a put-in on the website and take out at the FS 970 bridge; that's the first three miles of the creek and does not include the tall falls or the unscouted section. There is no guarantee that there will be water; I'll have to watch the radar-based rainfall totals to see if it is worth a drive to the area. I'll be coming from Little Rock and would arrive in the area between noon and 1:00 p.m. if the rain pans out.

The trip will not take place unless I get some paddlers to join in. I'll post all updates here. For those who don't know me, I am a conservative paddler, retired, 64, and pretty much a marshmallow physically.

Mike Coogan, alias Captain Aleve

[Lupe]

Mike, I would love to go with you if the rain gods smile upon us! Thank you!

[CAPTAIN ALEVE]

We'll keep our fingers crossed!

Mike

[jmdauf]

mee too, blessed bee the river gods, cap't
mitch

[lalyle]

Sounds good Cap'n. Have to finish taxes Tuesday morning, then I'll be ready for some adventure. I'll be in the rec boat which has proven fine on class 2. The ol' Rampage has been beckoning from the shed but my knees keep winning the debate. Just 3 miles, however . . . .

[CAPTAIN ALEVE]

The gage at nearby Gravelly shows 1" which will probably be enough to make it down the creek. The NWS radar rainfall total is about half an inch for the watershed, and probably wouldn't be enough; however, the radar is also showing 0.1 inches total for my house while there is 1.7 inches in my rain gage. I think we will be fine without any more rain. We'll be going out 10 to Perryville and then west on 60 to Plainview. We could meet you at the gas station/grocery store at the intersection of 60 and 28 in Plainview. I'll post an update on the rainfall around 8:00 a.m. I can meet others at the Walmart on highway 10 at highway 300 or Chenal Valley Drive, whatever the road is called. Calvin from Hot Springs Village is probably coming, Mitch. I'll email him and ask him to post here about maybe consolidating rides. I will probably be able to leave town before 11:00 a.m. I'll post when I'm getting close to leaving.

Mike

[lalyle]

Have to "wave" this one off. Have a full slate for Tuesday.

If anyone wants to run something like the Caddo on Wed or Thurs, holler! When I posted earlier, I had forgotten my gal will be off and she needs a refresher course on some mild whitewater after her maiden voyage on the Caddo recently.

I'll start a fresh post in hopes of finding folks for Wed/Thurs.

Lee

[CAPTAIN ALEVE]

The schedule is 10:15 a.m. at Walmart, and about noon at the Plainview store.

Mike

[jmdauf]

think bob tyler is coming and we'll meet y'all @ plain o view.
mitch

[CAPTAIN ALEVE]

West Gaffords was too low, even for my personal low water minimum which is famously low. We drove over to Little Creek (closer to Jesseville) and paddled the lower end of the creek (fairly steep at 66 feet per mile compared to Cadron Creek at 13 fpm ), including Terri's Falls, a three step drop. It was a lot of fun for me with lots of rocks to dodge, eddies to catch, and almost nonstop action. I could barely get out of bed this morning, with several sore muscles (triceps especially), and we only paddled THREE FOURTHS OF A MILE. Big fun, good company, good Mexican food afterwards.

TERRI'S FALLS by CaptainAleve, alias Mike Coogan, on Flickrr

Mike

[jmdauf]

mike,
thnx for leading the little, little creek trip. it was good company all around and a good "little" float (but not a little trip, very tired here too!).
mitch