Trip Report from the Buffalo My Stupid Story

[Allen Rittman]

I left Conway on Friday May first for a relaxing float on the Buffalo. I took all the comfy gear and my old trusty dog, which has been on many river trips and off we, went! I took the raft so I could just relax and not have to worry about getting wet. I got on the river about 2:30 and man it was awesome, what I call a Goldie Lox day not to hot, not to cold, not to sunny, not to cloudy but just right and no wind!! Yes that’s right NO wind!!

I had put in at Pruitt and had floated down too and camped at Gray Bluff about a mile and a half or so above Hasty. I cooked and ate a great steak, green beans and potatoes and got ready for the storm. I had cell service and could watch the radar from my phone and also had a NOAA weather radio I was listening to. So keep in mind it’s not like I was blind I knew how much rain had fallen in the upper Wilderness area. After setting up camp I had placed a few rocks at the waters edge to monitor any rise in the river. I had placed my tent about 4 foot above the water line pulled the raft about 30 ft up the bank and tied it to the tent on the down river side with about 10 foot of rope, just in case! A decision that would become invaluable in just a few short hours! I do not recommend this due to the hazards it could pose as you will see, but it did work out really well this time.

The storms were killer, there is nothing like being in a tent in the Ozarks during a thunder storm, again not something I recommend! Now let me explain I was in a Sierra Designs, Bedouin 4 tent it’s like 8 x 8, with a cot, sleeping pad small table and yes a DVD player. I know that ruins in for some of you and for that I am sorry! So I was very comfortable to say the least. So with my dry bags in the tent before I went to sleep I kind of packed everything up, you know just in case! Nature called about 2:30 and while I was standing down beside my rocks at the water line I noticed the first few had gone under so I knew the river was on the rise, but just a little. So I went back to bed thinking everything was fine it will be daylight in a few hours and I’ll be able to better access things then.

Here is where the fun starts. Now I see myself as a pretty seasoned river guy and have spent hundreds of nights on rivers and I know how fast a river can rise. So with that said here we go.

I woke up about 5:30 I think and there was about a foot of water running under my tent, trust me this is big shock to your system just a moment before you were asleep dreaming about dry, moon filled nights. Only to find out you and your trusted friend are about to float away with 2k worth of gear. I had set my boots and dry pants fireman style by the door again just in case!
I slipped my boots and pants on and zipped up the dry bags and unzipped the tent hoping to find my raft still tied up outside. What I saw next you can not be prepared for. The river was all around my tent about a foot deep and very muddy. During the fury to get my boots on I accidentally knocked my head lamp into the water (trust me you will not stop to look for anything) and it was still very dark and raining, looking back I think the rain is what woke me up. So I had to hold my small flash light in my mouth while I ran around in the water like a mad man and yes Thank GOD the raft was still there floating peacefully in the running water as if to say I have been waiting for YOU!!! I threw everything in the tent into the raft the cot was still setup, sleeping pad blown up, and of course Coochie!! She kept looking at me like what the hell are you doing as she stood on the dry gravel bar just a few feet away. After getting everything out of the tent I started pulling the tent stakes which were now about 14 to 16 inches under water. Water had also started to wash into the open door of the tent. I unhooked the raft and pulled it to the gravel bar and started trying to work the tent out of the water and to dry ground. I would pull on the tent and with the water raising the raft would start to float away and I would have to pull it further up on shore. I finally got the tent out of the water and into its dry bag and by that time I only had about 5 foot of rock shore left before the water reached the sand embankment. I threw it in the raft and off we went. Now this was the first time I had had the chance to take the flash light out from between my teeth, man what a deal and it was not over yet. It was the weirdest feeling drifting away from a place that just ten minutes ago you were sleeping in and now it is more than a foot under water. And I was very thankful I was in that raft! In real time I’m going to say from the time I woke up until pushed off the rock bar maybe 10 minutes had elapsed. It seemed like much longer, Much Much LONGER!!!!

I came across a rock bar about a half a mile down steam and pulled over to get some dry clothes on and regroup a little I broke the cote down deflated the sleeping pad, rolled up my wet sleeping bag and pillow and put them in the bag with the soaking wet tent. Got me a cold diet Pepsi and thought man, what a way to wake up. All and all I lost is my cool $50 headlamp and a towel. The tent poles got warped a little but now the tent has a little character

I have always lived by the Boy Scott Motto, “Always be prepared”. Well if I had really listened to myself earlier that day I would have been high and dry. I already knew the place I was in could be compromised, that’s why I made all the preparations with the raft and the boots and packing. And had I not done these things I most defiantly would have lost more gear and maybe the raft.

Never under estimate mother nature especially running water! I was very lucky to get out of this situation without further incident.

I had originally planned to make this a 2 night trip so the outfitter was not going to bring my truck down to Carver until late Saturday night. I called Jesse at Buffalo River Canoes and he had my truck there in no time at all. A BIG BIG THANKS to Jesse and the entire crew at BRC.

Life is all about making decisions and had I made the choice to set my tent up higher off the water none of this would have happened. That is were I did not live by the motto and had I done so I would be telling a much different story. After floating on down to Carver and seeing the debris going down the river I realized how easy it would have been for something to snag the raft and pull it the tent and ME down the river and into the strainer of trees below. That would have been a story I would not have wanted to star in. It wouldn’t be Gray Bluff anymore it would be Dumb a** Raftdog Rock Bar! Everybody get their laugh on about this but learn from it and be more careful than I. Fish and Ryan I guess this solidifies my position in TEAM STUPID! Oh and one more thing it is very dangerous to float, camp or hike by yourself. It is very peaceful but not very safe.

Well that’s my Stupid Story I hope you enjoyed but all BS put aside I was very lucky don’t let this happen to you always camp well above the water line.


Row it like you stole It!!
Allen

[Clif]

Thank the Lord..... that the tree or trash wad you mentioned did not take your tent or raft out.... that you did not sleep 30 more minutes.... that the place to stop was just downstream....

thanks for postin this. and wow :shock:

[Randy Dodson]

Awesome trip report Allen.

It's very interestin to read a report like this from someone with your amount of river experience.

[Fish]

Man, glad you're alive and well after that one Allen! No need to try to pull stuff like this to solidify your Team Stupid credentials. You're in the TS Hall of Fame already as our only rafter (although I noticed the ARG seemed to be holding tryouts for a second raft spot in the Team on the Hailstone Saturday). :)

Great trip report and great writing - just don't ever do it again!

- Fish

PS - Allen, do you mind if I submit this to the ACC Newsletter as-is for Gordon to put in there this month?

[prophet]

thanks for the report! glad it turned out exciting only
you could add a cowbell to your equipment and tie it to a stick buried in the gravel

[davidbob]

ARG may make an offer of membership soon - he's as game as Team Stupid, as ARGy as ARG, and owns as many open boats as the RBF.

Agree with Raftdog - as the water rose on the Hailstone ARG was thankful (and lucky) we were in rafts.

More cowbell!

[Allen Rittman]

Fish you can submit this for use in the news letter and Prophet Thanks for the Cowbell idea and I think from now on I'll camp a little further up the bank. But I will be looking for a cowbell!!!

[Gordon Kumpuris]

Who is Raftdog? Allan who?? Don't like to print stuff without crediting the author??

GRRRRRRR I hate message board nicknames.

[Eric Esche]

So glad you and Coochie are safe. Thanks again for telling this so that others might learn cheaply. Good pointing out that redundent lights are not redundent if you need them. Having water proof lights like dive lights can help too.

Maybe you need to train Coochie to let you know when the water is rising. Coochie is a great dog.

You will not hear me giving you any trash talk about tying long lines to your raft or getting help carrying it up or down from up above the high water line on our campouts. You might remember how high up I tend to camp on our trips.... And some folks just thought that it was to be closer to the woods and the nearest cat hole.

Got a couple of trot line bells in my ammo box of river tricks. Have never had to use them yet here in Arkansas as Richard always seems to plan his trips on weekends with the best weather, but I used to use it every night out west. Can also be used for bears with trip lines.

Looking forward to doing more trips with you and Coochie.

Eric

[Allen Rittman]

Hey, Fish the next time we go out east I think I’m going to take the SOAR if we get to go to the Telco I want to go off the falls in it and run the stuff I can’t in the raft. I thought I set the bar for rafters on Team Stupid going off Bear Creek Falls on the Cheoah? Next time we get the rain I want to go run the Hailstone I just can’t take it anymore. Man it just can’t be worse than upper Richland in a raft. I followed Dr Dale down that day and did not get wet!!! So Fish or Dale, next time you go give me a call! I have not done any serious white water since I got worked in Hungry Jack last fall!!!

[Allen Rittman]

Thanks Eric, when I woke up and looked over at Coochie she was floating around like she was on a water bed a very strang site, very strang! As for the weather I guess I just like it a little more extreme than most. But like I said thats the first time I have ever come close to something like that happening. From now on everybody will be asking where is Allen, Oh he's up in the woods in a tree setting up his hammock. That will never happen again I like to wake up with a dry floor and drink a nice cold diet pepsi. I can't imagine what the felling is like on a ship at sea and when you role out of your bunk you are standing in water and the ship is going down. That has to be one of the most horrible fellings you could ever have.I'm going to Little Rock tomorrow so I'll be stopping by Ozark Outdoors to get a new light some 550 cord and find some bells somewhere. Back in the saddle in two weeks. I will most likely be making a trip on the Buffalo somewhere the weekend of the 23rd and 24th if anyone would like to go. And no I’m not dangerous and it’s not dangerous to be around me, it appears it’s just dangerous to be me!! And I must make the disclaimer I have never injured anyone on the river. Well there was that deal at Long Pool that time, But dnag it I was protecting the honor of a drunk grandma and no not my grandma. Whole other story. I still feel bad about that!!!

[Roger]

Thanks Eric, when I woke up and looked over at Coochie she was floating around like she was on a water bed a very strang site, very strang! As for the weather I guess I just like it a little more extreme than most. But like I said thats the first time I have ever come close to something like that happening. From now on everybody will be asking where is Allen, Oh he's up in the woods in a tree setting up his hammock. That will never happen again I like to wake up with a dry floor and drink a nice cold diet pepsi. I can't imagine what the felling is like on a ship at sea and when you role out of your bunk you are standing in water and the ship is going down. That has to be one of the most horrible fellings you could ever have.I'm going to Little Rock tomorrow so I'll be stopping by Ozark Outdoors to get a new light some 550 cord and find some bells somewhere. Back in the saddle in two weeks. I will most likely be making a trip on the Buffalo somewhere the weekend of the 23rd and 24th if anyone would like to go. And no I’m not dangerous and it’s not dangerous to be around me, it appears it’s just dangerous to be me!! And I must make the disclaimer I have never injured anyone on the river. Well there was that deal at Long Pool that time, But dnag it I was protecting the honor of a drunk grandma and no not my grandma. Whole other story. I still feel bad about that!!!

I know that story. Plus, that was the day Monica messed up the knee!

[Allen Rittman]

That was the day!!!! And I had both of them in my raft! And it was very cold and some had not come prepared with gloves!!! Auh, yes that was the day! Man I can't help to laugh hard every time I think about that. I wish the little moment had not happened but he did not understand and I was very focused about what I was doing! Memories some are just priceless.

[Renee H]

That was the day!!!! And I had both of them in my raft! And it was very cold and some had not come prepared with gloves!!! Auh, yes that was the day! Man I can't help to laugh hard every time I think about that. I wish the little moment had not happened but he did not understand and I was very focused about what I was doing! Memories some are just priceless.

Yes, I remember the story from that day as well! Allen, you were quite the hero that day - adding 2 bodies and a kayak to your raft and paddling down in the wind, no less. Yep, you banked lots of karma points that day

[Ryan Center]

Who is Raftdog? Allan who?? Don't like to print stuff without crediting the author??

GRRRRRRR I hate message board nicknames.

Rittman.


Dango Dango!
Allen, sounds like you had a hell of an awakening. Wish I could have been there with you. I got Leah a kayak now so when you go again let me know, I'm ready for some overnighters.