Lost Paddler on Richland

[Rotifer Thalweg]

CB - ever put on at 5' and had it come up to 7'? If so you might have a slightly different perspective.

[Jeremy M]

What the heck's wrong with Rockport? Okay, it may not be your wilderness adventure trip, but a lot of people who are paddling today, owe a lot to Rockport, myself included. Its where you can go in the summer time to beat a hot day, paddle with good friends, cut your teeth on class II, learn boat control, get your first combat role, and yes you can playboat there too, but its all at a location that is fairly consequence free. So I ask again, what the heck's wrong with Rockport?

I don't think markers are a good idea either, but its a wilderness area and so its not going to happen. All thats going on here is brainstorming, and I for one applaud the ACC Board and its members for doing just that. If what results from this experience and discussion are more informed and safer paddlers, then so be it...

[okieboater]

Well said, Jeremy

[Trismegistus]

Did I say anything was wrong with Rockport? All I implied is that we don't need to turn Richland into another Rockport venue. You overly sensitive Rockport proponents get so work up anytime anyone says anything that seemingly undermines yer unconditional support for all things Rockport. I too enjoy, support and utilize Rockport so lay off.

All I'm saying as folks go brainstorming to make Richland safer and more appealing to unprepared paddlers to consider that some folks enjoy not having to travel halfway around the world to enjoy a wilderness adventure. And I assure Mr. Rotifer that regardless of the water level my perspective won't change -- moreover I am pretty positive that I've experience far more hardship in the wilds than the Richland could ever deliver.

If paddling is all about being "more informed and safe" -- then I say folks need to limit their experiences to the pool and a few coffee table books and/or videos...

BTW: The 11,000 plus acre Richland Creek wilderness area is a region where the land is suppose to be left in a natural state and where impacts from human activities are minimal—that is, as a wilderness. Keep yer bloomin' markers in yer back yard.

[Jeremy M]

Easy Tiger....We're all saying the same things. We want people to be informed about all things paddling. Even the potential hike out, when things go wrong. We want people to be aware of their own limitations and understand exactly what Richland Creek is. It is, in my opinion, one of the most beautiful wilderness experiences one can have on a semi-regular basis in Arkansas, The Natural State. I agree, flags and markers are not a good idea. This is the second time I've said that. My only objection was the implication that because paddling venues like Rockport aren't wilderness adventures testing all of your senses, that they aren't valid. Moreover, I did not mean to imply that you are in opposition to Rockport. The beauty of a sport like kayaking is that you can make it whatever you want to make it. Whether you want a true wilderness test of "personhood" (obligatory political correctness) or if all you want out of it is to play at an established park, You can have it that way. What is happening here, is we are getting off topic and the "lack-of-water" blues might have us up in arms, more than necessary. I would like nothing more, but for this portion of the discussion to end and us to return to the more important topic of how to keep ourselves safer on the water, whatever water that may be.

[shelbyjohnson]

Late to the thread here so I'll just confirm several points I believe to be fact.

Hike down stream on river left if below Richland Falls.

Hike upstream on river left if above Richland Falls.

Road block is bad, even worse at lower levels. This photo was taken below the drop looking upstream. The level was around 3.3 on the takeout. We have been running the slide on the left (river right) of the photo. At these lower levels the right side of the photo (river left) route is trashy junky manky. At higher levels the river left side is better.

[shelbyjohnson]

Forgot to mention this rock is MOST DEFINATELY undercut as you can see in the photo the flow come out directly below it.

You can prepare for this drop when you recognize the eddy hop boulder garden rapid. This is a section of the creek where one of our fun games it to catch every eddy and there's about 15 or twenty eddies in this boulder garden section that is just a eddy hop bop piece of fun for about 30 yards.

The Road Block is immediately below the Eddy Hop.

[canoe]

Also, note that there is a big eddy on river left above the Roadblock Rock, and at worst it is an easy 10ft walk on river left. Dale

[canoe]

Also, note that there is a big eddy on river left above the Roadblock Rock, and at worst it is an easy 10ft walk on river left. Dale

[RomanLA]

This is the second time recently that paddlers have been stranded overnight. This paddling season should definitely be a wake up call for everyone. I was looking for a topic to cover for my club's skill workshop next week. I guess it will be what to carry and how to use it.

[paddledog]

This is the second time recently that paddlers have been stranded overnight. This paddling season should definitely be a wake up call for everyone.

I like to think of these incidents more as an opportunity to
explore the inner Daniel Boone in yourself.

Boone on Richland.jpg (47.35 KiB) Viewed 2874 times

[poserwannabe]

I really didnt want to say anything but Ima gonna! All of you are my friends so dont get fired up at me. Im tired of this whole internet paddling experience. I can remember going to the tot back when it was almost impossible to find. You basically had to know someone who had been there before and had the skill to get you and them down it. And they probably didnt take people down it they didnt think could make it. Now there is a welcome center and signs and a whole slew of people that probably shouldnt be paddling there yet relying on the locals and veterans to see them down and help them when they need help. This may be mean of me but I dont really like going there anymore and it is one of my most favorite spots on the planet. Two of the last three times I have been to UR someone has had to hike out. All Im saying is it sucks to know that someone is out in those woods and you cant find them. I was part of the crew at Dales AWESOME cabin that night and I can tell you that not one of us slept until 5 in the morning, two really good boaters were on the water at the crack of dawn, and more good people rode around on 4 wheelers freezing cold trying to find a guy we didnt know or know very well. I met him the next morning and he was cool. All Im saying is that internet adventures are fun, but really getting out there and then realizing that you are in over your head, and having people risk their safety to come and find you is another thing. I believe the internet has contributed to this and I am tired of it. I remeber when I first started boating and watching the guys on videos make stuff look easy. Well when I got there I realized the screen didnt do it justice and maybe I wasnt ready for it yet. Problem with Richland is its too late when you realize this. This is my plea, Please be responsible and lets keep this special areas as primitive and low kea as possible.
Bonehead

[boofmaster]

Some very minor editing of one or more posts on this thread has been done. Consistent with guidelines, this post acknowledges that a moderator has taken an action.

Although not required by our guidelines, I'll tell you that the action was very minor - content has not been changed, just the language. Further discussion of this should be directed to Board members, NOT POSTED HERE ON THIS THREAD.

[okieboater]

This has been a great series of posts. I have enjoyed hearing all the opinions given. All good stuff. Seeing all this has made me rethink a lot of things - for the better I will add.

Seems to me that due to the wilderness designation Upper Richland enjoys, all of the ideas to mark or improve a emergency trail are not going to happen.

That is a good thing. Not much true wilderness left and we need to do what we can to protect what we do have left.

Sharing of information from these posts do give good tips on the best ways to hike out. That alone is a great safety factor for those who run this classic creek.

I appreciate all the posts and the people who made those posts.

It has been said before, worth saying again. Thanks to Pam and Dale for all the good things they have done over the years for Upper Richland and those who get to paddle it. Same thanks to all those who continue to give help to those who need help. Awesome bunch of good people.

[Cowper]

And I assure Mr. Rotifer that regardless of the water level my perspective won't change -- moreover I am pretty positive that I've experience far more hardship in the wilds than the Richland could ever deliver.

While I would confirm the first statement to be true, on the second half I have to say: "Whoa there cowboy!"

Q: How do you know when the wilderness (any wilderness, not just our little backyard Richland wilderness) has delivered her max dose of hardship?
A: You're dead.


As for guides, I feel strongly both ways. I love waterfalls, but I don't yet own a copy of the Arkansas Waterfall book; I really have no interest in "badge collecting" by saying I've visited everything on somebody else's list. But I share information about Richland, and Bobtail, and Boss Hollow and the swamps of Eastern Arkansas, in the hopes that others will visit and will appreciate (and therefore help preserve) what these special places have to offer. I love showing these places to others; the spark in their eyes as they see it for the first time reinforces for me how special these places are, it rekindles my own love of these places.

We all use guides to some degree, whether it is an official "guidebook", a map, or just information we collect verbally from others who know something about the area. Nobody spins the globe, throws a dart at it, and then spends whatever it takes to travel to that point to see what is there. We collect information from whatever sources are available, and we choose destinations that we think we will enjoy; otherwise, we would spend $15000 to find ourselves standing in some remote and relatively featureless desert, or closer to home perhaps find ourselves standing in the middle of some bean field in Eastern Arkansas trying to talk the sheriff out of arresting us for trespassing.

Those who prefer to discover for themselves can collect minimal information before travelling; nobody is going to force you to prepare for the trip any more than you want to. I still remember the sense of freedom I experienced one night at Richland, because with no sleeping bag I CHOSE to sleep in the back seat of my truck under a towel. While normally I prepare carefully for each trip, sometimes you find adventure more easily if you're willing to rewrite the plan a little bit as things progress....