Upper Alum Fork of Saline River

[Richard]

Has anyone paddled Alum Fork of the Saline River from 34.814174N 92.996501W to Lake Winona? Or any part of that section? The blue line is about 10 miles.

[Richard]

Hmmmm No response. Must mean this might be a first descent. Gonna go check it out. Taking the dogs with me.

[Tmuse]

I think it has been done in canoes at low water but only for small mouth bass fishing. Tim muse

[Chris Summerville]

I've fished and scouted most of it. Not much gradient. Lots of willow jungles and strainers. If it has enough water to paddle, there are higher quality runs in the area to be had. Also, if you go all the way to the lake the takeout is probably going to be epic. The section below the dam is much better.

[Tmuse]

Off the subject, Chris whats up, been boatin much on them their smokey mountian creeks? Give me a shout. Tim muse

[Richard]

I was down at the lake launch. It did not look too bad. Didn't think to take pictures. I did go to a point about 4 miles upstream from the Lake and took some pictures. Just from what little I saw I think Chris assessed it about right. Also You proabably would have a difficult time getting to where I was if the water was up. You have to make two stream crossing that could be pretty deep. Here are the pictures from this weekend.
http://community.webshots.com/slideshow/569890289sfmkdt" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[scoutdad]

Hi Richard,
Nice pictures. Next time you plan to do some hiking in the Ouachitas close to Hot Springs and you want someone to go with you give me a call.
David

[Chris Summerville]

Richard,
Nice photos. They definitely made me homesick. We apparently haunt a lot of the same places. Tim I'm in California right now. Not much paddling to be had at the moment. Lots of skiing though. I'll be home in March. I'll give you a shout then. Take Care.

[Crane]

Richard, Our old friend Ron Gillham, for whom the ACC Conservation Fund was named after he died, used to fish Alum Fork a lot. But, he was a fisherman and not simply a paddler. He'd take one or more of his kids and head out and not surface for a day or two on all parts of the Saline. So, no First Decents possible, but probably a buncha under-fished hard-to-get-to river... Someone needs to go enjoy that and report back!! Ron would like that...

[Trismegistus]

Thanks for the slide show Richard. Pretty stream.