Cadron Creek: River Wide Strainer

[Lupe]

There is a BIG tree down across the entire river at the bend at Barking Dog Rapid. Portage on river right.

At 4.4 ft on the gauge, you could not go under the tree. Please use caution because at lower levels, you might think you can sneak under at river right, but there are a lot of limbs and debris in there, so be very careful. As long as you can eddy out, you can get out of your boat on river right just before the tree and drag around. If you/your group is less confident about maneuvering your boat, then eddy out further up on the right (in the pool). It's not a bad walk through the brush to get around it.

Portaging a RAFT around the sucker is a bit more challenging.

Chainsaws R Us has been alerted and will try to get to this as soon as possible, but in the meantime, heads up!!!

[J Shurgar]

Where is the Barking Dog Rapid in relation to the 65 bridge or Daddy's Knee? I have a cabin on the long pool below Daddy's Knee and we lost quite a few trees this summer. The chute at the island below the pool is now blocked with four large trees.
J Shurgar

[Roger]

It's the last turn before you straighten and can see the bridge. There is a house that sits up on the bluff there with a few dogs. The trick is to slide by without getting the dogs' attention or they come running down to the edge barking at you! Hence the name. Not a serious rapid but got some current through there.

[Lupe]

Hi J,

We call the last bend in the river before Hwy 65 Barking Dog Rapid because the house at the top of the hill there has a couple of dogs that almost always bark when boats float by. It's the last "rapid" before you have nothing but flat water until Hwy 65 ramp...probably about 1/2 mile or less (so it's below Daddy's knee, by probably about 1/4 a mile or so.

The location will actually make tackling this fairly easy because I think someone could motor up from Hwy 65 with chainsaw and gear (as opposed to having to come all the way down from Pinnacle Springs or our other new access).

This tree fell right from the bank there - the root wad is still up on the bank where the ground has been eroded away on that outside bend (river left). If the river rises a lot it MIGHT be enough to swing the tree free from the right so that it swings down river and back along the left bank, but it's a big tree and was pretty wedged across the entire channel this past weekend.

You can see it pretty well before you go into the bend where the current picks up water, but for the inexperienced or inattentive it could definitely be a big problem. Hopefully we can get it moved in some way so it's not such a hazard.

[reedo]

I was planning on paddling there tomorrow afternoon probably (alone).

Is this after the last good surfing waves? I know where the house and dogs are, but thought the river was pretty damn wide there. If I just remember to look for it, should be easy to spot in time?

I have heard of someone dying on the cadron in a strainer before and it has always concerned me.

I dont usually paddle alone of course, but I have done the Cadron many times...even though the first time I ran it I was alone

[J Shurgar]

I know exactly where you are talking about. I was wading and flyfishing down there after the big blow this summer and saw that it was down. We normally take out at our place rather than go down that far. Our canoe was stolen from the Cadron this summer. Some deliverance grade ...........s cut the cable and made off with it.

[Lupe]

Yes - it's after the last surfing waves.

And yes you'll see it as long as you are looking for it...as long as the river is not in flood (it's high now and still rising). If it's in flood, it's hard to know what it will be like. If it's really high, the entire tree might get submerged...but if it's not completely under the water that is going to be a big hazard if it turns out you can't get over it, or don't see it until it is too late. Also, at about 4.5 feet, there is a wide low lying brushy area to the right of the main channel that you can walk across. At higher levels, more water will be going across this brushy area, but it's a bit of a willow jungle through there, and might not be safe to try to paddle across it.

I think you just need to really be on the look out. Once you finish playing at the last surf waves, it's still a couple chutes down, but start really looking ahead so that you can see it in plenty of time to decide your best action. When you see the house with the dogs, the downed tree is directly below their house, so eddy out and really take a good look at that bend in the river...that tree will almost certainly still be there, so even if you DON'T spot it at first, eddy out and take a good hard look!

Be especially careful since at a higher level, the tree may be HARDER to see since more of it will be under water or just barely under water.

Post up here and I bet you could get some company for the day!!!

[Lupe]

I know exactly where you are talking about. I was wading and flyfishing down there after the big blow this summer and saw that it was down. We normally take out at our place rather than go down that far. Our canoe was stolen from the Cadron this summer. Some deliverance grade ...........s cut the cable and made off with it.

Actually, it still might be a different spot...we paddled one week ago and this tree wasn't down at that time...this one just fell in the past week.

Not sure if you read about our recovery of a stolen boat from the river a couple weeks ago:
http://www.arkansascanoeclub.com/mb/vie ... =1&t=14250" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

...but point is, we're pretty good as a community at looking out for each others stuff out on the river. Post on our lost forum a description, and you'll have a whole lot of extra eyes out there looking for your canoe!!!

That boat that Cowper returned last week had been stolen a whole year before...so hey, you never know!

[reedo]

Gotcha, thanks for the post!!

[Clif]

I know some folks what live on top of the last bluff. Maybe could arrange a drop there. Could climb back up or float on down.??

[Lupe]

Well, with the Cadron at 20 feet and still rising, we might not need to do anything about that big ol' tree after all. Heck, that tree might be flushed all the way to the Arkansas River by now! :shock:

Of course, who knows what OTHER surprises might be anywhere along the creek once it finally settles back down into it's banks!

Could be all kinds of wood and other new hazards after all this flash flooding: everyone be careful out there...whatever creek you end up on!

[Cowper]

I know some folks what live on top of the last bluff. Maybe could arrange a drop there. Could climb back up or float on down.??

Are they the owners of the "barking dog" house?

If yes, it would be nice for you to contact them and seek their blessing before we go running a chainsaw in their back yard. Let me know if you are successful...

[reedo]

we are headed there tomorrow around 10am if anyone wants to join.

hope it all goes well...we will definately be looking WAY down river.

have fun out there!!

[Lupe]

Hey -

I'm almost embarrassed to admit this, but like Gordon said on another thread, confession is good for the soul...so on that note:

Earlier this year I put on the Cadron while it was in flood. It was about 10 feet. At 10 feet the river was spread into the trees, with very few eddies. Anything that would be playable was completely washed out. Basically it was 1) not fun AND 2) very, very dangerous.

If there is any hazard, you will likely have no way to stop. If you were to swim, it would be very very hard to get to dry land, as dry land will be up in the trees. The river is also moving so fast that even if you find a safe way to get to shore, it will probably take you a couple miles to get there.

The Cadron will probably still be well over 10 feet - I'll bet closer to 15 ft - tomorrow morning. I think you will have a lot more options that will actually be in the fun AND not life-threatening category!

No offense intended toward you - but I know when I put on there at 10 feet it was definitely a big mistake. I was just happy that none of us got hurt that day! Just my 2 cents. I mean, it's one thing if it's fun AND dangerous, but seriously...Cadron at flood is just dangerous! :shock:

[Clif]

Are they the owners of the "barking dog" house?

Nope, other end...upstream.. of the bluff. Where that creek comes in river left. The end of the pool as the river goes right and speeds back up.

All these houses are accessed from the road behind the quarry.