Buffalo River Questions...

[79big10]

Hello all, I am new here but there seems to be alot of knowledge on this board.

I am wanting to canoe the entire Buffalo River from the Ponca bridge to the White River. I will not be able to do it from the last week of March until the first week of July (job has me tied up doing things)

My question is, would it be too cold to attempt this during the 1st or second week of March? I am sure a wetsuit would be needed but would it still be wise to do it then?

Also, given an "adequate" flow, how long would it normally take? I have figured 6 days. I have only done 1 day floats where we have drove 3 hours, put in and gone 6-9 miles and drove 3 hrs back home. I would think 20-25 miles per day would be doable.

Is 6 days a reasonable time? (FYI I have a 1 man 11.5 ft canoe that I paddle with a kayak paddle)

[Richard]

The big factors are beyond your control. Weather and water level are hard to predict.
I did this last year. About two weeks after you plan to.
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[Cowper]

Richard is one of our "Buffalo River experts", but it's a rainy afternoon here in Central Arkansas, so I'll chime in too.

Here are some things I think you should factor in:

1) Your 11.5 foot canoe may be near capacity with 6 days worth of food and camping gear; it will be slower and more likely to swamp than when you've paddled it on 6 to 9 mile "day" trips. In fact, be careful to not overload your canoe; unless you're also a dedicated backpacker that is easy to do.

2) Long range weather forecast is "warmer than normal". If you can stay flexible on WHICH of the first two weeks of March you come, this part will most likely work out for you.

3) A 10 to 12 mile day is more common, and makes for a good relaxing pace. Twenty+ miles per day is not unheard of, but requires you to set a pretty steady pace and probably paddle for 6+ hours at that pace, every day. This doesn't leave you much time for interesting side hikes, a "rainy day lay-over", collecting gear if you ever swamp, or mistakes of any kind. Don't get a blister, don't run out of a key item and have to hitch-hike at a road crossing to resupply, and so on. Consider adding a few days to your trip, or, split it into two each one-week trips. (You could come back for the lower half after you get free from work in June.)

4) Sounds like you're planning to make a solo trip, during a time of year when water levels could present an occasional challenge. An unexpected rain could even put you in the position of having to deal with flood conditions. I'd recommend you try to talk some friends (including ones you meet on this board) into joining you. Even if nobody can make the whole trip, your safety goes up even if someone only joins you for the first 2 or 3 days of your trip, when your boat is heaviest and you will be on the slightly more challenging upper sections of the river.

You'll have to forgive me because I know this sounds all preachy. Remember, I don't know whether you're a relatively new boater, or someone who has logged thousands of miles on other rivers, and I also have to consider that new boaters might read this post while planning a "dream" trip of their own.

Bottom line, I think if you find a way to either take a longer trip, or split the Buffalo into two trips, I think you'll have a better time overall!

[RandyJ]

Cowper, I need to see some tangible evidence that you're really an engineer, 'cuz I've never run across an engineer that communicates as well as you do.

Well said...tip o' the hat.

[79big10]

Thanks for the replies!

Cowper, I like your idea of splitting it into two trips. I am not totally new to paddling, but I have not been on an "overnight" trip either. I really like the idea of going the entire river at once, but it does sound like it might be more prudent of me to do 1/2 of it and figure out what a "resonable" pace is for me and if I am packing to heavy or too light.

If weather permits in March, I will defintly be going--I am trying to round up some other folks to go as well.

[Lupe]

Splitting it into 2 sections will also give you some added flexibility. The lower half of the river can have decent flow even if the upper stretches have dropped to low, so you could settle on which section you will do once you see which has better water for your dates. (The reverse can also be true: if we've had big rains, as the high water moves down river, you could find the upper stretches have fallen back into optimal range while down river may still be high/flooding).

Another idea if water levels will let you start at Ponca, is to camp the night before at Kyles Landing. The day you are ready to start your trip, start at Ponca, but leave the majority of your camp and gear at Kyle's. This will let you get your "sea legs" on the first stretch of river without risking a dump of all your gear. Kyles is about 10.6 miles down from Ponca, so you can do that and camp at Kyles again, or if you have made good time, pack up once you get to Kyles and continue a ways on down river.

Enjoy!

[Richard]

I have not been on an "overnight" trip either.

Before I did the entire river I had paddled every section multiple times. If you have never been on an overnighter, I would highly recommend joining us on a few before you attempt this. It will make a full length trip far more enjoyable. Also, when that time comes I would not do it in sections. The gentleman I went with insisted that we do a single shuttle. Excellent decision. But we both had a lot of experience under our belt. When you do finally decide to make the big trip, give me a hollar. I may want to join you. But not this year.

[AR-Nimrod]

Cowper, I need to see some tangible evidence that you're really an engineer, 'cuz I've never run across an engineer that communicates as well as you do.

Well said...tip o' the hat.

I think Cowper may be that rare engineer. One who can communicate in understandable terms and has retained his common sense. I work with a lot of engineers and I like to ask them if they became an engineer because they had no commons sense to start with or was it educated out of them.

[Eric Esche]

Give a shout out on the board when you get a time frame nailed down. You might find some others to go with you and run shuttle.

And some of us, even ex-engineers like me, can be good to paddle with.

I haven't done "the whole thing yet", but I have done most of it more than once, and have a little experience on other streams.

Eric Esche

Many of us have links to all the gauges and feed back on the water levels if you need them. Best river maps I have found for the Buffalo are the National Geographic maps Eastern and Western halves. Best river book on the Buffalo is Ken Smith's Buffalo River Handbook published by the Ozark Society.

[Michael]

I'm planning a similar trip. I'm throwing around the idea of the third week in March, but I wouldn't mind going when its a little warmer. Hopefully water levels will be cooperative. What do you guys think is the latest I could go and be relatively assured of good water levels?

[Richard]

What do you guys think is the latest I could go and be relatively assured of good water levels?

After a big rain. Whenever that is. Normally you are good to go thru May but there just is not a way of predicting.

[Michael]

Thanks Richard. I was thinking early May would be my last good chance. I was really considering the third week in March, but now it looks like I may be able to convince some friends to come if I go later.

How many of you have done the whole river in one trip? It sounds like most people break it down. I've backpacked most of the trails out there, but I've never done the whole river in one canoe trip. I'm really excited!!

[Richard]

The neat thing about doing the entire river is you get a sense of how a river grows as you progress down river. You don't notice that when you do it in sections. It connects all the parts. Timing is everything. We had great water but wind was a monster that never left us alone. You know when it is windy when you stop to camp and you see your partners canoe fly across the gravel bar.

I was very nervous about doing a single shuttle but now that I have done it, I think it is the only way to go. I had the good fortune to paddle with someone who was familiar with long distance paddling and backpacking so that for me was invaluable. He had done the entire Appalachian Trail, Colorado Trail and kayaked the Numbers in Colorado and paddled in Yellowstone and Canada so it was second nature to him.

[prophet]

if you do it, dont forget the store at Gilbert for re-supply

[fryingsquirrel]

You might consider tagging along for the Ozark Society's annual lower river trip, which they typically run from Tyler Bend to Ship's Ferry on the White. They run it in early/mid May. I've had the fortune of going on the first trip they did in '97 to celebrate the 25'th anniversary of the Buffalo becoming a National River. That one was 100+ miles, and I was just 12, but was able to paddle the whole thing. Since then, they just tend to do lower half trips. In '07, I led the trip in the supply John-Boat, running ahead of the group to set up lunch and dinner and carrying all the group gear. That was an awesome experience as well, and I hope to have the good fortune to repeat it again someday.
Regardless of whether you go it alone, with a few friends, or with a big group, I can personally guarantee that you'll have an absolute wonderful experience. I make no guarantees about the weather or water levels, however...
Good Luck!
Jon Ellwood