Arkansas Canoe Club Forums

Reading all the posts of new /most/ hardist/most frequent/greatest/etc/ runs done in the last 2 weeks made me wonder about how we got here? Who were the folks that helped pave the way, and contributed to the world of whitewater paddling in this area? Off the cuff, people like Mike Beard, Kenny Holmes, Kent Davidson, Jim Simmons, Frank Barton, The Doobie Brothers(John Barton, Franklin R Bursk, L. A. Brookings), Terry Keefe, Max Wellhouse, Bill Herring, Cowper Chadbourne, Lance Jones,Mike Mills, Tom Wingardt, Tom Orsini, Walter Felton, and a bunch of others, have been very influential in paddling in Ar. for me. Just wondering who you would consider your mentors that would warrent a nomination for OWHOF in your book? dale

Sorry, forgot the grandaddy of all, although I never met him, Neil Compton. dale

You forgot Jeff Green and Wade Colwell, early pioneers of Beech Cr. When I started and we were running Hailstone, they would come off of Beech Cr. with stories that made me think: I gotta do that stuff someday!

I'd also throw the late, great Cossatot Bob into that mix. The man was an institution.

And you also left out that Dale Barton guy, who has always been a hero of mine.

Turning 40 today and I'm reflecting on a lot of things, like the fact that as much as I love creek boating, taking my 8 year old son out today on some class 1 is as good as paddling gets for me these days. Also, I really felt that there was a changing of the guard, passing of the torch, whatever you want to call it, this past weekend. In the 90's and 00's, I looked up to the guys who ran the stuff before us and then went out and ran stuff they thought looked pretty crazy at the time. Now in the 10's, it's clear that the next generation of creek boaters are ready and able to fire up stuff we've considered impossible or nearly so. They're continuing to push paddling forward in ways that, if I can't experience directly, I'm sure going to enjoy watching. In the coming years, you're going to have plenty of new names to keep adding to your list, Dale.

- Fish

I think Randy "action" Jackson pioneered a few of those early runs! And i'm not sure if he did many first D's in the Ozarks, but Dave Reid comes to mind as well.

I'd add David Thrasher to the list, and echo the sentiment on Jeff Green and Wade Colewell.

Happy Birthday, Fish! May you have many, many more.
Jan

I would like to add Tom Kennon and Dennis Buccella! And the list goes on....
Also, Steve "dog" Robertson!

Could another forum heading in the web site be added for "Ozark Whitewater Hall of Fame" where the stories, history, names and pictures could be submitted by those who wish to and be archived in one place? (Sort like a Wiki page?)

I was thinking along these lines driving back from turner bend I'll add in some of the Ouachita boys who I remember seein' in the mid 1990's....

Phil Bruce from Hot Springs and Pappy from Louisiana. I don't think I have ever gone to cossatot falls or the esses without thinking of those guys. The river isn't the same without hearing Phil's voice coming around the corner.

Also Mike? from hot springs who paddled a pink encore?

I think any of the first generation instructors at canoe school would go into that category.

And, Brad at Turner Bend.
ty

p.s. Any of those piney creeks boys who are still around and now referred to as CODS (Creepy Old Dudes) by the text gen's. I heard that from Hotty this weekend.

I almost forgot Dave Reid.

I think Ty is talking about Mike Scroggins.

Scott Hanshaw and Stewart Noland, of course; and Hey! is this love fest for dudes only or can any one join?

How about Robin "used to be Booth," Kathy Winter, Diane Barton, Pam Barton, Gayle Felton or others of the female persuasion?

Debo, I knew I was setting myself up for that , and was getting to add the ladies you mentioned, along with Laurie Smith-Fisher, Maryann Davidson and my favorite(next to Pam)--Debo. dale

Thanks, Shelby, for remembering me. I guess it takes an "old timer" to remember a really old timer. I second Debbie's motion on Stewart Noland. He was there with us on many of the open boat runs of the 70's. He is also the one most responsible for getting us to go west. Plus, if we are talking about granddaddies like Neil Compton, don't forget about Harold and Margaret Hedges. Dr. Compton and the Hedges were certainly my mentors and it was an honor to have known them and to have paddled with them.

canoe wrote:I think Ty is talking about Mike Scroggins.

Yup! I just thought of it too!

Also, Jason Mellor has been one that has paddled a lot in the state and took a lot of fellow butt boaters out. I almost forgot to list Billy Williams, another one who keeps on goin'.

Many come to mind and several previously mentioned. Many who taught me, allowed me to paddle in their wake, and then compete with were Jeff Green, Wade Colwell, Randy Jackson, Dale Barton, Kelly Lewis, Ted Colwell, Rob Sanner, Dale Barton, Mike Hotehger, Mike Johnson, Clay Johnson, Ryan Johnson, Tommy Wingard, Dempsey Lewis, Bob Brewer and my paddling buddies for the past 27 years Darrell Roller and his infamous cousin Jerry Roller. We could talk of numerous first decents by these individuals, these are the pioneers of white water in Arkansas. As I was reliving my old passion of kayaking this past week I got the opportunity to cross path with several of my friends of yesteryear. It's amazing how the "Text" generation of paddling has evolved thru the past 30 years. I found several of the names of rapids have changed and very few boaters carry throw ropes anymore.