OK folks it’s that time of year to start planning and dreaming of crystal clear rivers and warm springtime weather in the beautiful Ozarks. Some of us have to plan vacation time to attend the Rendezvous. Then there are those lucky retired old farts like me that don’t have that burden. For you hardworking youngbloods here are the dates for this year’s Spring Rendezvous.
Standing dates for the Spring Ozark Rendezvous are the first weekend in May, with official start date the Thursday before that weekend. Since the first day of May this year is Monday, May 1, 2017 that means this year’s Rendezvous is the weekend of May 6 and 7, with the first “official” day of paddling being Thursday, May 4, 2017.
As usual people start arriving as early as the previous weekend, making that the weekend of April 29 and 30. I usually show up on the afternoon of Tuesday that week making May 2 my likely arrival date.
While our standing location for the Spring Rendezvous is the North Fork of the White River in Missouri last year’s Rendezvous on the Buffalo River in the Arkansas Ozarks was such a big hit that I am suggesting we do that again this year.
I am proposing we basecamp at the National Park Service Ozark Campground on the upper Buffalo again this spring unless water levels on the Buffalo are too low, in which case I suggest we fall back to the North Fork of the White River.
So what say you all? Chime in with your comments, suggestions, or whatever. Let the conversation begin.
And to my fellow paddlers north of the snowline, stay warm and safe.
I don’t want to wish my life away but I am so ready for spring. Not sure how you folks North of me do it, we had about 2" of snow today and I am already over it. Of course the Buffalo River is an excellent choice (and one of my favorites) hopefully the water God’s will be good to us. Hope everyone had good holidays! Be safe and dream about warmer weather!
We are in total agreement with everything Vic and Pam said.
With decent water level on the Buffalo; our vote is for the Buffalo.
North Fork is not in the same league as the Buffalo in my personal opinion…
I’d give the North Fork a 6 on a scale of 1 to 10.
The Buffalo I’d give an 8.
BOB & JoAnne
P.S. If they have a band hooping & hollering on the stage they were building at the campsite we use on the North Fork; our interest in the North Fork will drop like a cow that got pushed out of an airplane.
This new format needs some tweaking to say the least . That’s as positive I can be on that … I’ll go where ever you guys want to go. It’s cold out today and I can’t deal with it. I am happy about finally getting to post on this forum after several attempts and failures…
The Buffalo is significantly further for me than the North Fork or the Current but I would be happy to go there this spring if there is enough water. Last year we rather lucked out with one day of heavy rain which brought the upper Buffalo up. If the decision is made to go to the Buffalo and the river is as low as it was last year before that day of rain, I will probably not go.
I think my picture is better looking than yours, Jack.
I’m in for either but, like others here, would prefer the Buffalo, though its a long drive for me. Everything depends on water levels. Last year it was very very low when I first got there, but that rainy day saved it.
Hope all are well and staying warm - and in one case that the hip surgery is about healed by now.
Of course, a lot could change in the next 4 months, but northern Arkansas has been unusually dry with some areas reporting moderately severe and severe drought. If the Ponca and Pruitt USGS gauges are reporting correctly, the upper Buffalo is dry as dust right now, with the Pruitt gauge lower than record lows for the last 6 years,
Hip still hurts Pat, but at 8 weeks post op I think I might be turning a corner.
Greetings. Not sure I like the new site but I really dig all the new ads. I won’t commit to the rendezvous at this time but with the low this morning at -28 and wind chill -38 the Buffalo in May sounds nice. It’s been awhile. Still got the teardrop trailer, the paddling dog and a green canoe so I will try to talk myself into a 20 hour drive. The separated shoulder is pretty much reattached now, so paddling shouldn’t be an issue this year.
I have to give credit where credit is due; Duggae “called his short” on that eddy on the Buffalo…
I was watching him from the eddy in question, and heard him say “watch this”, shortly before he did a fish count.
I thought a sniper on the grassy knoll above the eddy might have shot him.
He fell over the gunwale & into the water like a Chevy truck…like a rock!
Damn sure was entertaining…
Hope to see the dynamic duo of Duggae & RockC this Spring.
I’ll be there, North Fork/Twin Bridges or Buffalo/Ozark. It will, of course, be a two week trip to get there this year, traveling from Alaska to the Ozarks via Oregon. Brad
Dick pointed out that I had some of the dates screwed up in the second and third paragraphs. I have corrected that. The second and third paragraphs now correctly read:
"Standing dates for the Spring Ozark Rendezvous are the first weekend in May, with official start date the Thursday before that weekend. Since the first day of May this year is Monday, May 1, 2017 that means this year’s Rendezvous is the weekend of May 6 and 7, with the first “official” day of paddling being Thursday, May 4, 2017.
As usual people start arriving as early as the previous weekend, making that the weekend of April 29 and 30. I usually show up on the afternoon of Tuesday that week making May 2 my likely arrival date.
We all better start doing a rain dance. We are in a winter drought and rain has been hard to come by for MO and AR. Rain is coming in tomorrow night, something is better than nothing. Our long term forecast for Spring is dry (let’s hope they are wrong). May will be here before we know it!
I know most will paddle Saturday, some may stick around for Sunday as well but most of the group heads home that day but if water is really good those folks that are retired and don’t have to be at work on Monday will take advantage of good water and paddle. Me and my husband will leave Sunday morning as we have to be back at work on Monday. Hope to see you there, this is a fun group. If your a drinker be ready for some moonshine!
