On second thought, I know my limitations and they don’t include dealing with personalities like BOB. Pam, thanks for addressing my question in a straightforward way. I hope you have a nice rendezvous. Marty
Pam is a sweetheart, and quite diplomatic when she chooses to be; which is much more often than not.
Me, I tell the truth, to the best of my ability; people may interpret it however they choose. For future reference; I will not be changing to suit anyone’s real or perceived needs.
Bob
My daughter and I will probably arrive at Ozark Campground sometime late in the afternoon of Tuesday May 4 with the intent to paddle on Wednesday May 5. The only foreseeable thing that would change that would be if water levels on the upper Buffalo are still too high, which I regard as extremely unlikely, and water levels on the upper Jacks Fork are favorable, which is also somewhat unlikely. But if that set of circumstances did come to pass, she and I might do a day trip on the upper Jacks Fork on Wednesday morning and arrive at Ozark that afternoon. I will know more by the end of the weekend.
Assuming that my daughter and I do arrive on Tuesday we would be looking to paddle from Ponca to wherever depending on water level. The higher upstream on the river the sooner it drops of course, and Ponca may not hold to the end of the week. Of course, we would welcome others to paddle with. If not we will have two vehicles and paddle ourselves.
As for Buffalo River water levels, the river has already dropped dramatically in the last 24 hours and continues to do so. The gauge at Boxley bridge has already dropped down to 610 cfs which is considered “moderate”. The gauge at Ponca has dropped from a high of 14 feet and 14,000 cfs to a current stage of 5.73 feet and 1,700 cfs. The Pruitt gauge has dropped from a peak of around 22 feet and about 18,000 cfs down to a current stage of 8.39 feet and 2000 cfs.
While the upper Current still remains high today at the rate it is dropping livery traffic will be back on the river within 2 days, and possibly tomorrow. And the amount of rain forecast in the area between now and next Wednesday has been revised downward to a little over 1/2 inch. Unless that forecast is dramatically wrong, by the middle of next week the upper Buffalo is much more likely to have somewhat less water than we would wish, rather than too much.
There has never been any sort of predetermined itinerary for any Ozark Rendezvous, it has pretty much been whatever people feel like doing on the day. But on the Buffalo River, much more so than the Current, our decisions have been constrained by the water levels. There have been times when the upper Current above Erbie has been too low to paddle when we arrived, then rains brought the river up so that Ponca was too high to paddle the next day and we had to wait out a day or do something else. But in general since without rain the river will drop from upstream to downstream, we try to do the upstream runs first then move downstream as the water level drops.
As an aside, the National Park Service has put up a notice on their FB page that many roads, trails, and campsites along the river were damaged by the high water event of the last 2 days. On one FB group one individual mentioned Erbie Campground road, portions of the gravel road to Steel Creek, Maumee, Rush, Woolum, Mt Hersey, and Compton-Erbie. No info as yet as to how much damage. I imagine the NPS was fully occupied making sure everyone was out of danger the last couple of days and will be sorting out the damage in the next couple of days so I would keep checking the official NPS website for the Buffalo National River and the FB page for the same.
Great summary of conditions Pete…
Obviously you have been doing research that will surely be much appreciated; especially by those having to drive long distances to get to the Buffalo.
I sure would like to see some photos of Hailstone, but I seriously doubt anyone risked getting on that section.
BOB
That was a delightful run - and at about 4 ft on the Ponca gauge, if memory serves. That was one of the most enjoyable paddling days I’ve ever had, and thank you for suggesting it. I think Brian, Jim and Russ (from Madison, Wi), and Ken Hecht and Dana, and Boyscout(?) were along that day also. Probably others as well - I just don’t recall anymore - nor do I recall, Pete, what year that was. I remember Ken and Dana doing an end-over-end tandem canoe swamp - about the most spectacular I’ve ever seen on that day, but not in that hole. I think we all closely skirted it- heard it about a quarter mile away, so we all had fair warning. I’ve looked for that hole the couple times I’ve done that section since and haven’t found it, though water levels were similar. Peculiar how a feature that big could just simply disappear. The next day was when Jim’s trailer receiver broke a weld and some of us missed a second day’s paddle for want of a shuttle pick up.
Unless I hear about more rain or a flooded campground, I’ll shoot for being there on Tues. evening and be ready to paddle on Wed. Its about a twelve hour drive for me, and I would prefer not to drive that far for a hike instead of a paddle. Got some nice trails up here, too, but there’s only one Buffalo River. Thanks Pam & Pete for the updates. Good on youse guys.
The gauge at Ponca is already down to 4 1/2 feet this AM having dropped from a very high level to under 5 feet in less than 48 hours.
Use to do the Buffalo every memorial day weekend. Was a good paddle to get in shape for bigger water. And to try out a new kayak. Then headed west to paddle. Miss it tremendously. The music, the new friends.
My plans have changed a bit from what I had previously announced. I have been watching the gauges pretty carefully and at the rate the Buffalo is dropping on the Ponca gauge and taking into account the weather forecast, I am doubtful that Ponca will hold until Thursday and later unless there is more rain than predicted. The gauge has already dropped to 4.32 feet and 676 cfs. I think it will still be decent for Tuesday.
My daughter has indicated that she is willing to drive down to Ozark with me on Monday May 2. We will bring two vehicles each with wide racks, and will have one tandem canoe. We will arrive in the early evening and set up camp and plan to put on the river at Ponca Tuesday morning. Depending on whether others are there that wish to join us and what they wish to do, we will either do a day trip from Ponca to Kyles Landing or start a two day, overnight trip from Ponca back to Ozark.
If anyone anticipates being there in time to paddle on Tuesday and wants to join us, please indicate here are send me a PM.
Eric and I will be arriving Wednesday early afternoon. We’ll be pale and unseasoned, although not unpaddled.
I want to get out on the water and in the elements Wednesday afternoon even if it’s a boring up and down kind of trip. Just to get my skin used to being outside all day!
I hope others will want to paddle a little Wednesday afternoon too, and we can arrange some shuttles. But just in case the shuttles are all off having fun, does anyone have a recommendation of an easy Wednesday afternoon paddle for us?
Rena
Ozark to Hasty (9.1 miles) is usually pretty benign except of the carry up the hill at Hasty access. The shuttle is pretty straightforward.
If you wanted something a little shorter you could put in at Pruitt instead and go down to Hasty (7 miles). The upper Pruitt access and day use area are closed but Pruitt Landing is open.
If you wanted to do something short and very easy shuttle-wise just to get your feet wet, you could just paddle Ozark to Pruitt Landing (2 miles).
Keep in mind there has just been a high water event and as always following such an event there could be dead wood and obstacles in places that there hasn’t been in the past.
It is possible that my daughter and I would be back to Ozark by early Wednesday afternoon but I can’t guarantee it.
Earlier today I messenged the National Park Service Buffalo National River FB page inquiring about road conditions and I just got a response which I will post verbatim below:
“Hi, Peter! The road to Steel Creek is fine. There is one pothole near the end of the horse camp, but other than that, everything held up pretty well at Steel Creek. The Erbie Campground Road is in really poor shape since the flood. Several major washouts and potholes. Still navigable with high clearance and taking it slowly. Mt. Hersey and Woolum access roads both have some erosion, including a spot on Woolum Road where half the road fell off into the river prior to this last flood, but both roads are navigable if you take it slowly and choose your lines carefully.”
It sounds as if trucks would be able to access the river at Erbie especially if they are 4WD. I guess we won’t know about other vehicles until somebody with a truck ventures there.
At least Ponca to Kyles Landing, or Steel Creek to Kyles Landing trips are still feasible, assuming there is water. Kyles Landing to Ozark (11.1 miles) is also good to go.
I have been watching and thinking about this trip. I have decided to stay home. I will miss seeing all of you again, but I had too many things happening around here and no help with the driving. Perhaps this fall I will be able to drop my wife at her sister’s house in st Louis and join the fun on the Current. Here’s hoping.
Meanwhile I am wishing all of you a safe and enjoyable outing.
Peter
Hope to see the folks who can’t back it next week in the Fall. My plan has stayed the same, arriving Wednesday afternoon, wish I could come earlier but that darn pesky job thing. But looking forward to seeing everyone and getting some much needed camping/paddling time in. Unfortunately, I will be by myself as Robs shoulder issue does not allow him to paddle and he isn’t interested in just hiking for three days considering we were just down there mid March hiking. Hopefully his shoulder issue will be resolved by the time fall Rendezvous rolls around. Everyone drive safe and see you soon. FYI - LOW GAP CAFE SURVIVED COVID AND IS OPEN!
Thank you my friends for such thoughtful replies! See you Wednesday! Rena
Pete, I don’t think I can move things up a day - there are big doin’s doin’ up here. Linty’s son just bought an old house and is planning on getting married next month. I lost part of the day today with them - and it would have been really rude of me not to… Pet sitting and such needs to be set up tomorrow and I have to pick up the trailer in one town and load the Flashback on it in another town before I can start driving - so I expect to start about noon and take a room in MO somewhere tomorrow night. Arriving Tues., although in a best case scenario perhaps I can get there early enough to squeeze in a short paddle on Tues. Best I can do, and the levels will be what they will be when I arrive. Split cost on a campsite? I got beer…
Scratchy paddling I can do if necessary, but 29 ft. levels like last week, I won’t.
Pat, Dan C. will be arriving at Ozark sometime on Tuesday. Rena and Eric said they will be arriving sometime on Wednesday but were hoping to get in at least a short paddle on Wednesday.
Marty, Bjoern and a friend of his (Doug), my daughter and I are planning to put on at Ponca Tuesday morning for an overnight paddle back to Ozark Campground so you may see a couple of tents (a large 6 person job and a smaller 2 person Marmot) at Ozark and one or the other of my vehicles (big beige Mercury Marquis or my quarter century-old Toyota Tacoma) at Ozark but you wont see me. You are more than welcome to set up next to us. We should be arriving at Ozark via the river sometime on Wednesday afternoon.
As for the river level, the gauge at Ponca has already dropped to 3.79 feet and 381 cfs as of this evening. They got a little rain in the area but it hasn’t bumped the level at all. There is more rain predicted for Monday night. It might slow the rate of decline a bit but unless it turns out to be a lot more than currently predicted it won’t bump the discharge back up. I think Ponca will still be good for a put-in on Tuesday morning and maybe on Wednesday. I suspect after that it will be pretty scrapy.
I called BOC today. The road to Kyles Landing has a few washouts and pot holes but I am told it is passable in a passenger car driven with car. I am told that the Erbie Campground road is in really bad shape but possibly passable in a truck with high ground clearance driven slowly. I doubt that a put-in or take-out at Erbie will be a practical option this coming week.
Pete
What’s an ideal gauge reading at Ponca?
Rena
Rena,
I always go on BOC’s website - www.buffaloriver.com and they have river levels there, but their website isn’t working at the moment, I’ve tried to get on a few time and it gives me an error. Hopefully it will be up soon.
See ya soon,
Pam
I’m in site #7 - please, I’d love to have somebody share since I did pay for 7 nights. I’m currently in Bentonville visiting friends, I did set up my pup tent and that is probably where I’ll put my real tent - but if you come before I get there on Wednesday, go ahead and set up.
Its up… Ponca is reading at flood stage