Spring Break Float on the Buffalo?

[trailside dreamer]

Thinking about bringing some older Boy Scouts to the Buffalo River over spring break. Just wondering about water levels and weather. Any advice? Bring wetsuits or stay home?

thanks

[Cowper]

Any advice? Bring wetsuits or stay home?

???
Staying home should not be in your vocabulary!
Bring wetsuits. In March, could be snowing, or could be cotton tee shirt weather, we just never know until it gets here. Water levels could change which section of river you get to run, but SOMETHING will be good that time of year. You have time to scope out a couple of different trips; if water levels are favorable, the tallest bluffs and some nice shoals/easy rapids are found on the section from Ponca or Steel Creek down. If water is lower, move to a Middle or Lower River stretch - the bluffs are still beautiful, and the rapids still fun, just a bit more distance in the pools. Like I say, scope two trips, set your final destination the week of the trip when you make a final check on actual water level. If the weather gets really ugly, switch to short day trips on local trails, or possibly even a caving trip. Once you go into the cave, temperatures will be very moderate no matter what it is doing outside.

[Richard]

Where is your scout troop from? I am thinking Kansas City area?
How long will you be here and are you looking at camping on gravel bars or base camping?
Is the 50 miler a part of your plans?
Have the scouts earned the canoeing merit badge?

I would highly recommend purchasing Buffalo River Handbook by Kenneth L. Smith and the two Trails Illustrated maps of the Buffalo River (West and East maps)

[boba]

I have been camping/floating on the Bufflao during spring break most years since the mid seventies. The weather has ranged from ridiculously cold to sublimely warm. And the water levels are even more variable. I took my children by canoe on the Buffalo when they were about eight or nine- they paddled their own canoe. Plan a trip but keep flexible about just what part of the river to do. I recommend going as high on the river as your skill levels and water will allow. Try to limit the number of miles done per day to give yourselves plenty of time to wander around on gravel bars, and fiddle around the bluffs.

[Richard]

Also, keep in mind that the river can move from "too low to float" to "flood stage" very quickly. It did just that this week. To flood is not uncommon in the spring.

Also, when picking a gravel bar to camp on, make sure it provides an escape route in the event of flooding. That means don't camp on a spot that can become an island in rising water.

http://waterdata.usgs.gov/ar/nwis/uv?cb ... o=07055646" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[turboturtle]

If you will notice on the Hwy. 65/ St. Joe gauge, the Buffalo jumped ten feet and is still climbing. It could be nominal levels where you are, then overnight or sooner a good rain upstream can change the levels dramatically. The outfitters stop renting on the middle section at ten foot.
If rain is forecast during the time you are planning to be there, remember to drag all your canoes off the bank to higher ground and tie them up to a tree Theirs no counting the number of campers who woke the next day to missing canoes. Bob