Jack's Fork or bust (Eminence, Cave: camping, safe, rating)

[Inoxkeeper]

I am leaving at 5:30 in the AM for Eminence to do a 1 & 1/2 day float on the Jack's, 17 bridge to Alley Spring. It has been raining, the river is up, they are calling for more rain (rivers going higher) but being the stupid men we are we are still going, rain be damned. We are camping on the river Friday night so if you hear news reports of 7 men drowned in the great Jack's Fork river flood of 2008...yep, it's me!

I am hoping to get some good pix for you guys. Maybe the sun will shine a little during our adventure, I have some good rain gear if not.

[OA 5599]

That is a beautiful float, and I wish you the best of luck! Watch out the river can rise FAST since it is pretty much in a canyon until you get to Bay Creek! But hey, you won't have to do any dragging

[Versatile]

Originally Posted by Inoxkeeper

I am leaving at 5:30 in the AM for Eminence to do a 1 & 1/2 day float on the Jack's, 17 bridge to Alley Spring. It has been raining, the river is up, they are calling for more rain (rivers going higher) but being the stupid men we are we are still going, rain be damned. We are camping on the river Friday night so if you hear news reports of 7 men drowned in the great Jack's Fork river flood of 2008...yep, it's me!

I am hoping to get some good pix for you guys. Maybe the sun will shine a little during our adventure, I have some good rain gear if not.

I sure hope you survive.

[ShadowCaver]

Inoxkeeper - awesome! By gum, do I love that river... should be quite beautiful too, what with the soft shades of the newly emerging buds, the velvety leaves, the varied colours dancing on the hillsides above yas... Oh wait, nevermind - it will be raining and lightnin' and thunderin' and river swellins and yas buried under your ponchos! Well, at least the temps will be not so bad - 70 and then 65 and then 55 day, mid-low 40's at night. Seriously, will be looking forward to some photos - good/safe trip! Looks like Sat will be quite nice day tho' for yas...

[Inoxkeeper]

Well, it wasn't a bust but it was one heck of an adventure. The river has flooded twice this year, once it was 20' above flood stage and the other 14'. This caused some amazing sights up in the trees. The banks were scoured badly; root wads 2-3 feet deep were exposed all down the banks. It will be snake heaven for years to come.

It was washed so badly in places I didn't recognize a lot of the river, I missed finding hospital cave because of it. Trees were across the river in a few places even thou the forest guys has already made a trip or two cutting them out.

We put in on Friday and floated to Chalk bluff, we got there just in time to barely get our tents up before the downpour hit. I was snug and dry but the wind pushed my tent over on top of me a time or two. Some of our group that was a little slower getting to the camp ground decided to pitch their tent in the storm and ended up very wet with 1” or so of water in the tent before it was done. I had fun heckling them from my tent.

The good news Saturday was a great day to float…the bad news, one of the new root wads grabbed our boat and we tunked. Besides the unwanted swim I managed to lose my new digital camera and my GPS. They are bouncing along the bottom of Jack’s in a watertight bag that is clear with a yellow strip across the top. It’s out there for anyone who wants to go looking for it.

I had some great pix of jam up cave, I am bumming big time over the loss. I know better but I was getting too confident (the bloody maries and wild turkey had nothing to do with it I swear!) with my canoe skills.

I will be back soon trying it again, the dogwoods and redbuds were beautiful as were the bluffs and all the wildflowers blooming along some of the banks. Jack’s always leave us with a few stories!

PS, the water was great, very cold, but great for floating.

[ShadowCaver]

Hmmmmm,,, sounds like a need to go on a fishing trip sometime on the Jack's Fork...

Sorry to hear about the camera and GPS, that is quite frustrating and sad. Trip sounds like yas still made best of it and had memorable good time.

[kshe95girl]

Originally Posted by ShadowCaver

Inoxkeeper - awesome! By gum, do I love that river... should be quite beautiful too, what with the soft shades of the newly emerging buds, the velvety leaves, the varied colours dancing on the hillsides above yas...

I can remember floating that trip and feeling like I was in an Imperssionist painting...... sorry I was offline for this thread while it was going.......