March 27, 2018
| Reporter | david grant |
Just rafted this run on a 12ft raft on March 1, 2018. It was a blast. I think flow was 7ft. Even though the gauge history doesn't show it, I checked the gauge here on the website the day we floated and that is what it read. I know they had flash floods in Arkansas, and it read 9.7ft at 8am the same day. It is a dangerous river because it rises fast and drowned a lot of campers at Albert Pike several years ago. As a result, camping is no longer allowed at Albert Pike. DO NOT PUT IN UPSTREAM OF ALBERT PIKE. The low water bridge at Albert pike will kill someone at high flows. Just put in at the bridge at Albert Pike.
Winding stairs' last rapid forms a corkscrew/vortex horizontal hydraulic at this level, and it is either run it or choose getting slammed into the cliff face where the river makes about an 100 degree left turn. I definitely think it is a class IV at this level, so I would scout this rapid using the hiking trail on river left before the first of the three ledge drops. Once you start them, you are committed.
The road for the river takeout at hwy 84 has gotten washed out, but it still passable. I would recommend an SUV or Pickup.