Date: Feb 1, 2018
Location: Upper Mountain Fork River, OK
Boat: Ocean Kayak Trident 15
Put In: Polk Co Road 48
Take Out: Rivers Edge Cabins
Distance: 21.5 miles
Attending: Solo
Smithville gage: Approx 260cfs
https://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv?07338750
I have made this day paddle many times and it is always a treat. In all my years of paddling the upper Mt Fork I have never encountered another paddler. See my tracks in the link below for exact put in and take out locations. The morning was foggy/cloudy with temperature in the low to mid 30s. The flow is not what I had hoped for but given I have not been able to paddle this section in a while due to low water I made a go of it. My wife dropped me off and I was on the water by 9am sharp. The first bit is easy going with a couple of ripples then after about 30 minutes you come upon the Boy Scout Camp Pioneer or river left. There is a weir dam with a shoot on the left that can be run in higher water but in low water it will leave you skidding to a stop and put in on some slippery rock to get out and push off. I chose to rope it down on the right and was quickly on my way. There are some really beautiful twists and turns just down from the camp and some decent spots to camp.
About mile 6 I spotted an otter running along the bank and watched him really making a trot then understood why. He was running back to his or her den and out popped another. I always observe many bald eagles on this stretch of river but did not see a single one this year. I also saw many deer along the river bank but could not manage to get to my camera fast enough. I made the Hwy 246 bridge by about 11:40 and pulled out on river right about a half mile down for some lunch and hot tea. I made a small fire with a couple of strikes of my firesteel to warm my hands and dry my pants a bit. Back on the water by 12:20. From there to Beachton road the river has several little rapids with some drops and rock gardens, a fun paddle in higher water. I made Beachton road about 2:25 and a quick drag over the road and into the river. About a half to quarter mile above Beachton there is a really nice gravel bar on river right to camp on.
The treck from Beachton road to the cabins is only about 4.5 miles but has several drops and rock gardens which again would be a really nice white water warm up for the Cossatot River which is not too far away. In order to catch this you need to just drop and go when the rain hits as this section of river drains fairly quickly. I arrived at the cabins at 3:20pm and then drove my truck down to the river pick up my gear and boat then jumped into the hot tub with a glass of wine and enjoyed what remained of the day.
Below are a few pictures and a link to my tracks along the paddle.
Co Road 48 put it on river right below the bridge. You can park on upstream and the west side of the river.
Weir dam at the Boy Scout camp. See shoot on river left
Look at weir dam from below
Where Co road 38 crosses. Can put in on river right here too.
One of several drops and rock gardens before and after Beachton road
One of several drops and rock gardens before and after Beachton road
Some of the many geese seen on the river
More rock gardens and a drop
Track
STOTW,
Earl