Possum Walk Creek, Arkansas, US |
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| Usual Difficulty | IV-V(V+) (for normal flows) |
|---|---|
| Length | 8.7 Miles |
| Avg. Gradient | 100 fpm |
| Max Gradient | 160 fpm |
Note: The flat water at the top of the run has several trees down. Landowner just above the gorge has cleared alot of timber and some tree tops have flushed into the creek. As of July 1, 2007 the main drops were all clear of wood, but future rains will likely move the wood downstream.
Creek is 2.4 miles long followed by 1.6 miles on Raccoon Creek, 4 miles on the Beech Fork (both of which will be big class II/III pool drop play), and .7 mile on Greers Ferry Lake
Creek drops 100+ feet in middle half mile through 5 main drops. Lots of sieves and pin potential. Raccoon Creek contains some good surf waves and decent current in the pools then joins the Beech Fork for some nice volume, usually at or near flood level when Possum Walk is running. Several big waves and big pools and one monster hole near the end. Finish with about a 0.5 to 0.75 mile paddle (depending on Lake level) across the NE corner of Greers Ferry Lake to the Hwy 263 bridge.
Put-in: Go 0.25 miles North on Hwy 5/25 from Drasco, (intersection of Hwy 5/25 and 92). Turn left (continuing North) on Five Mile Road for 1.75 miles to the first bridge. Please park on the South side of the bridge.
Take-out: Go ~6 miles West from Drasco on Hwy 92 turn North on Hwy 263. Go 1.5 miles and cross the bridge over Greers Ferry Lake take the first right and park at the Public Access gravel lot.
This creek is manky. The bigger drops need a good amount of water to make them go. Lots of sieves on this run.
More info and photos at:
Possum Walk Creek at Lance's Whitewater Page
Look for 1.5+ inches of rain in the Drasco area. The main drops take a good water level to make them go.
| When | River/Gauge | Subject | Level | Reporter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Possum Walk Creek [AR] |
Roadkill
|
n/a | Lance Jones | |
| > 10 years | Possum Walk Creek, Arkansas [AR] |
Playing Possum
|
n/a | Julie Black |
No Comments
Users can submit comments.| Mile | Rapid Name | Class | Features (Legend) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.0 | Five Mile Road Bridge |  | |
| 0.5 | Five Mile Creek Confluence | ||
| 1.0 | Warm-up | III+ | |
| 1.2 | Possum Pinch | IV |  |
| 1.3 | Road Kill | 5.0 |  |
| 1.4 | Randall's Gamble | 5.0 | |
| 1.5 | Playing Possum | IV+ | |
| 1.5 | Possum Stew | IV+ | |
| 1.6 | Possum Hole | 5.0 | |
| 1.7 | Boof and Slide | IV | |
| 1.8 | Snake Eyes | III+ |  |
| 2.0 | Possum Pie | IV+ | |
| 2.5 | Raccoon Creek | III | |
| 4.2 | Beech Fork | III | |
| 7.5 | Greers Ferry Lake | N/A | |
| 8.8 | Hwy 263 access |  |
After a mile of flat moving water, the first rapid is a boof to the right, shortly followed by a small hole.
Possum PinchBelow the hunting cabin on river right, a fast narrow chute leads into a boatwide slot on river left. All of the flow funnels through this slot.
RoadkillA short complex drop of about 12-15 feet, which ends in two nasty slots on the left (main) channel. The bottom of the river right slot contains a high potential vertical pin or worse. Option is to portage over the right ledge (sieve) and run the right 'sneak' channel or portage left. The river right side 'sneak' channel is behind the boulders and out of sight in this photo.
A tight sluice into an S-turn on river right. Enter the sluice, avoid the first pin rock turn hard right over the drop and avoid the second pin rock, then finish with a hard left over the bottom of the drop. The tough part is getting right in the sluice, staying left leads into a nasty undercut sieve. Alternate high water route down the far left. Portage is on right.
Playing PossumA large undercut boulder forces the current far left and creates an eddy to the right. Watch out for the vortex sucking things under the boulder. A hard turn to the right around the boulder and off a steep 6 ft drop, followed with a small drop/hole into a small pool. At the top of this drop, the current pushes left with much more force than it appears, complicating the need to stay on line over the drop. There is a piton rock in the bottom of the main drop (usually only a problem at low water). A sticky pourover waits below the main drop.
A long complex rapid with several rocks and holes to negotiate with a 5-6 foot drop in the middle. Enter on the top right and work left through the drop. Eddy in time to avoid the sieve (Possum Hole) below. This drop has several places to pin or piton.
Possum HoleLarge boulders block the path. The left line is through a pyramid shaped hole (at the right water level) formed by the boulders touching above water level. There are undercut rocks inside the hole so watch the entrance. The right side line requires a hard 90+ degree turn to the left in front of a very nasty undercut slot. This drop contains several sieves. Portage high on the right or through the other hole on the left.
Double drop with a nice boof to the left on the top drop, with an option to slide to the right or boof to the left at the bottom. Watch the sluice on the left side of the bottom drop.
A slide down the right into a nice surf hole. Watch out for the hole on the left side of the slide. Bottom right is a nice surfing hole.
Possum PieA multi-move boulder drop. Last major rapid so enjoy the dessert, but don't eat the meringue.
Possum Walk joins Raccoon Creek as the gradient subsides and the flow increases.
Raccoon joins the Beech Fork to form the Devil's Fork of the Little Red River. A big pool drop Ozark stream.
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Five Mile Road to Highway 263 (8.7 miles), Possum Walk Creek Arkansas, US (mobile)
