VA Float-in Wilderness Hunt (Update with scouting report pg3)

[paleFace]

Chuck i have everything i need for camping. i will check my water purifier to see if it still works. i have not used it since an elk hunt in 2000. i also have a canoe.

[Larry247]

How many boats, and how much gear can we haul?
I bought a small 4-man tent today i'd like ta bring with me. Plus a back pack and sleeping bag. I don't want to crowd the boat too much. How far from the creek are we goina camp?
Just thought i'd ask...

[Talondale]

How much we can haul depends on how many boats we have.  I'm going to be scouting out a camp area next weekend (hopefully)but figured we'd camp along the river near one of the creeks.  Topography may not allow that but I'll have a better idea next Saturday. I'd like to think minimum impact, (sorry KOA comment sounded snarky, was meant to be funny) so I'm thinking tents, and small camp/hiking stoves, backpacking style gear.  We will have the luxury of bringing a few more items than we would if we were packing it all in.  I'm going to try to get everything to fit two coolers, one for gear and a smaller one for food.  I have a flatboat and Bob said he has a boat as well if the water runs high enough the whole way.  Always89 said he can rent a boat.

Tonight is supposed to be down in the 40's.  It's getting close to that time!

[Talondale]

HATCHCHASER, just got the word that there are no native brook trout in that area.  Some nearby, on the opposite side of the range but not in that immediate area.  Sorry.

[Talondale]

Ok.   I just got back from scouting the area, or I should say the river access.  Pictures will be forthcoming along with commentary.  To start off, here is a picture of our objective.  This is where we'll beach and set up camp.
 

[Talondale]

I didn't get as many pics as I was hoping.  I took 3 pairs of batteries but despite what my tester said I don't think any of them were fully charged.  Poor planning, I know but I was hoping Rob was going to be able to make this scout trip and he'd take some incredible pics.  But we couldn't match up our schedules so you're stuck with my poor pics.

Ok, to begin with here's a pic of the Maury River right before it joins the James, which is where we will be putting in.
 
Here's a pic of what the northern boundary of the wilderness area looks like, the James and Maury are meeting just beyond the corn field.
 

[Talondale]

I should have figured something was wrong right away.  My sister and I put in at the public boat ramp but within a few moments we came to an impasse.  We had to get out of the boat and carry it over rocks.  I discovered that with the water level being several feet low due to the dry weather, my boat is not going to work.  The whole trip was characterized with bouncing off rocks, running aground on submerged rocks, and porteging around rapids.  The canoes and kayaks we saw seemed to have no problems but my wide flat boat just wasn't able to maneuver through the narrow channels.  I'm going to have to find myself a canoe for this weekend.

Here is what it looked like when we finally got onto the James.
 
 

[Talondale]

It took about 45 minutes for us to get to area I had picked for a campsite.
 
Here's what it looked like on the other shore.
 
We beached the boat and I went into look around in the woods.

[paleFace]

looking good Chuck!  can't wait to stomp around in these woods.....

[Forester]

OK Chuck, you are absolutely killing me!

And I just found out last night that my travel plans for that weekend may change.  How late can a guy get in on this adventure?  I could crash the party in an unobtrusive way and be independent in terms of food and gear.  I may only be dreaming here so I can't make promises.

[paleFace]

Duane you know you are welcome any time... if you can make it will you be able to roll on Thursday morning?  if you are going to be a little later you may be able to catch up with Ed as he has class that day and will probably no get away until later in the afternoon.

[Forester]

Where is Ed in class?

[Talondale]

Friday morning Rob.  Yeah Duane, nothings firmed up yet.  I don't even have a definite list of attendees yet.  Sorry for the delay, but I was beat last night and was on the water much later than I expected and had family time to make up.

The edge of the beach had plenty of tall weeds and trees, perfect deer country (and ticks and snakes)with sandy soul.  As I eased back into the woods I struck a trail, a human trail.  Let me just set the record for you guys considering this trip.  If you're looking for an Alaskan wilderness experience void of the touch of man, this isn't it, at least not on the river edge.  It was apparent this area had been used often as a nature break for boaters and I even found some fire sites.  Turns out that just below this beach is one of the more popular rapids for the area, Balcony Falls.  So a lot of boaters lunch here I would guess.  Also, across the river is a train track and up the mountain is VA 130/501.  Not to turn anyone off, I think if you hike off the river's edge it will be as wild as you want but I didn't want someone to have false expectations of total isolation and be disappointed.  Anyway, I followed the trail to the north.  As I walked I noticed the ground was strewn with acorns, white oak I believe, and hickory nuts.  I heard them falling as I looked around.  With all these nuts Mr. Bushytail wasn't far away.  I could hear him skittering around in the upper branches.  The area looked like a likely place for several adventurous bowmen to repose for a few days.  My surmise was reinforced by my discovery of an old fire site.  I continued along the trail and it led to a dry creek bed, Big Cove Branch.
 
I followed the bed and found pools of water between the rocks.
 

[Talondale]

The creek bed led to a small cliff face with a pool below.  All that remained of a springtime waterfall was several lines of trickling water keeping the moss alive.  Several small fish darted in the waters below.  A young poplar growing next to the pool had movement along the edge of the lower bark.  An eye peeked around the curve of the tree and then a shadow moved up the trunk.  I had a flu flu arrow on my string.  I knew if I missed my arrow would burst on the limestone face behind the tree.  Remembering a trick mentioned on a thread here I kissed the back of my hand.  Apparently the squirrel had read the same thread, or one similar, because he was having none of it and scampered up the tree and leaped to safety beyond the lip of the cliff face.  Being boxed in on three sides I retraced my steps and decided to parallel the ridge heading south.  The terrain raised fairly gently, for this area, and looked like it offered some good stalking opportunities.  
 
I regretted the coloring sky knowing I didn't have time to explore more if I was going to get off the river before dark.  As I headed back to the river I found evidence that I wasn't the first to think of this opportunity.
 
It is a brave or foolhearty soul that would use that bit of homemade danger.  The ground was littered with deer tracks and the vegetation showed signs of heavy overbrowsing.  I spotted what may be an early mock scrape or turkey scratching with a hoof print in it.  Definite possibilities were everywhere.

[Talondale]

Here are a couple of shots looking back towards the beach to give you an idea of the rise of the land in this area.
   
   

We now faced the Balcony falls.
   
This is a class II/III rapid and as I said the water was low leaving only one valid channel.  We chose the better part of valour and decide to carry around rather than risk a spill.  I think this may even be fun in a canoe but upending is a definite possibility if you get sideways or lodged on a submerged rock.  After this the rocks were frequent and required constant adjusting of our position and direction of travel.  While we were busy avoiding rocks, within several hundred yards of the beach we were just on, a mature bald eagle flew out of the trees and went along the river in front of us before alighting on a tree on the side of a steep mountain in front of us.  Things were too fluid (pun intended) for me to get a picture opportunity so we just enjoyed his majesty and paddled.  Further on I saw two river otters, my first time seeing otters ever.  They kept ahead of us and would pop their heads out of the river to check our progress.  Eventually we made the flat water section of this journey.  It is about two miles of still water before the dam and our takeout point.  Count on some paddling here.  The moon, approaching fullness peaked above a ridge.
   

[Talondale]

This was a five mile journey and took us about 5 hours, including about 30 minutes to look around at our intended campsite.  A couple of my impressions:
We should meet Friday Oct 19, about 10 AM at the Glasgow public boat launch.  This will give those traveling time to get there without having to leave at some unreasonable time.  Those who are coming from further than 4 hours will probably stay at a nearby hotel.    Here\\'s some hotels for those coming east or west.   Travelers from the south may want to consider   The Wattsull Inn, in Buchanan.  It's a cheap nice hotel with some nice views about 25 minutes from the put-in point.  Or if you want something a little out of the ordinary you could try   The Railcar Inn .  It will also give us time to set up camp and explore for the evening hunt.

Taking a spill is a possibility.  More likely on the trip out than on the way in.  It's a fairly simple section of river a lot of beginners run, but they aren't running it with a boatload of gear.  Pack accordingly.  I plan on making some pvc containers like Terry made for the LDR bow for my bow and arrows.  It will protect from being crushed if someone looses balance and floats if the canoe gets swamped.

Please have some sort of protective floatation device.  I use a ski vest.  It's the law and just plain smart.  If anyone has a rescue/throw rope that would be great.

River shoes or old sneakers are a good idea, they WILL get wet and I don't know what the temp is going to be so wool socks may be a good idea.  I have neoprene surf boots and they work well.  
 
Weather is going to be an important factor.  The river is low right now but a week of rain could make things unsafe.  Rob and I have talked about it and we are thinking his hunting area is not far away and could be a possible alternate.  Also there is a land entrance to the wilderness area on the south border and we are surrounded by National Forest.  I'll leave that up to concensous if it becomes necessary.
 
I plan on leaving Sunday at a leisurely pace, maybe fishing for smallmouth on the way out.  
 
I'll get on here later tomorrow and start posting a tenative list of gear I plan on packing.
 
We're four weeks out and we should start getting a list of committed people.  So who's definitely in?

[Talondale]

TTT

[UK Bowman]

Looks great Chuck! I truley wish that I could make it...are you coming to Rob's Bath Co event?

[Talondale]

Adam, I'll be there Friday night and Saturday.

[Talondale]

Ok. I sent emails out to all who expressed an interest in this trip, or I thought expressed an intrest.     Please check your mailboxes.  If you didn't get an email, and are interested in making this trip, PM or email me and let me know.  We only have 16 days left and we need to get some things arranged. Plenty of room for more.