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ELKHORN CREEK

  • March 27, 2018 10:48 PM
    Message # 6003456

    *********CANCELLED DUE TO HIGH WATER*********

    *******DISTILLERY DAM NOT PORTAGEABLE*********

    So…Got that Winter Kayaking Jones? Itching to get on the water?

    Saturday -- March 31, 2018

    Elkhorn Creek

    Frankfort, KY 2hrs 40min from Indy

    Class II with one or two class III rapids at high H2O levels

    Ok, here is the deal. The forecast is 62° high air temperature for Saturday which is doable but a drytop with thermal shirt and thermal long underwear is mandatory. Do not wear cotton; polypropylene is best. A drysuit would be a better idea. Dress for a swim. Gloves or Pogies would be a good idea if you don’t paddle in colder temps much.

    At this expected level and temperature you need to have a pool roll.

    The trip will be a GO if the gauge says 2500CFS or LESS. The portage around the Jim Beam Distillery Dam will be sketchy at 2500 and even sketchier at 3000. We will be setting safety at the Dam but it is still a slip and fall or loss of boat control away from a life threatening situation. Watch the Board and the HCC Facebook page for my decision about whether the level will be above the 2500CFS on Saturday noon. There is a certain amount of guesstimation involved on the rate of drop etc. It is 2370cfs as of 9:30pm Tuesday evening. However the watershed is supposed to get 3” by Thursday night, no rain on Fri. and we likely won’t put on until 1pm Saturday. I’ll make the call by 9:00pm Friday if it will be a too high NO GO.

    We will meet at the McDonalds on St Hwy 421 for a brief restroom break/grab-a-sandwich stop at 11:00am leaving no later than 11:30 to the put in to park and run shuttle. I got google to label the Put-In on their map two years ago so just type in “Elkhorn Creek Put In” and it will come up on Google maps. Respond here or on the HCKC whitewater board if you are coming. Tell me your skill level if I haven’t paddled with you before. Currently going are Elroy Shayes, Jason Tharp and Mark Kraus. If you have questions: 1-8one2/ three43- Six5four4 ask for Elroy or email elroyshayes@gmail.com.


    Last modified: March 30, 2018 12:13 PM | Hayes
  • March 30, 2018 12:14 PM
    Reply # 6008149 on 6003456

    Well... you win some, you lose some, and some get rained out. The dam at the Jim Beam distillery is a mandatory portage and starts getting really dicey at 2500cfs. Its unpassable somewhere between 3k and 4k. It is still raining in Frankfort as I write and AW says the gauge is starting to level off now at about 4510cfs. During the last rain event it dropped at about 1000cfs in 24 hours. If you do the math that doesn't get us where we need to be.

    Watch this Space. I'll try to find another date this Spring that will work because this is such a great stream for less experienced paddlers to learn their chops, for playboaters to practice, and it isn't an overnight trip.  SYOTR

Hoosier Canoe & Kayak Club

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