Harrison's Hangout - My Kayaking Page

Lower Screw-Up Rapid on Richland Creek

Take Me to the River

My paddling "career" began in 1977 on the Buffalo River in NW Arkansas while I was in college at theUniversity of Arkansas. I paddled canoes for several years but switched to kayaking when I started paddling Class IV whitewater. The Numbers section of the Arkansas River in Colorado was just to much work in an open canoe. Most of my paddling that I have done has been in Arkansas although I have paddled in Colorado, Idaho, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina/Georgia, Texas, and Oklahoma. I enjoy paddling Class III+ and IV whitewater. I don't considered myself a Class V paddler although I have paddled some Class V (?) rapids. Listed below are a few of my favorite paddling spots.

The above photo sequence is Sunshine Falls in the Royal Gorge of the Arkansas River in Colorado. This run was at a low level, about 600 cfs.

Prettiest Whitewater Runs

Upper Richland Creek, Arkansas

Upper Buffalo River (Hailstone), Ozark Mtns. Arkansas
Upper Richland Creek, Ozark Mtns. Arkansas
Section IV Chattooga River - Georgia/South Carolina

Favorite Ender Spots

Ted Colewell at Last Drop-Cossatot Falls

Ender Rock - Rapid No. 4 - Numbers Section - Arkansas River CO
Last Drop - Cossatot Falls - Cossatot River AR

The Best Surfing Wave

Believe it or not the best surfing wave I have come across is in the middle of Tulsa, OK on the Arkansas River. That's one of the several big waves shown above. The Dust Bowl Chapter of the Arkansas Conoe Club held a whitewater rodeo there three years. There is also a very large hole that forms here. Affectionately known as Big Nasty.

For those that wonder "How could you have a whitewater rodeo in Tulsa? I didn't know there was any whitewater in Oklahoma". Click here to see some BIG water surfing.

If you would like to know more about whitewater in the Ozarks, check out the Ozarks Whitewater Page.

Another great source for a wider range of whitewater information, links, products, etc is the American Whitewater Association's Homepage.

Back to Harrison's Hangout
My Hiking Page
The Tulsa Whitewater Rodeo
More Pictures of Arkansas Whitewater
Chattooga and Arkansas River Pictures

If you have any comments, questions, suggestions etc. E-Mail me at
hsutcliffe@geocities.com