Aint Louie Fest - 2012 - March 10-18

[Roger]

Will be bringing the Taureau again and it's for sale. Make an offer. Negotiate!

Blue Subaru with Arkansas plates!! Be there the first weekend and a couple of more days!

Roger

[rcgalwa]

I will be a 1st timer @ ALF this year and was looking to put together a list of rivers to try to get on throughout the week. I am a C III-IV boater and was looking for a recommendation of any "must do" rivers within my ability level to shoot for. Thanks, Ryan-

[boatbuster]

I will be a 1st timer @ ALF this year and was looking to put together a list of rivers to try to get on throughout the week. I am a C III-IV boater and was looking for a recommendation of any "must do" rivers within my ability level to shoot for. Thanks, Ryan-

Some "must do" rivers in that difficulty to get on while you are at ALF:

Nearby:
Tellico
Little
Big South Fork
Clear Creek/Daddy's Creek'/Obed

More than an hour away:
Nolichucky
Chattooga Section III
French Broad/Big Laurel Creek

A bit harder (class III and IV to IV+)
Cheoah
Watauga
Chattooga Section IV

There are many others, but these are the ones that may run even if it is pretty dry.

See you at ALF,

Harrison

[Jon]

I know it's still a couple of weeks away, but what are the water levels like?

[boatbuster]

I know it's still a couple of weeks away, but what are the water levels like?

Hey Jon

Can't speak for East Tennessee but on this (East) side of the mountains we had a nice wet January followed by a warm and overly dry February. Hopefully we will be blessed with some "Jehovah's Wetness" (my all time favorite name for a paddling video) in the next two weeks. There have been past years where it has been dry and then started raining just in time for ALF. Keep your fingers crossed. In the meantime, here's the link to area stream flows:

http://www.boatingbeta.com/cgi-bin/myflows.cgi" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[doomroller]

This will be my first ALF and I'm not quite sure what to do. I will be driving down from Western NY Sunday night and am looking to boat Monday (probably on no sleep).

Does everyone just meet at Shoney's and figure out where to paddle or are trips planned ahead of time? I'm hoping to hit some Class IV creeks in my new Option.

Where does everyone party? Is the KOA rockin'?

Really stoked for ALF!

Any help is greatly appreciated,

Doom

[ESP]

Everyone meets at Shoney's in the morning. You figure out what you want to do and go with folks with the same inclination. Sweetwater KOA is one of the popular camping spots. There are a couple of informal get togethers but mostly everything is unplanned.

[BobH]

Are reservations needed at sweetwater koa?

[Todhunter]

Are reservations needed at sweetwater koa?

I don't think it's necessary, but probably a good idea.

[hankrankin]

so, where's the free camping at?

[bkirkland]

Around what time do folks start meeting up at Shoney's and what time do folks start heading on out ?

[ESP]

Free camping, check Waldens Ridge website for info. If I remember correctly folks were at Shoney's somewhere around 8 in the morning.

[h2sk1]

... If I remember correctly folks were at Shoney's somewhere around 8 in the morning.

I think that's an optimistically early time. I recall many people pulling up at 9 with an expectation of still grabbing breakfast before any trips were leaving. Maybe the weekend crowd was earlier??

[Roger]

I followed a group from Sweetwater and I didn't have time for a sit-down breakfast and we hit it around nine o'clock. Sunday was about the same for different reasons!

I think you got the early starters and those not-so early starters! Still should be able to get in with some folks!

[pmp]

finding somethin' to paddle for your ability... just listen to Louie. it's called ain't Louiefest for a reason