Stream Crossings: your stories wanted

“Many streams to cross this year. How do you do it safely, keep your feet dry, etc. Please tell me your stories.”

“I did a hike-in fishing trip one year and it rained all of the first day. For some reason the fishing was still good so we had a good time. When we hiked out we had to cross a raging river where we had walked dry two days before.

I hate fast moving water.”

“I've used a downed branches to kind of pole vault over streams that weren't too wide.”

“I was stuck in the pouring rain with a Lg stream to cross in Jan. We sat for about an hour deciding wether or not to cross or camp, while his dog was rolling in horse sh!t. Finally we started across. My buddy had gortex and he hardly made it across without a over spill. I decided to take the boots off, man what a mistake in January. It was 45 degrees out but the water was freezing. Once I took the first step in a froze up, couldnt move and was it PAINFUL. I was yelling "give me the god dam pack towel!!!!" I know ill never cross a stream in Jan. again.”

“Me and my daddy swimmed cross Mr. Jacks river in the Hutta Woods ELEVENTY HUNNERD TIMES! It was perty fun I gess.

In Wyodaho we walked on trees to get to the nother side. Ther was lots of good trees.

Kno what? When we was in New Yort Kittykills the nother day I was walkin on a log and Mr. Sir Peet PUSHED ME OFF OF THE LOG! and I falled in the creek on the icee watter on my pakpak so it did not hert much but I was still a leetle bit mad but not for much time.

Ther was prolly nother times that I dont member rite now.”

“Compost: A good place to find tips is in a whitewater rescue handbook, since they explain swiftwater dangers very clearly. As a paddler, I've done a fair share of traversing moving water for a number of reasons.

Always choose a broad, shallow crossing over a narrow, deep crossing. More steps, but less force on your legs. When the water is funneled, it speeds up and may have dredged a deeper channel than it looks. Just because a trail crosses a stream at a certain point doesn't mean you have to. Search the banks upstream and down for the best possible conditions.

Always face at least part way up stream -- if the water can hit you in the back of the legs, you can be toppled quite quickly, face down. Shuffle as you walk to avoid stepping down into a hole, or wedging your foot in rocks.

Use a stick or trekking poles for added support and balance. Unbuckle your waistbelt and sternum strap so you can jettison your pack quickly if you do go down. Hard enough to maneuver in swift water without a backpack on.

If multiple persons in party, link hands or have the first (most adept) across run a line if the water is particularly fast.

As a paddler, I've just had to accept that I'll be getting wet. As a backpacker, I've never gotten more than my feet wet, but I've been lucky to always find logs or rocks to hop across.”

“For winter crossings, I have a pair of ultralight stockingfoot hip waders (basically reinforced nylon plastic bags)that can worn with tevas. They are also great for their intended purpose, which is backcountry fly fishing.
I got mine from Orvis, but I don't think they make them any more. If I can find a current supplier, I'll post a link.”

“On Sipsey trip I 2002, MDSHiker, sandy, and myself came to a stream about 15 yards across that looked deep. We were only a 1/2 mile from the trailhead on our way home. We could either cross or bushwhack 2.5 miles each way to a bridge. We'd hike the lenght of the stream two days before and it was low calf depth. Now, after 2" of rain the night before we didn't know. It wasn't fast moving so we decided what the heck. We didn't even undress(had dry clothes 1/2 mile away). It turned out to be waist deep and COLD. I think it was 3 days before I could take a leak.”

“Great advise pekka. I’d like to highlight the need to unbuckle your sternum strap and waistbelt. Loosen your shoulder straps too to make it easier to get off. A pack will float meaning you’ll be forced face down.

Back in 1973, two brothers from my Boy Scout troop and goods friends of my brother attempted to sort of tag-team the Appalachian Trail. One started in Maine and the other in GA. They were to meet in the middle. Bob Brugman never made it as he was crossing a storm-swollen stream at Claredon Gorge in Vermont where the bridge had washed out. I heard that he hadn’t taken the simple precaution of unbuckling. The new bridge there has a plaque in his memory.”

“Violin's point is good: unbuckle you pack so you can ditch it if you start to fall.

It seems a lot of my favorite trails have logs across the streams, if not right at the trail, then up or downstream a bit. Even here, though, I unbuckle my sternum strap and waistbelt just in case I start losing my balance.

On an old pack of mine, it had a sleeve on the top, secured at the opening with velcro, that was a handy place to stash a map. I used to put my camera in there until one time I was crossing the Cooper River, barefoot, carrying my boots in my hand...I started to slip on the slick river rock and leaned waaaay forward, which caused the camera to fly out, right through the opening and into the water. I grabbed it, but not before it had gotten a good soaking.

Some people bring along Tevas or even AquaSox to change into to protect their feet from sharp river rock, but if you have a lot of streams to cross, that does get old.”

“I just camp if it looks like a soaker!”

“Everybody knows MY stream crossing story.. but hey.. I can post it again I guess.

Goshen Prong Stream Crossing (during ‘Smokies West’ backpacking trip.”

“My husband and I cross arm in arm, with him upstream breaking the force of the current. We cross with one of us stationary while the other takes a step. If one loses their footing, the other holds them steady until they are stable again. A couple of times, he threw me to shore when he didn't think he could continue to stand. It works well for us. We use hiking sticks, and often, before committing to a crossing, we can tell by how difficult it is to anchor the stick whether or not we need to find another place to cross. I have learned to trust my instincts. If I'm not comfortable with the crossing, we keep going. Often the far side of the creek is faster or deeper than where we start, so if it starts out bad, we look elsewhere. Often areas with sand bars are not as deep, and they give you a break. If you are with a group, sometimes it helps for one person to try the crossing without their pack. If they slip, it is easier to swim to shore without the weight and awkwardness of the pack. Some people assume that a fast release buckle means that they don't need to undo their belts, but having been in some really cold water where I couldn't feel my extremities, and having fallen a couple of times and had to deal with the panic surge, I wouldn't want to count on keeping cool enough to be able to undo my pack in a hurry. We always keep our boots on for crossings and empty them out on the far side. Rocks can be slippery and/or sharp, and it is easy to wedge a foot when crossing, so going barefoot can be a real trip-ender.”

“Cross in slow shallow wide spots, if you can use a log to cross on, do so, cross barefoot for better traction and tactile sensing.”

“Ive heard your story TD and man what a great bummer!”

“prowler - naw man.. it made for such an INCREDIBLE trip.. instant conversation tool.. 'hey dude? where are your boots?'”

“We were hiking the Greybull River hear in Wyoming one year. Actually hiked up and over a pass to get to the head of the Greybull.

It was the last night out and we had set up camp near a river crossing. It was late afternoon and three hikers were just crossing the river. The first one crossed, took off the 'crossing' shoes and was throwing them across to the 2nd guy, who had 1 boot off and 1 boot on. The 1st shoe made it across and the 2nd shoe came up short. The 2nd guy had to jump in the river with 1 boot still on. He couldn't get to the shoe so the 3rd guy ran down river to catch up to it. He ended up jumping into the river also. So, the 1st guy, who couldn't get the 2nd shoe across the river, was the only guy with dry boots after that.

The funniest thing was they were carrying fishing waders in boxes in one hand and rolls in bags in the other hand. Still had 7 miles to get where they wanted to be.”

“If you're gonna cross a stream, you have to be prepared to get totally wet. Doesn't mean you're gonna, but prepare for the worst, hope for the best.

Here's how Troll and I did it. We were in Monson, Maine about April or May. Read that high and COLD water. Water wasn't real high, like after a rain, but there were no bare banks. We had 4-5 crossings to do. The first one set the tone.

We sigh and say, oh well, here's what we gotta do. We trade our boots for some walmart brand water slippers. Those are to protect our feet and toes, as it gets too cold to feel them in the water. Our pants come off. All these are tied up on top of our packs, along with the pack towel. The packs are completely unbuckled. I had lekis, he didn't.

He crosses first, and the sounds coming out of him convince me that it is some Mo*&%$(%$)ing cold in that stream. I stretch out the lekis and go straight across. The poles help get balance and fight the current.

We manage to cross without getting our skivvies wet. Half way across, we can not feel any part of our body that is in the water. We sort of lean forward and swing our hips to move our feet forward. Glad I had poles.

Upon getting to the other side, we immediately drop the packs, dry off, dress up again, jump up and down, and eat a snickers bar. We would eat a good many snickers bars before that day was over. The water slippers are tied outside the pack to dry off.

We cross the stream some 5 times that day. The final crossing, the trail goes just in front of a dam, about 3-4 feet high. The water is fast and a hole has been gouged out in the river bed. We are tired, near the shelter and not really looking forward to this last crossing.

So we do what any one else would do. We broke out the stoves and cooked up a meal. Should have seen his eyes light up when I pulled out the hot dogs. You know, the red ones from the deli counter. We eat those and I look for a better way. His knees are aching a bit and he's ready to set up camp right there. We wouldn't be the first to do so.

Up stream a ways, I see some big rocks across the pond!!! But there are a couple missing... I go as far as I can, then go back. I grab this great big rock and hop out there with it and install another stepping stone. About 4 more trips and I have them all in place. I head across and back down stream to Troll. I holler at him and say, hey we can cross this.

So I get back to him and we buckle up and head up stream. For this crossing, we latch our backpacks on good-n-tight. We are about to do some rock hopping and don't want a loose pack to knock us off balance. It was a calculated risk and we felt real good about getting across. We did make with no problem. Kinda asks the question, When does a stream crossing become a bridge ...

The rest of the trip is uneventful and we quickly make it to the shelter and enjoy a good night's sleep.”

“I keep my pakpak stripped reeeeel tite like a swimmy theeng cuz it helps me flote like a log and I can swim gooder. Some times my daddy says "Oh my goodys! ever theeng in yer pakpak is perty wet!" but that is ok cuz my suppers get in sammich bags and it is ok if the watter pumper and puncho and trash bag get wet tho.

Some times watter will still be in my pakpak and I hafta take it off and pore out the watter.”

“Hmmm....

Just how does a dog take of her own backpack to pour the water out? Something's funny here.”

“Baume66
That's Medicgirl.”

“yep, where has she been?”

“Don't know. I haven't seen her around in a while either.”

“Before I read every one's stories (and I'm gonna enjoy that) I just want to say...

SACRIFICE YOUR BOOTS, MAN! THEY'LL DRY OUT!

It's just not worth dunking your whole body and gear when you slip or smash your toes, or falling out of a tree trying the acrobatic approach to creek crossing (lessons learned the hard way).

How many of you guys have tossed your boots across the creek just to have them roll down the opposite bank and into the water?”

“Oh no way man am I gonna hike in wet boots deliberatly. I'll carry the water slippers so you can't call me toerot. LOL.”

“I had a cool one this year.In hoosier national forest on the grubb ridge loop.It had rained real bad for like two days sown there and I had gone backpacking for the weekend and when I got to saddle creek it was very high.The trail was all the way under water so I found a cool tree bridge to cross.It was a good thing I brought my poles becuase I almost lost it 2 times.But once I got across it was cool.”

“Hiking up streams is cool!!! I like it when the whole hike is a stream crossing!!!

nice pic Balmee”

“td, thats why I said GREAT bummer! hehe

my boots are not waterproof but water repellant! i cant spend that much money for a pair of gortex.”

“"i cant spend that much money for a pair of gortex`"

Steal em, man

5 finger discount”

“I use Tevas to cross, and unbuckle the pack.

The third morning of a six day trip. SnowDude and I had a stream crossing. It was raining (for 2 days by now), SnowDude woke up with HAPE, and the water was high. We were at 8500' and had to go over 12K passes to get out, either way we went. I crossed first, with my camera in the top pocket of my pack, and my boots around my neck. I was facing upstream, sidestepping across (large slippery boulders to manuever around), water waist high. Then a stong current hit me, and my trekking pole collapsed. My shoulders and boots went in, but I kept the camera and most of the pack out of the water. I recovered and made it to the other side. I got mad at SnowDude for not getting it on the video camera. When he crossed, the current pulled him down.... but I got the picture!

recovery”

“crazy mike, that's where prowler was talking about earlier, when my dog rolled in horse poop. i hate that creek.
hey, check this out. i don't know how to make a clicky link and it's long so just go to wiggys.com and click on catalog then leg/footwear. if you really hate crossing those streams it will be worth your time.”