Fording Rivers and Streams
video description
1. keep your feet pointing down river and up at the surface so that they do not get caught in rocks
2. you will most likely have a pack liner or stuff sacks in your backpack and these should at least for a little while keep your pack buoyant. If you can you should bear hug it to help you stay on the surface
If you loose your pack though it will most likely eddy out not too far downstream so it would be a good idea to hike along the stream and try and find it.
Date: 2020-08-18
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Comments and reviews: 9
Mike
Crossing as a group, either tripod or in-line is much, much safer than crossing alone because the group acts as a SINGLE body having the mass of the group, not the mass of an individual body. Look at the stationary objects in a river such as heavy rocks, downed trees, etc. They have MASS and the flowing river has little or no effect on moving heaving objects. So if you are in a group, band together and increase the collective mass.
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Crossing as a group, either tripod or in-line is much, much safer than crossing alone because the group acts as a SINGLE body having the mass of the group, not the mass of an individual body. Look at the stationary objects in a river such as heavy rocks, downed trees, etc. They have MASS and the flowing river has little or no effect on moving heaving objects. So if you are in a group, band together and increase the collective mass.
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Russell
I've done a swift water awareness course as part of my training with out state emergency service ( NSW State Emergency Service, in Australia, and what Dixie has said is very true. Brace yourself with your hiking poles or a heavy stick, lean into the flow, and if you do get washed away, ditch your pack, and float on your back feet first. If you get to deep water, look for an eddy and use it to take you to the shore.
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I've done a swift water awareness course as part of my training with out state emergency service ( NSW State Emergency Service, in Australia, and what Dixie has said is very true. Brace yourself with your hiking poles or a heavy stick, lean into the flow, and if you do get washed away, ditch your pack, and float on your back feet first. If you get to deep water, look for an eddy and use it to take you to the shore.
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Goober
I've yet to hike the AT, so I don't know what river/creek/stream conditions are like; but in my experience, calm, slower water usually means deeper too. If you attempt to cross a section of deeper water any distance from rapids, be aware that you may have to hold your pack above your head. You'll have to weigh your wetness ratio against your fear of slipping and getting cut up.
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I've yet to hike the AT, so I don't know what river/creek/stream conditions are like; but in my experience, calm, slower water usually means deeper too. If you attempt to cross a section of deeper water any distance from rapids, be aware that you may have to hold your pack above your head. You'll have to weigh your wetness ratio against your fear of slipping and getting cut up.
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Gewgulkan
If you have some means of trapping air in your backpack, it can turn it into a flotation device. For example, if you have a heavy duty (contractor) bag inside your pack and you squish the mouth together and twist it and then bend it double and tie a string around it, that will help keep air trapped inside while still allowing you to open the bag without tearing it later.
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If you have some means of trapping air in your backpack, it can turn it into a flotation device. For example, if you have a heavy duty (contractor) bag inside your pack and you squish the mouth together and twist it and then bend it double and tie a string around it, that will help keep air trapped inside while still allowing you to open the bag without tearing it later.
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EasyCookVideos
Crossing rivers is probably the most dangerous activity most walkers will experience. As a Mountain Leader, we were always taught that river crossings should only be undertaken as a last resort. Considering how dangerous crossing a river is, why doesn't Maine construct some lightweight wire traverse bridges over the streams/rivers like they have in New Zealand?
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Crossing rivers is probably the most dangerous activity most walkers will experience. As a Mountain Leader, we were always taught that river crossings should only be undertaken as a last resort. Considering how dangerous crossing a river is, why doesn't Maine construct some lightweight wire traverse bridges over the streams/rivers like they have in New Zealand?
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william
In picking a spot to cross have a look at what's downstream in case you should lose your footing. Any dangerous rapids or overhanging trees that you might get caught in? Shoes or no shoes? Depends on what you're walking on. If it's rocks that might be covered with slippery moss or of just the right size to jam your feet between, i'd prefer to wear boots or shoes.
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In picking a spot to cross have a look at what's downstream in case you should lose your footing. Any dangerous rapids or overhanging trees that you might get caught in? Shoes or no shoes? Depends on what you're walking on. If it's rocks that might be covered with slippery moss or of just the right size to jam your feet between, i'd prefer to wear boots or shoes.
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Aaron
Like she says: it's all personal preference. My preference is to NEVER unbuckle my waist belt when crossing because it unstabilizes the load and makes balancing on slippery rocks and through rushing water that much more difficult. If I was to fall (and I certainly have) I can get out of that fully-buckled pack in seconds. Try both ways and see what you prefer.
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Like she says: it's all personal preference. My preference is to NEVER unbuckle my waist belt when crossing because it unstabilizes the load and makes balancing on slippery rocks and through rushing water that much more difficult. If I was to fall (and I certainly have) I can get out of that fully-buckled pack in seconds. Try both ways and see what you prefer.
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Blue
In the Sierra I take off my socks and then put the trail runners back on to cross the creek. A quick towel drying of the feet afterwards works and then I put shoes and socks on as normal. I tried the barefoot thing, but with snow/glacier fed creeks the feet get numb really fast. Shoes/no socks does the trick for me.
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In the Sierra I take off my socks and then put the trail runners back on to cross the creek. A quick towel drying of the feet afterwards works and then I put shoes and socks on as normal. I tried the barefoot thing, but with snow/glacier fed creeks the feet get numb really fast. Shoes/no socks does the trick for me.
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chrisbushcraft
Hi Dixie, Nice advise you have on that topic. I just thaught of having kinda survival Kit on your body just in case you have to ditch your pack in the River. Someting like Neckknife with firestarter, mylarblanket in Pockes, PLB, PowerBar, Phone, Torch, etc. very interesting videos like it a lot.
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Hi Dixie, Nice advise you have on that topic. I just thaught of having kinda survival Kit on your body just in case you have to ditch your pack in the River. Someting like Neckknife with firestarter, mylarblanket in Pockes, PLB, PowerBar, Phone, Torch, etc. very interesting videos like it a lot.
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