Missouri Relics | Paddling the St Francis River

Earlier this season I had the opportunity to paddle the St Francis River in Missouri. While this isn’t my first time on the Saint, it was my first time taking the in Antix 2.0 on this run. I was pleased to find several fun eddy lines to practice stern squirts on. Even did some attainments to squeeze as much fun as possible out of this 2.3 mile section. I had a blast in the Antix. This boat really does make the river as fun as you can imagine.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4cL-Z25p7I

If you haven’t been to this area of Missouri before, it is a geological wonder. The Saint Francis River area contains some of the oldest exposed rocks in North America. How old? Oh something like 1.5 billon years old is all. Older than the Rockies and older than the Appalachians.

The pre-Cambrian igneous rocks here are colored gray and pink. The igneous rocks of the St. Francis Mountains are thought by geologists to be a series of caldera complexes (formed after large volcanic eruptions) that are similar in scale to the Yellowstone Caldera Complex. It’s certainly a neat area to see.

To catch the St Francis with enough water to boat, watch the weather forecast for rain. Earlier in the season is typically better for flows (February, March, April, May). It can be flashy, rising several feet from heavy rains, but that’s what makes it so exciting for boaters. Waiting and watching to catch the Saint at your favorite level. Check out AW for further details on this run.

https://www.americanwhitewater.org/content/River/view/river-detail/2921/main

-Hannah Ray J