Professor Paddle: Parking at Ben Howie

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Topic: Parking at Ben Howie

Author	Message
doggievacation Super Looper Joined: 24 Oct 2006 Online Status: Offline Posts: 170 Beta Submissions: 0	Topic: Parking at Ben Howie Posted: 30 Jun 2007 at 8:42pm
	I took a little drive this afternoon to check out Ben Howard wave. I found it using the PP directions just fine, but I have a question about parking: The best trail down to the wave was right by a row of mail boxes. Across the street from the mailboxes is a private road with a perfect parking spot just off to the side. However, there's a nasty "No Parking- You will be towed" sign nearby and it looks fairly new. This parking spot looks well used- if not by kayakers, then by someone else. Has anyone had trouble leaving their vehicle there during a play session? I did see another place to park just upstream of the wave, on the river side of Ben Howard Road. However, the trail down to the river from this parking spot wasn't nearly as nice and it looked like a bit of work to paddle back up to it once you're done playing. As for the wave, it looked like a safe, fun spot to work on surfing, spins, etc. I'm hoping to spend a little time here mid-week mornings, if anyone is interested. John
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erikSANDSTROM Big Boofer Joined: 13 Nov 2005 Online Status: Offline Posts: 493 Beta Submissions: 1	Posted: 30 Jun 2007 at 10:21pm
	Doggie V, the BH Wave may be a bit too high still. Since the floods it seems to work well from 1600 to 3500cfs. You have to add the flows from the Sultan River to the Sky's to get BH's. I hope I'm wrong about the flow....... Bring your valuables down to the wave with you. Park where you did, float down. When you're done hike straight up from the wave and back up to the car along the road. Edited by erikSANDSTROM - 30 Jun 2007 at 10:22pm
	This river don't go to Aintry. You done taken a wrong turn.
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doggievacation Super Looper Joined: 24 Oct 2006 Online Status: Offline Posts: 170 Beta Submissions: 0	Posted: 01 Jul 2007 at 6:22pm
	Thanks, Erik I just met another PP paddler who recently went out to find Ben Howie... except he couldn't. So, just to flesh out the directions in PP and Erik's comments above: Hang a right onto Mann Road in Sultan (1st light) and cross the bridge over the river. Continue to a "T" and hang another right onto Ben Howard Road. Continue almost exactly 2.5 miles until you find a "notch" in the guard rails on the right-hand side of the road. Park. Shut off your engine, step out of your car and listen. That very faint sound you hear is Ben Howard Wave. (There's room for 2 vehicles here. 3, if everybody is boating together.) There's a rough trail leading down from this "notch." Launch here and float down to the wave. When finished playing, float downstream another 10 yards, pull out and you'll find a nice trail leading back up to the road. Hike up the trail and maybe another 50 yards along the road back to your car. As for levels, I thought Ben Howie looked WAY more surfable at 4K (Gold Bar gage) than the wave at Split Rock. But I'm just a has-been, never-was, coulda-woulda-shoulda boater who doesn't know the wave and never played here pre-flood, let alone post-flood. I just thought it looked fun. Could be wrong. Guess I'll find out. John Edited by doggievacation - 01 Jul 2007 at 6:22pm
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dave Master Poster D4 Joined: 29 Apr 2005 Online Status: Offline Posts: 4230 Beta Submissions: 6	Posted: 01 Jul 2007 at 6:30pm
	Parking sucks there!!!!! I have parked on the gravel road before and had no problems, but didn't stay very long either. I mostly park on that little pullout spot before the mailboxes. If you have a crappy car, bring it instead of the Mercedes! The signs on the gravel road are for the Meth using fishermen that litter and cause many problems in our world.......
	Nomad
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doggievacation Super Looper Joined: 24 Oct 2006 Online Status: Offline Posts: 170 Beta Submissions: 0	Posted: 01 Jul 2007 at 8:02pm
	"meth-using fishermen"? I've met beer-swilling, whiskey-drinking fishermen by the score, but never a meth-using one. Then again, there was that pile of weed someone dumped at the Ben Howard parking spot... I guess it really does lead to harder drugs!
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dave Master Poster D4 Joined: 29 Apr 2005 Online Status: Offline Posts: 4230 Beta Submissions: 6	Posted: 01 Jul 2007 at 9:08pm
	Ok, couple of years ago, I talked to a person with two boys that lives up that road and they told me about drunk drug using fishermen that threatened thier kids and cut down the rope swing that once hung above the pool near the wave(because the kids were scaring the fish away). After also dealing with fishermens garbage, broken beer bottles and fishing gear garbage all over the gravel road parking area, they had to put signs up. Enough said!
	Nomad
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doggievacation Super Looper Joined: 24 Oct 2006 Online Status: Offline Posts: 170 Beta Submissions: 0	Posted: 01 Jul 2007 at 9:44pm
	Now THAT, I don't have any trouble believing. Let's hope PNP boaters have left a better impression. (Unfortunately, I wouldn't be surprised if the locals lump us together w/ the fishermen in the "damn outsiders" category anyway.) At any rate, I'll leave the Mercedes at home, as you suggested. Edited by doggievacation - 01 Jul 2007 at 9:47pm
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