subscribesubscriber servicescontact usabout ussite map
Tue, Nov 10 2009 

Resources

print this story   Print this story
email this story   E-mail this story
  Post to del.icio.us

Photos


Globe/Roger Nomer Tammy Seidler (left) and Brandie McAtee push their canoes into Big Sugar Creek this weekend. Canoe outfitters say that while the water levels have been up this year, tourism has been down.

Published August 17, 2008 11:36 pm - PINEVILLE, Mo. — For the past three years or so, the question has been: “How much dragging is there?”
The answer this year, said Renee Lett, with Elk River Floats and Campground at Lanagan, is: “There’s none. The river is up. The river is awesome. It’s in the best shape I have seen it in 11 years.”


Canoe outfitters look toward holiday



By Wally Kennedy

wkennedy@joplinglobe.com

PINEVILLE, Mo. — For the past three years or so, the question has been: “How much dragging is there?”

The answer this year, said Renee Lett, with Elk River Floats and Campground at Lanagan, is: “There’s none. The river is up. The river is awesome. It’s in the best shape I have seen it in 11 years.”

Unusually persistent rains this year, including three floods in the spring, have put plenty of water in the Elk River Watershed that includes Indian, Big Sugar and Little Sugar creeks.

But as awesome as the river has been, business has been less than stellar this year. When the economy went downstream this summer with record-high fuel prices, so did some of the business that would have made 2008 a banner year for tourism in McDonald County, according to those in the industry.

But local canoe outfitters and campground managers believe the river will still be up by Labor Day, and that fair weather on that weekend could end the season on an upbeat note.

Ed Ables, owner of Sugar Island east of Pineville, has felt the pinch of the downturn.

“I have been here for 27 years,” he said. “This has probably been the worst year since we have been here. Everybody says it’s the cost of gas that’s causing the problem. I don’t know if it’s that or not, but it really hasn’t been a good year.

“But the river is up, and we’re still hauling canoes to Cyclone. We normally can’t do that in August.”

Ables said the canoe-rental season lasts about four months. The work can be intense during those months.

“We have anywhere from at least five to six times a year where we have well over a hundred boats out on a given Saturday,” he said. “This year, the top day was 88 boats.”

But business has been fairly steady upstream on Big Sugar Creek at Camp Tilden, near Cyclone. Sammey Roark, owner of the campground, said: “It’s been fine camping and canoeing.

“The river has been so high at times we couldn’t float it. The river, right now, is amazing.”

John Tinsley, owner of Big Elk Camp and Canoe Rentals at Pineville, said: “We’re doing pretty good this year, but our business has been off for four years since we became an alcohol-free campground. But, it’s been the best year since we went that way.”



print this story    email this story    comment on this story   

Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.


Add a comment on this story







autoconx
Premier Guide
Find a business

Walking Fingers
Maps, Menus, Store hours, Coupons, and more...
Premier Guide
Click here!!

: Special Offer For New Subscribers : 32 buy 1 get 1 free offers

Click Here!



Featured Jobs

ORTHOPAEDIC
Specialist of the Four States is currently accepting applications for the following postiions: Physical Therapist, Occcu...>MORE

See all ads

Featured Transportation

VOLKSWAGEN, 1998 BEETLE,
black, 5 speed, looks, runs and drives great, only 84,000 miles, $3400. 417-621-0850....>MORE

See all ads

Featured Homes

NO CREDIT NEEDED QUALIFY
for 0 down Own completely remodeled 2/2 16x80 single section manufacturered home, 2 acres, trees, corner lot, large deck...>MORE

Deerfield Estates
in Carl Junction, prime building sites, reduced $10,000 each. 417-825-0052...>MORE

NO CREDIT
needed qualify for 0 down Own completely remodeled 3/2 16x80 single section manufacturered home, 2 acres, new front deck...>MORE

1995 16x72 2 BR, 2 BA,
fully furnished, all appliances, 1 owner, beautiful, smoke free, must move. $17,500. (417)423-2385....>MORE

See all ads

Other Cool Stuff

1993 KUBOTA 1560
lawn tractor, 42” cut with bagger, $800. (417)364-8231....>MORE

TEA CUP
Chihuahua pup, female, shots, wormed. Information (417)843-2735...>MORE

CRAFTSMAN
radial 10” arm saw; skil saw 7 1/4”; Singer Featherweight machine; clocks/pocket watches; 7.62-54 rifle, accessories; Ca...>MORE

BASS BOAT, 2005
Lowe aluminum, 17’, 2005 90 hp Mercury, 2006 trailer, excellent shape, low hours. $7,500. (417)776-8846 evenings or 417-...>MORE

10 YEAR OLD BUCKSKIN
mare, 14-hands, broke for anyone, $750; miniature Jack and bred Jenny, $400 pair. (417)434-3700....>MORE

See all ads


 

Community Newspaper Holdings, Inc.CNHI Classified Advertising NetworkCNHI News Service
Associated Press content © 2009. All rights reserved. AP content may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Our site is powered by Zope and our Internet Yellow Pages site is powered by PremierGuide.
Some parts of our site may require you to download the Flash Player Plugin.
View our Privacy Policy
Advertiser index

 

 

The Joplin Globe Electronic Edition