We climbed over, under, and around much Hurricane Helene deadfall on what Dottie Price called a “Class 5 Meander” from the Dead River Sink to the Dry Alapaha River.

Thanks to 30 people who came, to Practicing Geologist Dennis J. Price for leading this expedition, and to Dottie Price for the additional pictures. See also the facebook video by Christiaan Ard.

Dead River Sink Hike, Practicing Geologist Dennis J. Price, Meander to the Dry Alapaha River, 2025-11-01

There was a false start at Jennings Bluff Cemetery, where Dennis told the lemmings to go back up the bluff, because of too much deadfall.

Lemmings off the river bluff, 2025:11:01 09:32:30, –jsq for WWALS 30.5672526, -83.0354090

So we did not see Jennings Bluff Spring down by the Alapaha River.

Dennis Price says too much hurricane deadfall downslope, 2025:11:01 09:37:10, –jsq for WWALS 30.5675546, -83.0354517

The rest of the hike took about two hours.

Still some high trees, 2025:11:01 10:32:24, –jsq for WWALS 30.5819412, -83.0514568

Starting at the Dead River kiosk and the sign for the Jennings Bluff State Geological Site.

Dead River and Jennings Bluff Tract State Geological Site, 2025:11:01 10:09:52, –jsq for WWALS 30.5822091, -83.0509110

More false starts were just part of the fun.

Dennis says turn back, 2025:11:01 10:37:57, –jsq for WWALS 30.5822806, -83.0516734

We saw some mystery bushes.

What is this plant?, 2025:11:01 11:19:21, –jsq for WWALS 30.5829684, -83.0530810

Some pokeberry by the ravine.

Feathery gully, 2025:11:01 11:36:45, –Dottie Price for WWALS 30.5838250, -83.0536111

A harmless garter snake.

Common garter snake, 2025:11:01 11:45:07, –jsq for WWALS 30.5838520, -83.0527164

The Dead River Confluence.

Climbing up from Dead River Confluence, 2025:11:01 11:53:14, –jsq for WWALS 30.5837846, -83.0517471

And the Dry Alapaha River.

Movie: Mico Town different locations, 2025:11:01 12:11:51, (78M) –jsq for WWALS 30.5839483, -83.0512376

Some videos will follow.

Thanks to landowner Byron Herder, some of also went to the Alapaha River Rise, where water from the Dead River Sink comes back up after about four days and unknown underground miles.

For more outings and events as they are posted, see:
https://wwals.net/outings/

WWALS members get a list of outings and events in the WWALS monthly newsletters, the one-sheet Tannin Times and the long-form Tannin Gazette.

There are many more pictures below.

 -jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

You can help with clean, swimmable, fishable, drinkable, water in the 10,000-square-mile Suwannee River Basin in Florida and Georgia by becoming a WWALS member today!
https://wwals.net/donations/

Line of cars at Jennings Bluff Cemetery, 2025:11:01 09:32:03, –jsq for WWALS 30.5672526, -83.0354090

Elizabeth Brunner and Everybody sign in, please, 2025:11:01 09:41:19, –jsq for WWALS 30.5675476, -83.0354325

Bret Wagenhorst, 2025:11:01 09:41:25, –jsq for WWALS 30.5675476, -83.0354325

DRS

Dead River kiosk, 2025:11:01 10:10:00, –jsq for WWALS 30.5820218, -83.0511180

Movie: Dennis Jennings on LiDAR, Geomorphology, and Dead River Ponar, 2025:11:01 10:10:12, (390M) –jsq for WWALS 30.5820218, -83.0511180

Down to the Dead River Sink, 2025:11:01 10:17:43, –jsq for WWALS 30.5819761, -83.0512510

Elizabeth Brunner above the Dead River, 2025:11:01 10:17:45, –jsq for WWALS 30.5819761, -83.0512510

Hiking to the Dead River Sink, 2025:11:01 10:18:59, –jsq for WWALS 30.5817395, -83.0516727

Gee Edwards at the Dead River, 2025:11:01 10:22:30, –jsq for WWALS 30.5818797, -83.0514766

Hiker at the Dead River, 2025:11:01 10:22:58, –jsq for WWALS 30.5818657, -83.0514795

Etta points, 2025:11:01 10:25:20, –Dottie Price for WWALS 30.5816056, -83.0517361

Elizabeth confabs, 2025:11:01 10:25:24, –Dottie Price for WWALS 30.5816056, -83.0517361

DRS

Dead River Sink, 2025:11:01 10:26:22, –jsq for WWALS 30.5816948, -83.0517269

Dead River Sink with people for scale, 2025:11:01 10:26:27, –jsq for WWALS 30.5816809, -83.0517041

Up the Dead River, 2025:11:01 10:26:31, –jsq for WWALS 30.5816809, -83.0517041

Back to the steps at the Dead River Sink, 2025:11:01 10:26:55, –jsq for WWALS 30.5816809, -83.0517041

Scramble down, 2025:11:01 10:27:10, –jsq for WWALS 30.5816809, -83.0517041

Movie: Dead River Sink comes up in the Alapaha River Rise, 2025:11:01 10:28:23, (128M) –jsq for WWALS 30.5816809, -83.0517041

Byron Herder invites us to the Alapaha River Rise, 2025:11:01 10:29:57, –jsq for WWALS 30.5817478, -83.0515863

Climb up to go down, 2025:11:01 10:30:50, –jsq for WWALS 30.5817695, -83.0515787

Much hurricane deadfall and leaning trees, 2025:11:01 10:31:28, –jsq for WWALS 30.5819363, -83.0514521

Line of hikers, 2025:11:01 10:32:56, –jsq for WWALS 30.5820769, -83.0513808

Many shoals below, 2025:11:01 10:34:11, –jsq for WWALS 30.5820651, -83.0514094

Handhold, 2025:11:01 10:39:49, –jsq for WWALS 30.5822747, -83.0516846

Elizabeth is tempted to descend, 2025:11:01 10:40:53, –jsq for WWALS 30.5822767, -83.0516904

Stack of rocks, 2025:11:01 10:44:25, –jsq for WWALS 30.5822837, -83.0516951

Dottie returns, 2025:11:01 10:44:39, –jsq for WWALS 30.5822846, -83.0516946

Climb over log, 2025:11:01 10:44:49, –Dottie Price for WWALS 30.5811500, -83.0516889

Elizabeth Descends, 2025:11:01 10:46:14, –jsq for WWALS 30.5822841, -83.0516958

Hikers up there, 2025:11:01 10:47:21, –jsq for WWALS 30.5822811, -83.0516974

Trying different paths, 2025:11:01 10:47:35, –jsq for WWALS 30.5822797, -83.0516978

Elizabeth at the rock pile, 2025:11:01 10:48:32, –Dottie Price for WWALS 30.5818528, -83.0521778

Elizabeth climbed the bluff, 2025:11:01 10:50:53, –jsq for WWALS 30.5823580, -83.0516776

More behind, 2025:11:01 10:53:05, –Dottie Price for WWALS 30.5829361, -83.0523083

A touch of underbrush, 2025:11:01 10:56:10, –jsq for WWALS 30.5828125, -83.0520984

Two kinds of obstructions, 2025:11:01 10:56:23, –jsq for WWALS 30.5828358, -83.0521643

Elizabeth who will leave you behind, 2025:11:01 10:56:39, –jsq for WWALS 30.5828358, -83.0521643

Along a log, 2025:11:01 10:58:31, –jsq for WWALS 30.5828744, -83.0521265

Framed, 2025:11:01 10:58:57, –jsq for WWALS 30.5828807, -83.0521090

Around that vine, 2025:11:01 11:00:13, –jsq for WWALS 30.5828859, -83.0520988

Almost hidden by vines, 2025:11:01 11:00:28, –jsq for WWALS 30.5828859, -83.0520988

Resting hikers, 2025:11:01 11:04:05, –jsq for WWALS 30.5831046, -83.0521567

Above and below, 2025:11:01 11:06:21, –jsq for WWALS 30.5831509, -83.0524904

ASS

A side spring, 2025:11:01 11:10:38, –jsq for WWALS 30.5829467, -83.0524046

Onwards, 2025:11:01 11:13:25, –jsq for WWALS 30.5828264, -83.0528266

Don’t fall off, 2025:11:01 11:15:55, –Dottie Price for WWALS 30.5821778, -83.0526972

Deadfall across the river, 2025:11:01 11:18:15, –jsq for WWALS 30.5828994, -83.0530107

Do not fall backwards, 2025:11:01 11:18:37, –jsq for WWALS 30.5828994, -83.0530107

Dead River below, 2025:11:01 11:19:17, –jsq for WWALS 30.5829684, -83.0530810

Slow progress, 2025:11:01 11:21:30, –jsq for WWALS 30.5830251, -83.0531527

Checking GPS for where, 2025:11:01 11:25:50, –jsq for WWALS 30.5834168, -83.0533617

A long stretch, 2025:11:01 11:25:57, –jsq for WWALS 30.5834168, -83.0533617

More coming, 2025:11:01 11:26:01, –jsq for WWALS 30.5834168, -83.0533617

Pokeberry, 2025:11:01 11:28:12, –jsq for WWALS 30.5835576, -83.0534569

Dennis ahead, 2025:11:01 11:29:18, –jsq for WWALS 30.5835623, -83.0536227

Deadfalls and stobs, 2025:11:01 11:31:36, –jsq for WWALS 30.5838087, -83.0536234

Movie: Dennis in the lead, 2025:11:01 11:31:54, (10M) –jsq for WWALS 30.5838087, -83.0536234

Stob, 2025:11:01 11:32:05, –jsq for WWALS 30.5838087, -83.0536234

Dennis in the weeds, 2025:11:01 11:32:44, –jsq for WWALS 30.5837926, -83.0536140

Blue mistflower, Conoclinium coelestinum, 2025:11:01 11:35:37, –jsq for WWALS 30.5839083, -83.0535030

Pokeberry and grapevine, 2025:11:01 11:35:49, –jsq for WWALS 30.5839013, -83.0535112

Bret and Dennis, 2025:11:01 11:37:08, –jsq for WWALS 30.5838571, -83.0534567

Tannic acid tea-colored water, 2025:11:01 11:37:56, –jsq for WWALS 30.5837872, -83.0532734

Wooded slope, 2025:11:01 11:39:15, –jsq for WWALS 30.5838017, -83.0532136

Under tree, 2025:11:01 11:44:06, –Dottie Price for WWALS 30.5837028, -83.0535583

Bret ahead, 2025:11:01 11:45:21, –jsq for WWALS 30.5838520, -83.0527164

Pokeweed ravine, 2025:11:01 11:47:48, –jsq for WWALS 30.5838884, -83.0526727

Dog fennel, 2025:11:01 11:47:58, –jsq for WWALS 30.5838884, -83.0526727

A rare clear path, 2025:11:01 11:48:31, –jsq for WWALS 30.5838884, -83.0526727

Maybe Camphorweed, Heterotheca subaxillaris, 2025:11:01 11:48:39, –jsq for WWALS 30.5838884, -83.0526727

Triple deadfall, 2025:11:01 11:49:26, –jsq for WWALS 30.5838664, -83.0523026

DAR

Down to the Dry Alapaha River, 2025:11:01 12:00:16, –jsq for WWALS 30.5779976, -83.0537566

On the Dry Alapaha River, 2025:11:01 12:02:44, –jsq for WWALS 30.5837637, -83.0509491

Leaves in the water, 2025:11:01 12:03:11, –Dottie Price for WWALS 30.5838500, -83.0509722

AT

Looking up the Alapaha River with alligator traacks, 2025:11:01 12:03:37, –jsq for WWALS 30.5837637, -83.0509491

Looking down the Alapaha River, 2025:11:01 12:05:00, –jsq for WWALS 30.5839987, -83.0513134

Dennis wishes we could see the sinks in the river, 2025:11:01 12:06:02, –jsq for WWALS 30.5840216, -83.0513091

SkoT

Several kinds of tracks, 2025:11:01 12:07:45, –jsq for WWALS 30.5840259, -83.0512891

Deer prints, 2025:11:01 12:07:48, –jsq for WWALS 30.5840153, -83.0512750

Worms?, 2025:11:01 12:07:53, –jsq for WWALS 30.5840291, -83.0513326

Movie: Cody Scarp, 2025:11:01 12:09:19, (95M) –jsq for WWALS 30.5840291, -83.0513326

BBird

A big bird was here, 2025:11:01 12:10:44, –jsq for WWALS 30.5839483, -83.0512376

Looking up the Dead River from the Alapaha, 2025:11:01 12:11:05, –Dottie Price for WWALS 30.5710250, -83.0477444

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