ANyone ever heard of Deer Creek in central Wyo?

badkins · 02-23-2004

Information is scarce, but it's south east of Casper and looks hella cool on the topo map, and there is an AW gauge for it so it must run!?!? On topo it kinda reminds me of cross mtn in that the creek heads straight for, and through, a mountain.

Just curious, it looks good on paper...

http://www.topozone.com/map.asp?z=13...85&datum=nad83

-brian

jbaker · 02-26-2004

It has been run and I know a guy who has done it. I have not, but I grew up in Casper so I know the stretch you are talking about. It is similar to Cross Mountain in that it does cut right through a mountain. However, I think it is actually quite a bit different type of kayaking run. It is a very narrow and steep granite canyon. I think (pretty sure) it would be classified as class V and you would be pretty committed once you got into it. Deer Creek is small volume and does not run off from very high mountains so I am sure it has a very short time window when it runs and I would bet that some years it does not run at all.

Sorry to be so vague, but that's about the best I can do. It definitely looks like a cool canyon. As far as I know there is no written description for it and it probably has not been run very much. You would probably want to scout it from above before you dropped in, and it has such a short time window that its just not worth it to most people. Maybe with the new water park in Casper there will be more boaters around there in the future.

badkins · 02-26-2004

Thanks, I found it in the american whitewater database, but the only info listed was the gauge and the lat/lon of the putin and takeout. They list it as IV to V+. If it's not run very much I would imagine it's woody as hell. I grew up in Laramie so i have a special affinity for wyoming runs.

-Brian

MaryJane · 02-29-2004

Quote:

Originally Posted by badkins

I grew up in Laramie so i have a special affinity for wyoming runs.

-Brian

Cool! I'm just a third-year, class II/III boater. The Blue is the hardest thing I've done and I love it more every time I go. Take that back, I did Snake River Canyon last year. It was ok, but I prefer smaller water.

The Laramie saw some pretty good flows this past spring/early summer, which I really enjoyed after-work. If you've got an hour and a half before dark, you've got time to do the short run to Wood's Landing. It's most fun in my canoe, but quite a few rafts do it and of course I always have a good time in my kayak. It's pretty easy, but it's a great way to get on the water when there's not enough time to drive to the Poudre. At my skill level, when the flow is high, I find it a great, during the week, confidence booster, that helps prepare for the weekend.

Have you any experience on the Hoback? My first kayaking experience was two years ago on th Hoback, in the Granite Springs area, before it went into the canyon. I'm just wondering what it's like all the way to the Snake. Wondering if I could handle it. Thanks, we're going on a trip there this summer so any beta would be helpful. Thanks.

badkins · 02-29-2004

The Laramie River to woods landing was my very first kayak run, god that must have been 1990 or even earlier. I was still pretty much a rank beginner when I moved away so I really haven't paddled that much up there. My grandparents lived in Worland so I drove through Casper, and probably near Deer Creek a hundred times on my way up to visit them every holiday, I was definitly intruiged that a steep creek run could be out in the middle of paddler waste land. I really haven't spent any time in the west part of the state so I know jack about the hoback and snake. I spent some time in the southeast and then I've been in or near Boulder for almost a decade. One of the runs we did quite a bit as a family was the North Platte, Treasure Island to Saratoga, I think is the name of the reach. Pretty Class II with a hotsprings at the takeout. I did Northgate Canyon a few times, but I think that one ranks as a III+ or IV- overall. Mostly we would just drive down to the Poudre and do Bridges or Filter Plant. Last year I made it back there and did the Encampment and Bluegrass Creek.

-Brian

goatboater · 03-01-2004

I also live in Laramie and am a intermediate boater. You've probably driven by that beaver dam in West Laramie more than a few times when the water level was cranking and noticed that for a week or so there looks like a runable drop over part of it. I'd love to run it with someone. I also found another spot a few miles downriver that looks like it could be a potential surfing wave (or at least was last spring). I am also looking to run the Hoback with a possilbe granite creek or snake add on this season, I talked to a boater friend that has done it a few times and it sounds fun. Drop me an email @ b_turner123@hotmail.com and let me know if you want to go boating when things start to thaw out.

Cheers,
Ben

wycoloboater · 03-01-2004

I as well live in Laramie and unfortunatley am going to be spending the summer here. I am a pretty solid IV boater and have run Upper Mish down on the poudre and lots of stuff around steamboat and some around boulder/golden. I am looking to paddle as much as laramie will permit - maybe deer creek if worth it, stuff in and around jackson, and hopefully bluegrass creek if it runs in spring (although usually a late summer venture). Those of you who are around this summer lets get together and get some stuff done. Email or call zmoore6@hotmail.com or 307-399-5378.

Zach.

badkins · 03-01-2004

You might try Encampment at medium to low flows, it should be classic IV. I was there at high water this year and the rapids were suprisingly manageable. It reminded me of the continuous Class IV sections of Bailey but with a larger river bed and more water. Just be prepared for the long paddle out, bring some beer or other diversion to keep your mind off the miles of Class II. If you're feeling adventrous the AW database had an upper reach of Deer Creek listed as III/IV, and I guess lower Rock Creek by Arlington has some Class III/IV at the end of it's canyon. I think access is by hiking upriver tho... Honestly there is stuff to run all over the place if you don't mind small volume and lots of wood...

-Brian

wycoloboater · 03-02-2004

Does anyone know anything about the North Fork of the Little Laramie? It comes down from the Snowy Range Ski area to centennial. It doesn't come up on AW, I've been eyeing it for awhile - kind of looks like fish creek in Steamboat, not super steep but pretty continuous and probably lots of wood. Any beta or interest in trying to do it this spring?

Zach.

splatdog · 03-02-2004

the North Fork of the LL was the creek my buddy Mike Giamellaro soloed... He pinned on a log, almost went under himself and had to z-drag his boat off... never boat alone

He said it was full of wood and no defined rapids

Laramie really is a great place to be in the summer-- only an hour to Joe Wright, Big South, Spencer Heights going over the hill from Woods Landing.

Lots of stuff to open up in the Rawahs and Snowy Range too...

Jess