Barrel/shosho is prime

[peterB]

Today at least it seemed that all the water was coming through barrel, very little generating going on. The middle gate was lifted and it was definately a solid medium flow for barrel. Shosho is at a great play level as well. 65 degrees here in carbondale.

[Gary E]

It says there is 1300 at sho,med flow?Is there more then that?Med flow for barrell is 3000-6000...Please let me know if the gauge is wrong as I'm going to fruita to mtn bike but will bring toys if it's good.

Talked to Tom C on monday and he is leaving out of the country for a week so no report on escalante coming from tom...Talked to Barry Chamberlin today and he said at least a few more weeks 3-4...
Gary

[matts]

shoshone is definitely still at a lower level, however for those of you that know me, it is still well above the lowest i have ever run it...it has been dumping rain all night from wolcott through glenwood tonight (wed), so i wouldn't be surprised to see the level rise a little more...

thanks for checking on escalante...can't wait to get back on that gem...

[peterB]

Barrel is at a medium flow. The powerplant was not operating and all the water was flowing through barrel at what I would call a medium flow for barrel, very unusual for such a low dotsero flow. Shosho is at the low end of its best play range 1000 - 2500.

[rico]

Any predicition on conditions for this weekend?

rico

[paddlebizzle]

Solomon:
How many bids have you received for that thing in the Vail Daily??

-Tryon

[pbowman]

I just spoke to the "media relations" guy from Xcel Energy. The power plant will be off-line through the weekend, but will be operating again starting Monday 3/29. The dam gates are completely open, so everything at the Dotsero gage is going through. If you want to run Death and Barrell now at flows around 1100, do it this weekend.

However, on another good point for boaters, the power plant will be shut down again for maintenance for six weeks starting in mid April. According to the media guy, from April 11 through May 26 the plant will not be operating, and the dam will be open to clean out sediment from behind the gates. He anticipated that some of the upstream junior water rights would do some storage in the upper reaches of the basin, but he predicted that flows through Death and Barrell would match or exceed the current levels for the entire six week period (i.e. 1000 or more).

I walked from the power plant up to Barrell last night (Thursday). Barrell looks good to go, but very technical at this flow. I agree with the CRC2 rating of IV+ at the current flow. As for the last rapid just above the power plant referenced in CRC2, the "ass-kicking" on the right is more like a spanking at this level, and could be punched with a good head of steam IMO (please make your own judgement though).

I can't stay up here this w/e, but I am defineately planning on some runs of Barrell in the April/May window. Perhahs some of the Wednesday night Shosho crowd could move upstream for a little more challenge. Later all.

[badkins]

How is the south canyon wave at this level?

[matts]

hahaha -- nope, i am still available for purchase! the bachelor/bachelorette auction is on april 1st at tom's turkey barn in lionshead, 6pm...it is a fundraiser for crimestoppers...i encourage all of you to attend! besides, you could be the lucky person to go on a date with me...

in reference to upper death, this beautifully ugly rapid is good to go, although this isn't the "cleanest" level to run it, it is still flushy on the right...

in reference to the upper box, has anyone run it that would like to make a run on monday?

peace.

[Cutch]

Any girl crazy enough to pay to go on a date with you Salomon isn't sane enough to want to date. Haha. On the other hand, she might be crazy enough to run upper death...fun drop that likes to back ender you in the first hole, and take you deep on the second if you end up river right. I know, I went DEEP. Then again, I wasn't in the ideal boat for that drop.

Give me a call tonight matt.