Confessions of a Junkie... Shit Creek TR

deepsouthpaddler · 09-30-2005

The thought crossed my mind as I scraped over the rocks on clear creek in the golden playpark, aka Shit Creek, that I was really hard up. 80 something CFS and just recently (hopefully) clear of the shit thrown in from Georgetown. I'm really down to the bottom of the barrel now. I was the only one there, and there were signs up all over the place about unhealthy water. At least four people told me there was pollution in the river, and one teenager actually ran down to the water where I was surfing and showed me the flyer. By my own calculations, the shit should be clear, but who knows. Some granny yelled "the river is polluted" at me as she cruised by on my bike. I felt like I was breaking the law, or some sort of junkie who has to have it even if it is all f'd up and unclean. Oh well.....

Of course, I got my start kayaking by learning to roll on the now infamous Lake Pontchartrain, yes the one that flooded new orleans. That sucker had weekly fecal coloform bacteria tests that were printed in the paper. I never got sick from that, and I figure all the south platte and shit creek boating will just amp up my immune system.

If I start hurling tonight, I'll add to the report.

Oh well.... it was still fun!

COUNT · 10-01-2005

I was down there today (10-1) and there were still a number of signs saying that going in the creek was prohibited. I thought I had heard that people were hoping the creek would be safe by Friday morning. Does anyone know what's going on and when those of us desperate enough to actually playboat in Clear Creek will be allowed back in?

COUNT

paddlebizzle · 10-01-2005

Count -
I'm living in the 303 now, and my boat is in the mountains. Is it worth bringing my kayak down and hitting Golden at 80 CFS?

I know that's a piss trickle, but I'm going crazy and even considered hitting confluence park. Let me know if it's worth getting my boat or if I should give up until spring. . .

Jeff

norcali-brobra · 10-01-2005

Bwaaaaaa-Haaa Haaaaa!!!!!!!
and to think were bitchin' about flows being to high at our spot. I feel ya dogs. but......nyaaa nyaaa!

p.s. Look at the bright side. No rotting salmon.

COUNT · 10-02-2005

It depends how desperate you are. Nothing past bleachers is even worth your time under 100. That said, I'd consider the park good above 100 and mediocre from 70-100. What I've found is that under 100 you do a lot of flatspinning and squirting (where it's deep enough). With some skill and some luck you can get a few ends under 100, but it's tough. Being just five minutes from where I live, I go there a lot and work tons of technical skills (edging, balance, torso rotation, vision, etc.). I'd say its worth the drive from 303 but maybe not if you have to drive to the mountains for your boat (But,if you go that way anyways, you may as well pick it up and satiate that unresistable craving just to get your boat wet) . Now, of course, this all depends on whether or not the powers that be deem it safe to go in the creek again before it get even lower and colder. Cheers!

COUNT