Does anyone have any beta on the Florida River near Durango. Looks like it might make a nice little cruiser and should have water for awhile with releases out of Lemon. Are there any diversions, hazards, or major asshole landowners to be aware of?
Just don't want to start down and end up with a forced portage on private land. Any good takeouts? Thanks in advance.
Hey Ryan, sorry to be out of touch for a while. Do you still have that video footage of us in Waterton? Check out the sticky for the video contest - I think our trip would be a prime "Crash and Burn" candidate. Not one or two bad swims, but THREE with some incredible pogo action on your part, and some true "acting" on mine - you really believed that I just shit myself!
Let me know what you think, but I think we should enter it!
I will probably hit the Florida when everything else is too low (probably way too soon). I live in Forest Lakes, so it is on my way home from work. Just looked like a lot of private property and possibility of low bridges, diversions, etc. So, can you float all the way through? That drop under the bridge by the Black Dog looks interesting, hopefully there is more like that.
A friend and myself are hitting the Piedra for a bone run Saturday. Your welcome to join us if you don't have plans. 884-1811.
Phillip- Be OT on the buzz! You have my email. As for the video, I thought you or Brody had it. I might have it somewhere, but with a 2-year old I have collected many unlabled VHS tapes. It might be there somewhere. What should be the title? "Back in the days when we sucked at kayaking?" Guess we aren't that much better now.
probably shouldn't be giving up this beta, but sense it's being posted on already, here goes:
Drive towards the dam past Helen's store, i put in where the road goes right, next to the river; there's a gravel pull off. i take out at the bridge on the Sweetwater Springs road (CR 245). I have permission from the land owner, Lars Johnson, on the downstream-side of that bridge for myself and party only to take out there. I don't know if other people would be considered trespassing. Maybe downstream river - left would be cool. i'm pretty sure access to this whole run is legit, but I could understand people not used to having others floating through their back yards could get pissed. So be polite. When I have done it, people usually just come out waving and taking pictures (so try to do some moves for them)
Thanks Shaggstyle. That was the put-in and take-out I was considering. Just wanted to know if it could be floated through without running into a forced portage on private land. Sorry for bringing this up on a public forum. I will try to get permission for the take-out if I can't find another option. I saw some boaters on it late last summer and it is close to home, so it had my interest. I will keep the beta on this run tight and let this string die. If it is very sensitive, let me know and I will delete.
People were going to find out anyway. It's kind of a fun run when everything else is spent. It starts out as class 2/3 creeky stuff with a spin hole or two. After the bridge at Helen's store the river takes on a more small river feel. There is a tree across the river behind Helen's, last year it was easy to scoot over it BUT could pose significant danger so watch out. the red bridge boof is a sweet 4' boof on river right in between Helen's and the Black Dog. The rest is just sweet boogie water. This run could be really sweet with pretty good water, it's running about 250 cfs right now. At about 550, it would be really fun. But low water is better than no water. Most importantly just be polite, maybe I'll see if I can get something worked out with Lars for everybody else. Maybe later on this Summer, we'll see if we can get an after-work crew for it, as I also live in Forest Lakes.
Let me know if you need any help working out access. Maybe we could help Lars with some land improvements or any other favors in exchange for bridge access. I can't imagine that this would ever be a very popular run.
There is two log hazards I have noticed. Earlier this spring, they released probably about 500 cfs down to flush out the junk. This moved the tree/woody debris behind Helen's store (I don't know where it finally settled). Near the put-in there is a large tree blocking the entire channel. There is a low spot in the center I think you can get over. Also, just downstream of the first bridge crossing on Florida Rd. (CR 240) there is a medium size log that crosses the channel. Looks like it would be easy to remove, but access might be a problem. I think it is just under the surface right now.
Ok, enough on this topic, thanks for the beta! See you around!
Piedra is too low for my blood. They just dropped the florida about 25%. So it may be too boney for the amount of worthy white water. I think that drop under the bridge is about as good as it gets. No worries on access, I've got a little bit of frontage about 1/4 mile before RT. 245.
Take a hike up Miller Creek if you want to get the pucker factor going, it is nearby, but too low.
Linear Mode
