several days a go i was called by the blm out of montrose..... they have been having trouble doing repairs on the dam above the canyon....this is why we have not seen the rumored releases yet.... he said, "hopefully, we will be testing the new bearings soon. we need to test them at full capacity which is 2,300 cfs......you will see flows at every level in between 600 and 2,300....." he added that they would be returning the flows back to the meager 300 cfs range(because of the past years of drought) after this test.....these high flows not happened for several years or more.....i am already losing sleep and writing down a list of excuses to get out of work!!!!!! a "nature seminar" in montrose is my number one so far........a run at 1800 cfs changed me as a person in the early days.... made my friend sell his gear and buy a motorcycle........a beating, a swim and a nearly unsuccessful swimmer rescue......temporarily blinded(lack of O2) and vommiting he was not being a good little swimmer man.... crawling all over me above LOWER INTESTINE(doomy class V) we almost flushed into it.....i was screaming for him to let go.....i wasn't going to "explore the left side of the drop" with him...... a most beautiful and GOD-LIKE surge came from under the wall(2,000ft) and we managed to surf-claw-5.15d-freak along the very wall that would not help seconds earlier to what is now called the "phone booth".... last year i had to make a "call" from the very same "phone booth"............sorry to ramble... i hope it is just the strong coffee making me sweat bullets right now.......keep you eyes on the flows......if you decide to go into the BLACK HOLE..... "waatch yourself"................milo
Thanks for the update Captain Black. We've been waiting for the release.... 2,300 sounds, uhhh, a little scary though. Is there any more specific ETR (estimated time of release). And hows it gonna work?? I'd guess they'd gradually increase flows to 2300 and then gradually drop again. Keep us posted.
If anyone is headed there and wants company, please let me know. This is a run I have always wanted to do. Im game for short notice when it pops up to the right levels. Call me at 970 390-6860. Day trip or overnighter. whatever works.
Thought I'd chime in- We ran it at 2200 back in 2000 and it was pretty epic. We had to portage way more than normal (you might not) and it was hard to finish in three days. Even the big waterfall looked too sticky to run and the guide rock couldn't be seen. Some of the must make eddies and ferries were a little sketchy too. The good news, though is that the forests of poison ivy are at there peak of ripeness this time of year! Have fun, be safe and via con rios.
MikeG
Just in case anyone from work sees my above post, no Im not going to paddle the Black, potentially worsening my shoulder and jeapordizing my workmans comp. My buddies are hoping to go when its up and im just going to capture it on film from the rim and by hiking down to beach camp, so dont raise a stink, alert the authorities and get me in trouble..........
Thanks
I ran gunni this weekend, and the rangers said that possible dates are sept, 18-25 with flows up to 1600, peaking around the 22-23. thats all that they know. so if it happens it will be soon.
this weekend i am committing to another multisport DAY before the flows go UP......a solo playboat run, a scramble to meet my climbing instructor to get a 5-8 hour 5.9 rock route up to the N. rim, retreat(scramble) back to my boat, do the "swHELL" portage, finish the river fun, take my "new shortcut" back to the top of the S. rim(warner trial...3,000vert), get on my bike and ride 12+ miles back to the put-in car.......all said and done...... i should "enjoy" +-13,000ft of gain and drop thru car, boat, climb, hike and bike.....i should be able to shave at least 2 hours of the hike out warner trail(5 hours my first go because i got cliffed out or lost!) i will start in the dark(coffee at DAY WRECKER rapid) and finish or at least go into the fetal position in the dark! i expect 16+ hours of "enjoyment"... "RIM TO RIM"..... when the flows get close to 1,000cfs i will attempt a "double run"... twice the rapids, twice the nature, twice the ivy, twice the portages.....twice the fun....this can be achieved!!!! i feel this because i "accidentally" got to chukar trail in 5.5 hours at 750cfs on my first solo run 3 years ago!!!! that was with extra portages due to the "lonliness factor", a regular half hour lunch/smoke break and a minor epic which swoll one eye shut.....So, solo first run(speed purposes)no lunch on the first run, and paddle a couple more drops(LOWER INTESTINE, PRINCIPALS' OFFICE and SIEVE CITY), hike Warner trail the first run(eliminating the hell shuttle),along with increased confidence of a dozen or more runs in the "hole".... then, have a buddy along for the second run that knows the run well enough to not have to scout, paddle some mellow shit in the dark on the way to chukar trail( a super mellow hike at 850vert ft.) sound fun? i will let you know how they go....i am not crazed or crazy......i am bored and misunderstood and just turned 40!!!!
Will it be good to go on Saturday or will it still be rising? I would like to go this weekend but only if it is at least over 1200 cfs. Thanks for any info.
who knows.. he said they have had many problems getting the repairs done... keep lookig into the flows... if it starts going up in a matter of days, we are all in "LUCK".....once we looked at the flow level at the ranger station at the s. rim....it said 1240cfs(a superb level) well, they added another 600cfs that day and i became lost(run #3)... we epic'd to say the least!!! it was very rowdy at the level we experienced that day..... i would be ready for the flows now....hope they come......
They told me the flows will vary greatly between 9/21 and 10/1. This weekend will run about 400cfs. Tuesday they will begin the tests and bump it up to aprox. 1600 to 1800 cfs and then take it down to about 300cfs. They do not know what the levels will be since they need to test it at all water levels to test the repairs they made at crystal dam. She also told me that they will vary very quickly and that the flow will definitely not be consistent. Dam, I was hoping this weekend would be good, but what can you do.
Knowledge and wisdom can not be gained without fist being given the chance- BP
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