Milk Run - Current Flows and Where to Start?

[Salto]

I plan to take some family down in a 12' paddle raft. I have almost always started at Wilderness Aware and pulled out at Ruby. I was wondering what starting at Buena Vista WWP would be like to add a another mile or two. I see there may be a diversion and a rapid right below the park. Any info regarding this at current levels would be appreciated. I am aiming at a chill class 2 float.

Also -How bony is it going to be @ 300-400 cfs? Tuff rock dodging? Would it be better to do a Big Bend to Salida, or a Salida East to Rincon?

[lmyers]

Honestly, no matter where you take a raft on the Ark it's going to be super boney right now. The Milk Run tends to be worse then most because of the islands and splits in the channel. However, the commercials are still getting down it, so it can be done. WA to Ruby is the best access for the Milk.

Salida East to Rincon is probably a better option. It is going to be shallow and boney as well, but gets floated much more often at current levels. Another stretch you may want to look at is Trading Post to Texas Creek in the Bighorn Canyon.

Below the whitewater park in BV the river is generally II+/III-. It's read and run similar to the inbetweens in Browns, other than the Silver Bullet. Here is a photo of what it looks like at current levels:

[68sting]

We did the PP down to Browns a few weeks back in duckies. We didn't have to much trouble.

Question on put for the milk run. Do you park at the WAs parking lot? It looked like a public put in when we floated by but I didn't know where you parked up above.

[Salto]

Wilderness Aware is $5 to launch a boat and park. They are pretty cool.

Would you go from BV PP again or go lower and start from Wilderness Aware. We will take out at Ruby. How long did it take.

Thanks for the photo. That doesn't look like anything. Will be in a 12 ft x 5.5ft raft. Should do okay. I sthe beaver rapid anything at this level? Was hoping the kids up front would at least get splashed.

[68sting]

Thanks for the info.

The PP to WA was the most fun so I would do that for sure. The MR was a snoozer.

[lmyers]

They might get a little splash at Beaver. The bigger issue will be getting a raft down the Silver Bullet without getting hung up.....and just so you know, there is dam remnants at that rapid, many of which still have rebar attached.

[Salto]

So is the right chute at silver bullet a bad idea for rafts at 300 cfs?

[psu96]

is there anything between trading post to lone pine/texas creek? thinking about taking my 4 yr old.
thanks for any help

Originally Posted by lmyers

Honestly, no matter where you take a raft on the Ark it's going to be super boney right now. The Milk Run tends to be worse then most because of the islands and splits in the channel. However, the commercials are still getting down it, so it can be done. WA to Ruby is the best access for the Milk.

Salida East to Rincon is probably a better option. It is going to be shallow and boney as well, but gets floated much more often at current levels. Another stretch you may want to look at is Trading Post to Texas Creek in the Bighorn Canyon.

Below the whitewater park in BV the river is generally II+/III-. It's read and run similar to the inbetweens in Browns, other than the Silver Bullet. Here is a photo of what it looks like at current levels:

[Theophilus]

Trading Post to Lone Pine is a nice beginners float. Check the Wellsville gage and add 50. Below Lone Pine would be no fun.

[lmyers]

Originally Posted by Salto

So is the right chute at silver bullet a bad idea for rafts at 300 cfs?

Not so much a bad idea as just plain too shallow. I ran it last night and got pinned twice. There is literally about 2-3" of water running down it....and the flow is now down to 237 at Numbers, and that is basically what is in there. Cottonwood Creek has several major diversions on it, the biggest of which doesn't come back in until below the Silver Bullet.