Piedra - Ready

[matobs]

Hearsay tells me someone boated the Piedra - a few weeks ago - my first thought was no !#@*& way that's b.s. - there's way too much snow. But it was my fiance giving me the hearsay so I held back and just said "really?"

anyone able to confirm the status of the Piedra?

any General sense of when it will be ready?

thanks for beta

Its running over 900 today(4/5/o5) Id say it is good to go and is also on its way up. The only thing is you have to run the hole thing, upper and lower. I used to have the forest service web site that told when they open the road for the lower part. With a little searching you should be able to find it. Give a shout if planning a weekend day trip.

[rivermanryan]

Any update of the status of the log?

[mvhyde]

900 sounds fun

[doloresdan]

Here's the link for road closures. I'm not sure but I think the road to the upper campground is #622?

http://www.fs.fed.us/r2/sanjuan/cond...s/pagosa.shtml

[floaty22]

Who's ready? My email is floaty22@hotmail.com. looks like most people will be getting to the take-out around ten or eleven.

Also, for anyone who wants to run this:

There is a log in the left line of eye of the needle. This is potentially terminal as it blocks the left line completely if you roll there. It was barely visible (water line) last September at 1200 cfs. To my knowledge it is still there.

For the people who have not run this river, this rapid will be marked by a large debris pile made by a mud slide on river right. There is a fairly obvious horizon line as the river is pinched left. Eddy out on river right and follow tracks a few yards to decide if you want to run it. There is a big rock in the center of the rapid which will hopefully lead you to a decision to go right. The very narrow left line is punctuated by a vortex between the rock and wall with the outflow pillowing directly against another wall. Needless to say, the left line is not pretty and has ended in some nasty swims. Once we had the boater on a midstream rock, paddle on the right, and boat pinned on the left.
A raft can be lined down the right line. Or boof the center rock?.
By the way, does anyone know the name of that rock? Birth control, maybe?

Johnny

[El Flaco]

Isn't 10 or 11 a little late to start the shuttle for the whole 20 mile trip? The times I've done the full trip we launched above Pagosa around ten or earlier and were off pretty late in the day. Just a thought.

[floaty22]

I have definitely had long days on the rock river but daylight savings, 2000 cfs, and only stopping for eye will surely help us along.
I am looking forward to seeing everybody at the put-in tomorrow morning. Bring the cold weather gear.
We camped at the take-out last night for early morning run and it was snowing when we left. I distinctly remember last march when there was about five groups spread out at the upper campground all huddling around fires while it snowed like crazy.
Hope everybody has a great run.

By the way, does anyone know if escalante is running?

Johnny

[floaty22]

I had some friends go down last weekend and they said that the log blocking eye is gone!
Just wanted to let everyone know.

Johnny

[mania]

Ran it Sunday at 2500 - There is no log in the eye but there is a log blocking river right on the first big rapid in the lower gorge (you want to go left anyway). Ran the eye in a paddle raft - it was Fun!!!

a few pics here: www.4expeditions.com (look for staff trip photo link on the home page)

dana

Originally Posted by floaty22

I had some friends go down last weekend and they said that the log blocking eye is gone!
Just wanted to let everyone know.

Johnny