Royal Gorge & Gunni Gorge

[MtnGuyXC]

Any you folks down Salida way know down to what level you can still paddle the RG & does it freeze up some or normally stay free & clear? Also you folks over the Gunni way the GG is flowing nicely right now...does the road down to the Chukar Trailhead normally stay negotiable during the winter months?

[YakaRaft]

The gorge is at a fun level all the way to 500 cfs, although sunshine hole gets VERY sticky at that level. I have heard it is paddleable (is that a word?) down to the 300's. Generally it doesn't freeze over although there may be ice along the banks

[Id725]

Royal Gorge is a lot of fun in a kayak all the way down to 300, even.
But the paddling is COLD in there this time of year, cause the sun never reaches the bottom of the canyon.
Last winter I hiked along the rim and it looked like there were significant ice bridges. I usually won't paddle in there after November, for cold and fear of ice.
It's an April through November run for me.

-Mike

[Mike B]

Here's a shot of our semi tropical Royal Gorge in December. Even Mike G, who has more tolerance for ice boating than most, doesn't want to deal with those bridges.

There were 4 ice bridges visible from the RG bridge that day, and I was much happier on the canyon rim than I would have been in my boat down below.

Mike

http://www.mountainbuzz.com/album_page.php?pic_id=1438