snowmass and maroon creeks

[yetigonecrazy]

has anyone ever given these the glanceover for runnability? i was checking out the NOAA stream gauges and it says snwomass creek is thumping along at 722 cfs.... http://www.cbrfc.noaa.gov/river/stat...plot.cgi?SNOC2 and it also says maroon creek is runnin at 843 cfs...http://www.cbrfc.noaa.gov/river/stat...plot.cgi?RMCC2... are these gauges messed up or is there really that much water? and do people boat this or is it woody and bouldery?

[deepsouthpaddler]

The link you posted for maroon creek is actually the roaring for river below maroon creek. I'd venture that castle creek and maroon creek are about 100-200 cfs each. As you drive up Maroon creek road to the bells it does look like a nice little creek. By looking at it from the road, campsites etc, it looks like shallow class II-III, and it does have wood and diversion structures in it. I thought about the runnability myself, but it seemed like it wasn't really worth the effort with all of the classic stuff right there (slaughterhouse, castle creek). Never looked at snowmass creek.

[yetigonecrazy]

yeah, thats what i thought, i couldnt imagine Maroon Ck with 840+ cfs in it, it just seemed weird.

as fo snowmass creek, if you take the flow from higher up gauges, add in the 'pan and compare that to the gauges downstream, i could almsot believe there is 700 cfs coming down, but again, i dont want to believe anything until someone from the area can verify.

[thatguy]

I hiked along snowmass creek in late june 2004 before I was really into creeking. I remember thinking it might be fun to kayak in a few spots, looked like it had enough water too. I'm sure I wasn't there at the peak though. Right below snowmass lake are a couple waterfalls, 12-15 feet or so with some wood, don't recall the landings. Downstream of the lake was a really scary looking drop which might go with more water by a boater that is not me. I have a picture of it and will try to post it. I do remember seeing some fun looking drops below this as well. Hope this helps.

[Kendarflugen]

If I'm not mistaken the pictures posted are about a 6-8 mile hike in. Above the upper beaver ponds, right? And that section between Snowmass lake and the beaver ponds is by far the steepest section.