Current Waterton flows are a good intro to bigger water I think. At least there is a lake at the bottom. Foxton is also a good time right now.
Easier/safer high water runs?
With everything cranking, I am looking to get my kid out on some stuff beyond Boulder creek. He's doing the down run in his rockstar, surfing the waves, and avoiding the holes. HE's been walking the stickier stuff in the course proper.
He ran Browns at 2 K and numbers at 1K, but definitely sneaks the bigger stuff and takes conservative lines. he has yet to take a scary swim or any real beating. A brief side surf sticky ledge got his attention pretty quickly last night.
Anyone have good suggestions for stuff that will be fun but forgiving?
Is there a stretch on the eagle that meets this description at high water? I would not take him through the edwards mile at this flows, and don't really know the rest of it too well.
Is the Breck park worth a look while it actually has water?
He ran Browns at 2 K and numbers at 1K, but definitely sneaks the bigger stuff and takes conservative lines. he has yet to take a scary swim or any real beating. A brief side surf sticky ledge got his attention pretty quickly last night.
Anyone have good suggestions for stuff that will be fun but forgiving?
Is there a stretch on the eagle that meets this description at high water? I would not take him through the edwards mile at this flows, and don't really know the rest of it too well.
Is the Breck park worth a look while it actually has water?
1 - 20 of 23 Posts
Foxton above 600 was super fun. The boulder garden opens up a bit with more lines to choose, the two drops in the middle feel bigger but you can sneak both of them easily (or punch them). The flat water goes by a lot faster and the bottom becomes pretty continuous.
Lower Blue is fun at high water. Milk Run and Trading Post to Texas Creek on the Ark are big class 3 wave trains at this flow. Taylor River is at a fantastic level right now with a ton of class 3. Maybe Woody Creek/Toothache on the Roaring Fork if you haven't ran it...
Try the lower North Fork of the Poudre is 9 miles with a res. paddle out, take your big boy boats, pack a lunch and run filter plant out at high water. That is a wicked sick run that will make anyone feel comfortable with a class III skill set. Scenery is class V, rapids max out at III, Jen and I are looking to run it on Saturday if you want to join us.
Dave, I did browns for the first time in 5 years yesterday at just under 4k. It was a really fun time and could be good for Riley. It's swirly in a few spots but is generally pool drop enough that if he misses a roll he can hold on for 5 seconds and be in calmer water.
Lower blue - biggest rapid dumps into 2 dams. In the boat would be preferable. 3000 was big in canyon rapid but still CL III
Pumphouse - maybe a little boring but some low risk higher volume paddling
Shoshone??? - Might be too difficult but if you wanted to push the difficulty envelope without upping the danger drastically this might be an option. Should be an eye opener.
Deckers -> Waterton -> Foxton - 3 close runs for a decent progression day,
Tunnel 1 to playpark on clear creek - Quick and lapable. Hiking up a little to just below the dam will add some bit sized spice
Shelly's to the play park on NSV -Not sure how it changed and I know there was a low bridge to be aware of. 3 potential scouts.
Glenwood playpark - big, high volume, fun, low risk. Could tie it in with the CL II run upstream which might have some waves. I think there is an easy run on a nearby trib too.
Pumphouse - maybe a little boring but some low risk higher volume paddling
Shoshone??? - Might be too difficult but if you wanted to push the difficulty envelope without upping the danger drastically this might be an option. Should be an eye opener.
Deckers -> Waterton -> Foxton - 3 close runs for a decent progression day,
Tunnel 1 to playpark on clear creek - Quick and lapable. Hiking up a little to just below the dam will add some bit sized spice
Shelly's to the play park on NSV -Not sure how it changed and I know there was a low bridge to be aware of. 3 potential scouts.
Glenwood playpark - big, high volume, fun, low risk. Could tie it in with the CL II run upstream which might have some waves. I think there is an easy run on a nearby trib too.
good beg/int runs near Vail
Dave,
The section of the Eagle from Edwards (sanitation plant) to Wolcott is a good advanced beginner to intermediate run at high water. Nice wave trains and roadside. At the end of the run is Trestle Rapid it's a solid class III-IV rapid at this level. You can scout it while running shuttle and decide if you want to take out above (Hwy 131 bridge) or below it (Wolcott BLM access). It's a short run. So, if Riley is feeling good afterwards, you can do a run on the Avon to Edwards stretch afterwards. You can take out behind the Riverwalk shopping center if you don't want to run the Edwards mile. Take out after the left hand bend below the pedestrian bridge (behind Ptarmigan Sports). Upper Gore Creek is also fun right now. Mostly class II-ish, though. And a step up in technical difficulty would be to run from Minturn (park upstream of town) to Meadow Mtn (Dowd Chute put-in) on the Eagle through the "S-turns". It's also continuous class III to IV -ish, with a few pour overs lurking amongst the wave trains.
Dave,
The section of the Eagle from Edwards (sanitation plant) to Wolcott is a good advanced beginner to intermediate run at high water. Nice wave trains and roadside. At the end of the run is Trestle Rapid it's a solid class III-IV rapid at this level. You can scout it while running shuttle and decide if you want to take out above (Hwy 131 bridge) or below it (Wolcott BLM access). It's a short run. So, if Riley is feeling good afterwards, you can do a run on the Avon to Edwards stretch afterwards. You can take out behind the Riverwalk shopping center if you don't want to run the Edwards mile. Take out after the left hand bend below the pedestrian bridge (behind Ptarmigan Sports). Upper Gore Creek is also fun right now. Mostly class II-ish, though. And a step up in technical difficulty would be to run from Minturn (park upstream of town) to Meadow Mtn (Dowd Chute put-in) on the Eagle through the "S-turns". It's also continuous class III to IV -ish, with a few pour overs lurking amongst the wave trains.
I'd scratch NSV off that list. It is a great run and even better post-flood. But there is a lot of junk in the river. Also, there is a river wide tree below the old diversion dam.
NSV Apple Valley is more fun then it used to be, especially at 400cfs. We are thinking about going up there and running Shelly's down tomorrow possibly. Scott is right about some sections have junk around and there is a tree below the old Diversion dam, but it is easy portaged on river right.
The top drops up above shelly's have gotten harder. The shelly's drop has gotten easier. There are some other class III's that have changed too.
The top drops up above shelly's have gotten harder. The shelly's drop has gotten easier. There are some other class III's that have changed too.
Dave, honestly, Foxton is really fun at current levels. It's 566 at Bailey and if memory serves that would be about 650 at the old Foxton gage. Very friendly, great surf at this level and a pretty canyon. The only down side is that the rapids are fairly short. I'd suggest putting in above the boulder garden after a quick scout and doing two laps on the boulder garden before going downstream. Takeout a few miles below dome rock; there are some fun rapids dowstream.
I am seeing two different readings,
but i have been very interested in Eleven mile canyon on the South Platte, and AW says its too low (97cfs) , but cheesman is running at 429cfs, but the river navigo app on my ipone says eleven mile is also running 429cfs. If it is....hopefully someones getting some of that... It looks like awesome III/IV creeking...(minus the V's top and bottom)
USGS Current Water Data for Colorado
American Whitewater - 01. Eleven Mile Canyon, South Platte Colorado, US
River brain sez 90 cfs too :/
South Platte River - River Brain
either way its worth keepin an eye on....
Oh and New mexico is getting our miniscule spike for the summer so the LTB and Race course are at fun levels.... I wouldnt drive down here either though :mrgreen:
but i have been very interested in Eleven mile canyon on the South Platte, and AW says its too low (97cfs) , but cheesman is running at 429cfs, but the river navigo app on my ipone says eleven mile is also running 429cfs. If it is....hopefully someones getting some of that... It looks like awesome III/IV creeking...(minus the V's top and bottom)
USGS Current Water Data for Colorado
American Whitewater - 01. Eleven Mile Canyon, South Platte Colorado, US
River brain sez 90 cfs too :/
South Platte River - River Brain
either way its worth keepin an eye on....
Oh and New mexico is getting our miniscule spike for the summer so the LTB and Race course are at fun levels.... I wouldnt drive down here either though :mrgreen:
I don't know if the Taylor is the absolute best choice right now, just for the fact that swims at this flow can suck and last longer than you would expect. But of course YMMV.....Lower Blue is fun at high water. Milk Run and Trading Post to Texas Creek on the Ark are big class 3 wave trains at this flow. Taylor River is at a fantastic level right now with a ton of class 3. Maybe Woody Creek/Toothache on the Roaring Fork if you haven't ran it...
For Dave and his son they would love it. I wouldn't call it a beginner run but a continous, fun intermediate run that isn't at flood stage. Its one of the few class 3 runs in the state that is still within its banks (at least in the Canyon). Long drive from Boulder though...I don't know if the Taylor is the absolute best choice right now, just for the fact that swims at this flow can suck and last longer than you would expect. But of course YMMV.....
Thanks for all the suggestions folks. Boulder creek has been a great confidence builder, but we need to get out on some other runs. I sure wish the Taylor was closer, I think he'd like that.
Sent from my iPhone using Mountain Buzz
Sent from my iPhone using Mountain Buzz
Easier high water
The lower blue could be a good choice. Below green mountain reservoir. Mostly 2+ with one class three. There is a great surf wave if it's not washed out
You could also do the eagle and take out at avon. Just big waves. Nothing scary. Make sure u put in below dowd chute!
The lower blue could be a good choice. Below green mountain reservoir. Mostly 2+ with one class three. There is a great surf wave if it's not washed out
You could also do the eagle and take out at avon. Just big waves. Nothing scary. Make sure u put in below dowd chute!
Another vote for Deckers > Foxton > Waterton
Whick is how I would rate the progression.
Whick is how I would rate the progression.
That should work great, thanks
Sent from my iPhone using Mountain Buzz
Sent from my iPhone using Mountain Buzz
Cheeseman isn't running. What your seeing is the outflow of Cheeseman reservoir. Cheeseman Canyon is subject to the same releases as Elevemile, plus the addition of Tarryal Creek. The flow below Cheeseman is what feeds Deckers.I am seeing two different readings,
but i have been very interested in Eleven mile canyon on the South Platte, and AW says its too low (97cfs) , but cheesman is running at 429cfs, but the river navigo app on my ipone says eleven mile is also running 429cfs. If it is....hopefully someones getting some of that... It looks like awesome III/IV creeking...(minus the V's top and bottom)
USGS Current Water Data for Colorado
American Whitewater - 01. Eleven Mile Canyon, South Platte Colorado, US
River brain sez 90 cfs too :/
South Platte River - River Brain
either way its worth keepin an eye on....
Oh and New mexico is getting our miniscule spike for the summer so the LTB and Race course are at fun levels.... I wouldnt drive down here either though :mrgreen:
Eagle River through Minturn
Eagle River through Minturn is a great class III run.
You can put in at Tigwan road and take out at the Forest Service bus stop by I-70 or run Dowd if the stars align.
Eagle River through Minturn is a great class III run.
You can put in at Tigwan road and take out at the Forest Service bus stop by I-70 or run Dowd if the stars align.
1 - 20 of 23 Posts
- This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Mountain Buzz
A forum community dedicated to whitewater kayaking, boating, and rafting enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about safety, routes, gear, models, styles, gear swaps, reviews, accessories, classifieds, and more!
Full Forum Listing
Top Contributors this Month
View All
Pinchecharlie
111 Replies
jamesthomas
77 Replies
Dangerfield
61 Replies
Recommended Communities
