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kayaking avalanche creek

3696 Views 10 Replies 8 Participants Last post by  eaproductions, 
P
have you guys ever heard of anyone kayaking avalanche creek in the crystal river drainage. I recently hiked up that drainage with my dog and while looking down into the gorge I pondered wether or not any part of that creek would be runable during the spring melt. If you have any beta on this creek let me know. Maybe it could be a fun adventure for next summer.
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T
It has been run and it will be run again



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P
Is it worth it? How far do you hike up?


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yetigonecrazy
I've asked this question a few times over the years, seems to be a "don't ask don't tell" kind of place. I'm sure someone will show you down, just gotta find the right person..... I know some people that have done the stretch from the CG down to the Crystal but they have long moved on from CO....
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P
Actually not that special. All the good hard parts need serious flossing.


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peterB
From what I have seen it is a either class 2 with a ton of river wide logs or bouncing down a debris pile....with a ton of wood. I have hiked the trail next to it to Avalanche lake and the first thing that looks interesting is past Dooley park which I think is 6 miles in. The part below the campground that seems like a no brainer to try, but it just looks like a 45 degree pile of wet rocks with logs. No Bedrock. Charlie and Paul, I think paddled it a long time ago and it is not in any books for a reason.
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brendodendo
I'll ask Paul the next time I see him, but as Peter said, it is a long hike to anything that looks fun and then it is also wood choked. If I was in the CRV and wanted a hike in boat trip, it would be Ruby / Anthracite / Dark Canyon. Local runs like Bogan Canyon / Crystal Narrows are also great.
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D
I was with PT and company when it was run this spring. We got to it late in the day after having been up the crystal, so I helped with shuttle and bailed that night, going back a few days later to run the lower part (short Ruby-Anthracite simulator).

My take away is that the run has great potential as a fun, low comitment, back yard adventure. However, it will require some wood work.

There is plenty of gradient along 310 to have a good time with enough water and the wood cut out...

Holler if you have other questions!
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T
I was up there w Paul a few weeks back and did some flossing to move the put in a fair bit higher. He went up again later and did more work, didn't hear a report. Longer run now than few yrs back when we ran it maybe only mile up from confluence. Should b good fun if the put in is high enough, steady fast gradient w few eddies. Think Paul ran the steep gorge section way back in the day, our flossing efforts well below that


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P
Thanks guys. Sounds like I should just ask Paul about it next time I see him.


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E
Do not attempt this run. First off the scenery is terrible...also you have to hike through a forest of poison ivy that makes the black canyon portage look like a walk through a field of flowers, and the whole area is populated by a cannibalistic tribe that make the headhunters in New Guinea seem like mellow vegetarians also the gestapo USFS enforces a no paddling policy that makes Yellowstone look like a kayaker's easy poaching paradise (bring your checkbook to pay the fat daddy fine). If you somehow get past these obstacles make sure you bring your chainsaw...no make that dynamite - to get through the log jams, and most importantly don't forget your gonads as this run makes Yule look docile. Oops, nothing really makes Yule look tame - but seriously lower non-stop gnar run now almost clean - be ready to sack up and think snow!!

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