[pclissold]

Hello my name is Patrick and i am flying out to Colorado Springs in April from the UK. I am only 18 so transport is a bit of a problem. Does anybody have any info on where to go which is close to Colorado Springs and good rivers. Does anybody who lives in the area fancy meeting up and going paddling?

 

[Maya_]

The Arkansas is fairly close if you can get someone to drive you there. There are various sections that range from class 6 to Class 1. You can rent a boat from CKS or any other raft company for that matter. If I were you I would buy a copy of the bible (Rivers and Creeks; I believe they have a link to it on this site), then you can take your pick of which spot to hit.

Cheers

 

[gh]

Not sure where the class VI is but their are many of us that kayak in the Springs and we head to the Arkansas just about every weekend during that time period. April is a little early for our annual 'higher' water but their should be something running. I am going to California for a week in April but any other time and I will go down to the Ark with ya.

 

[Maya_]

Not technically the Ark but Lake Creek which feeds Twin Lakes Res. which controls the flow for the Ark has a few class IV rapids in my opinion. But I guess it isn't really the Ark river...

 

[pclissold]

Thanks. Somebody suggested to me to head up to Salida and i checked it out and there is greyhound running from Colorado Springs to Salida so i could easily get there. Is this a good idea?

 

[claire]

Thanks. Somebody suggested to me to head up to Salida and i checked it out and there is greyhound running from Colorado Springs to Salida so i could easily get there. Is this a good idea?

Yes, Salida is a great base for boating the Arkansas. If you post here on Mountainbuzz (trip planner) when you're out here, more people will be on the site and thinking about boating, and you probably can find rides to go boating.

What's your plan in Colorado Springs next summer? Will you be working? If you're not stuck in C Springs, maybe you should consider working in the Arkansas Valley as a raft guide (or other tourist-related job... there's a lot of commercial rafting companies out there). If you've got whitewater experience, getting a guide job would be easy, and then you'd be based up there with lots of new friend to paddle with. I guided down there back in '94-'95 and it was fun.

 

[Red]

I may not have started kayaking yet for the season, but if the weather is nice, I could probably be talked into a trip.

Post something when you come to town, or you could try www.pikespeakwhitewaterclub.com.

 

[Ed Hansen]

Arkansas River is the closest about an hour to put-in, with Royal Gorge (class IV) and Parkdale (Class III+) being the closest sections. Difficulty will rise with the water.

11 Mile Canyon is next closest, but doesn't run often. Class III-IV with a class V start and a V+ finish. Skip both class Vs if needed and still have a great day.

Deckers/North Fork of South Platte/Waterton Canyon about 1 1/2 hour away, about same distance as 11 Mile. Class II-III, III-IV, and III-IV, respectively. Difficutly will be on the higher ratings with higher water. All will be boney at low water, but very runnable.

2 hour drive will get you to Upper sections of the Arkansas River. Granite Section, Numbers, Fractions/FrogRock, Browns Canyon. IV-V, IV, III+/III,III-IV.

Bailey Canyon (on North Fork of hte South Platte. It's about 2 1/2 hours away. Classs V. If you are clas IV, you can portage the 3 class Vs.

Not sure what level boater you are, but I could show you the lines on any of the above.

If you want steep creeks, there are one or two near or fairly near to all of the above. I'd like to see those as well, but we'd need a guide. Not hard to find.

Clear Creek flows into Golden. about 2 hours. Class III, IV, or V, depending on what sections you float. It ends at the Whitewater park in Golden; a great place to meet LOTS of boaters most any day. It's common to hook up with trips upstream here.

About 45 minutes north on highway 93, you start hitting the Boulder drainages. Class III,IV,V and lots of stuff but I'm not so familier with that.

Anyway, Pikes Peak Whitewater Club is in Colorado Springs. This is where I met many kayaking freinds. They will be having a pool sessions, the best place to meet people. Their web site is http://www.pikespeakwhitewaterclub.com/ and they also have a message posting site http://www.groups.yahoo.com/group/p_p_w_c

Hope this helps. Keep in touch and remind us when you get into town.

Ed Hansen

ps... I'm always looking for people to paddle with when the water is still low, so find me here when you get here.

 

[zbaird]

finally the cycle makes its debut. i see that you have taught it a new trick. drop me a line and tell me how florence life is and where to see those pics of the fam trip down the gorge. any good ones?

 

[badkins]

So Ed is in Florence? Is he staying at Supermax?

 

[zbaird]

could be. little do those boys know what ol' ed has in store for 'em. they had better watch where they put their tougues during those cold nights in the yard. ouch!!! he has got to have something other than naked unicycling on those cold winter nights to keep him busy. why not supermax? ed?

 

[pclissold]

Thanks People. If anybody want to give me more info (or find me a place to stay,lend me a boat etc) and wants to go paddling email me at [email protected]