Anyone have any Beta on a good trailer Friendly take out below Escalante.. Because I am of sound mind but broken leg I can not drag my 14' footer under a rail rode track/ carry only take outs.. So I'm guessing this puts me in Junction..?? Does any one know of a good take out in Grandjunction for Gunnison floaters??
Lower Gunnison Trailer Friendly Take outs??
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I wish I could help you.
Bridgeport is fucking disaster! Worst i've ever seen it, the wash that goes under the tracks flooded and left a deep channel too narrow to carry a raft through, nightmare. There's what looks to be a beautiful take out about a 1/4 mi. up stream. It's behind a locked gate owned by the RR. I've heard of a take out in Whitewater but, it sounds like it has it's own problems; steep, theft prone, and nessisating a 2 day trip.
I hope someone wiser than me can shed some light on a decent take out for this otherwise beautiful section of flat water floating.
Bridgeport is fucking disaster! Worst i've ever seen it, the wash that goes under the tracks flooded and left a deep channel too narrow to carry a raft through, nightmare. There's what looks to be a beautiful take out about a 1/4 mi. up stream. It's behind a locked gate owned by the RR. I've heard of a take out in Whitewater but, it sounds like it has it's own problems; steep, theft prone, and nessisating a 2 day trip.
I hope someone wiser than me can shed some light on a decent take out for this otherwise beautiful section of flat water floating.
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Those are your choices. Bridgeport and Whitewater. Both suck. You can't float to Grand Junction because of the Gunnison diversion dam. Looks like there might be some access upstream of the dam near a gravel pit on Google Maps, but it's difficult to tell what's private property.
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From the BLM page:
Redlands Dam - Just south of the Colorado River in Grand Junction, turn south on 261/4 Road. Proceed through the cemetery and turn right on B3/4 Road, then left on 263/8 Road. The Boat take-out is just upstream of Redlands Dam.
BLM UFO Lower Gunnison River
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Tbird, I live in the area and have a small trailer, for a fee I could get your 14 footer around the dam (about 1/4 to 1/2 mile portage) depending on when you do your float. PM me. Bill
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So one good thing about having lousy river access is it does tend to keep a stretch from getting lot's of traffic, also less likely for it to grow permits and tons of regulations. Just think about ruby horse shit during most of the season, for instance. Agree it would be nice to have better river access, but shit holes like the white water access also do give you a little more solitude if your willing to hump your boat up that hill. Not nesesarily saying right or wrong on the issue, but it could stop being a gem if the blm actually did anything there.
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Just got off the stretch and could not agree more. In two days we shared the river with two other groups. It was very nice compared to the poop scoop of RHT. Most important thing for Whitewater (in high flows) is that you have to be ready to push hard into the take out, and only two rafts will fit there at a time so be spread out.
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take out above GJ diversion dam
However, it is possible to take out about 100 yards above the diversion dam in GJ on the right at a trailer friendly access at the end of the road BUT the road out there is unpaved & can be rough/washboarded and IMO a far less secure access than Whitewater. The other problem is the hwy 141 road bridge clearance (below Whitewater access) at flows above 3,000 cfs the gap to get under the bridge starts shrinking quickly for rafts.
Yeah access needs to change in these parts! Join American Whitewater if you aren't already a member and remind them of the work we need to do on Bridgeport/Whitewater accesses!!
I definitely agree with the others here: there is no good raft take-out on the Lower Gunny, only decent put-ins (Delta or Escalante). Personally, I wouldn't go out this way on my own with a broken leg with a raft; just too much work to think about!So is that the consensus that you can't float from Whitewater to Grand Junction?
I can't believe that such a huge section of river with desert canyons has such crap take outs..
However, it is possible to take out about 100 yards above the diversion dam in GJ on the right at a trailer friendly access at the end of the road BUT the road out there is unpaved & can be rough/washboarded and IMO a far less secure access than Whitewater. The other problem is the hwy 141 road bridge clearance (below Whitewater access) at flows above 3,000 cfs the gap to get under the bridge starts shrinking quickly for rafts.
Yeah access needs to change in these parts! Join American Whitewater if you aren't already a member and remind them of the work we need to do on Bridgeport/Whitewater accesses!!
The reality is there is no good take out on the Gunny. The bridge at Hwy 141 isn't terrible but you can't get a trailer down to the river. I've boated with a friend and his canoe and that was even a challenge. It's a nice stretch of river, especially now that there are fewer trains.
By the way, the BLM has very little it can do with access to the Gunnison. There is a lot of private property and the railroad controls everything on river right. Access at the bridge at 141 is not technically legal and the DOT could easily close it down. The other (crappy) easements took a lot of negotiation, especially with the railroad. The BLM has done a good job building some nice campsites, especially down river from Dominguez and Bridgeport. Give the BLM a break!
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Do tell of the new campsites below Dominguez. Ive seen one with potential on an island just after the RR tunnel. Where have they added more? Always needed somethng btwn bridgeport and WW. Been 4 years since i been there.
Thanks !
Thanks !
There are about 3-4 campsites between Dominguez Canyon and the new Bridgeport bridge. There is a big site right at the mouth of Dominguez Creek but that site has been hammered. The BLM would rather not see people camp there but just use it as a parking spot for hiking to cool rock art and waterfalls. The other sites are on river left below Dominguez. They're not big but OK for 10-12 people.
Down river past the ranch and where the RR tunnel is there are sites on river left. They're where a barbed wire fence that comes down to the river. I think all the established sites have some type of marker. If you explore around the lower sites you'll find an awesome rock art panel with bears and bear paws. Down river from there I don't know what is available. There are no restrictions as far I know on public land.
Down river past the ranch and where the RR tunnel is there are sites on river left. They're where a barbed wire fence that comes down to the river. I think all the established sites have some type of marker. If you explore around the lower sites you'll find an awesome rock art panel with bears and bear paws. Down river from there I don't know what is available. There are no restrictions as far I know on public land.
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Went by to scout the GJ takeout on the Gunnison and it is impossible to get to the ramp due to flooding. About 2 feet of water all around the area just upstream of the diversion.
Also measured the Gunnison at the Delta bridges at hwy 50 and downstream of that.
Hwy 50 bridge in Delta = 68" clearance at 11 AM May 29
G50 road bridge West of Delta = 58" clearance at 4:30 PM May 29
Also measured the Gunnison at the Delta bridges at hwy 50 and downstream of that.
Hwy 50 bridge in Delta = 68" clearance at 11 AM May 29
G50 road bridge West of Delta = 58" clearance at 4:30 PM May 29
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Thanks for measuring those bridge heights; good to know before you go for the higher flows!
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