[KSC]

A team of elite boaters dropped blindly into an unrun (post flood) gorge last night, known to the ancients in the area as "The Proving Grounds." Using, great caution, skill, and aplomb, all 4 boaters made it out alive that night.

This might be the only Front Range section that actually got better after the floods.


Sorry for the low quality video, but I only had my phone.
https://goo.gl/photos/tWZJo6UoaZ8ttcbF6

 

[tellutwurp]

looks cleaner for sure, is there much above that or is that the extent of the first mini-gorge now? where'd that big ass tree end up?

 

[carvedog]

Ri didn't even hesitate there. Thumbs up and good to go. Was the old guy trying to boof that pointy rock???? Get 'er done.

 

[Dave Frank]

Well there might have been 2 elite boaters, (Kevin and Riley), and Marty and I hacked our way along well enough.

The video shows the second major drop, Jeopardy. It seems like another edge or two have developed at the top of it, and many of the smaller junky boulders got washed out leaving a much nicer series of drops.

The first drop, lets make a deal, has changed a bit as well. The manky right side cleaned up a bit and would go with one log removal (10+"). The big lines in the middle go, as KSC demonstrated, but carry serious consequences for the offline paddler. Not that he was offline; he planned to flip in the exit a la Forrest Noble.

The remaining drops, while not as challenging, keep you eddy scouting and on your toes. Keep moving from addy to eddy as there is still a river wide log to portage or wheelchair around in the right. Portage left for less P Ivy.

 

[KSC]

More or less what Dave said. I guess these rapids actually have names that Marty gave them long ago.

The first rapid, Dave's photo, is Let's Make a Deal. That shows pretty much the entire thing. It's sievey towards the left and there's that log covering most of the right channel up top. Those are the main hazards, plus the standard pin or flip & land on a rock with your head hazards. But the entrance is just a technical zipzag through some boulders up top, boof that thing in the middle and then either hit the diamond splitter pointing right (which I think is the same as it used to be, but looks really funky) or take that right channel that I opted for. I thought there were some reasonable plan B scrambles as well if something went awry.

The video starts at the middle of the second drop, "Jeopardy." You enter through a couple 2-3' ledge type things with a rock garden character. Then the boof, and then you can see the rest of it in the video - basically two more 3' ledge drop things with some maneuvering. Fun.

 

[sfornst]

It does look a lot better than what I remember Proving Grounds being.

 

[erdvm1]

Proving grounds better? That's absurd. Improve upon perfection?
Shit looks good. Wish it was three times as long.


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[erdvm1]

Btw whose up for going in to get the wood out?


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[zbaird]

Good shit. What happened david? Riles showed you the line!!!

 

[Dave Frank]

We scouted together and he wanted to lead it. He obviously had better lines than me on this one.


This will only become more common, though he did experience his biggest beat down to date last night on the buttress.


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[gannon_w]

How did you access it...was the normal road open?

 

[tellutwurp]

The road is open I've heard.

 

[Cphilli]

We went yesterday, dirt road to the top.

Shelly's was fun to.


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[quesihealy]

Can someone confirm the road is open?

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[Dave Frank]

Road opened to the public Wednesday.


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[Jefe]

Anyone want to get out there this week while it still has water?

 

[KSC]

Btw whose up for going in to get the wood out?


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Not that I oppose removing the wood, but I don't think it's that big of a deal. Basically it just forces you take the same line you used to take before the flood rather than a cheater right line.

 

[Livingston]

One more good flood and it will be a creeker's paradise.
-d

 

[Nathan]

Button Rock is spilling and the actual flow in the Proving Grounds this afternoon was around 400 cfs. I'm sure the rain has helped the flow a little but it should be in for a couple days if people are interesting in checking it out.

 

[erdvm1]

River wide strainer less than 1/8 mile below second rapid

A little hard to see until you're on it. Just be heads up after the second rapid.

Gorgeous and can tie in Shelly's now so more worth the drive.


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