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State Bridge to Dotsero

12K views 16 replies 6 participants last post by  jdove 
#1 ·
Does anyone have good beta on this float? I am going to try to do it as a two day at the end of the week. Its flowing at 2200. Looking for estimated float times as well as established campsites and info on any rapids.
 
#5 ·
Yo Hooked1- near state bridge the river is at 1,000cfs which even without a headwind is pretty slow going down to catamount about 16 miles. In this stretch there is only one name class II rapid Windy Point. Windy Point camp is excellent. Below catamount is an easy class II drop named Alkali. Then comes the big daddy of the upper c, Landslide aka Rodeo Rapid a solid class III. This drop is roadside and easy to scout/portage. Pinball Point has camping and milage wise would work for you. Soon you enter Red Canyon. Pinball Rapid is a shortways down river, an easy class III. Some lively water leads to a great camp at Jacks Flat. Twin Bridges Rapid class II+ ends this highly scenic stretch. Their is a small rapid at Horse Creek and two nice access points/camps at Cottonwood and Lyons Gulch. Two small riffles are located between Cottonwood and Dotsero. Total milage just under 50 miles.
 
#7 ·
Webby has it right. Be sure to check out CO's largest waterwheel on river-left as you go through McCoy, river mile 31.7 on the guide that endomadness attached. We just did this from Rancho to Cottonwood over the July 4th weekend in 3 days, 2 nights. We stopped at Double Pine for lunch on our first day and thought it would be an awesome campsite, however the railroad is directly across the river - be sure to bring earplugs just in case you have to camp at a site that is really close to the railroad! We ended up camping at Cottonwood Bend on our first night. Nice, large site with a fire ring close to the water, and then another one back behind the cottonwoods - plenty of flat ground. The second night we camped at Jacks Flats. This is BY FAR my favorite campsite on the entire Upper C. LOTS of great hiking and opportunities for exploring the area. This is in the Bull Gulch Wilderness study area, so take advantage if you can. The is a prime campsite because there is a natural birm that blocks the road and railroad, so it's QUIET! The nice thing about doing the lower stretch is that not many people, other than a few fisherman, do this stretch. So, it's relatively peaceful and you pretty much have the river to yourself. We took out at the ramp just past Cottonwood Island. Be sure to bring PLENTY of bug spray and a big mesh tent (if you have one) - we had all of this and still gotten eaten up pretty well. The photos are of the Jacks Flats campsite. Enjoy your trip!
 
#8 ·
I think there is a pit toilet at Pinball, but I'm not 100% sure as I've never camped there. We always like to camp on the side opposite of the road so it's quiet. There are no firepans or groovers required this year, but the BLM will be enforcing it next year. I think it's good idea to bring a groover just in case, and to make sure you aren't abusing the land. In fact, I was talking with a ranger at Pumphouse a month or so ago, and he said that he has been telling people to start bringing groovers and firepans this year just to get in the habit of doing it. I know that the BLM is tearing down fire rings on the upper stretch, but they haven't gotten too far past State Bridge.
 
#12 ·
Yo Hook1- Here it is.
State Bridge to Catamount = 16 miles and 7 hours
Catamount to Pinball Point = 9 m and 5 hrs.
Pinball to Dotsero = 20 m and 10 hrs.
Windy Point, Catamount, Pinball, Cottonwood & Lyons Gulch have toilets, metal fireplaces and picnic tables. Jacks Flat is wilderness style camping and I would recommend having a toilet system.
 
#15 ·
foulhooked1, so you did State Bridge to Pinball. Isn't pinball before jacks. I'm looking to float this stretch next weekend. Probably put on Friday and take out Sunday. Looking to hit the fishing hard. Put in at Rancho but not too sure where to take out. Rancho runs shuttle but only to certain take outs. Is this correct Buzzers? Any suggestions from those that have floated this section considering 3 days, 2 nights, paying for a shuttle and fishing it. Foulhook - if you don't mind what was working, I imagine hopper droppers, ants, beetles, those kinds of things? Thanks-
 
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