[Chief Niwot]

We are planning to paddle the Taylor this weekend Lottis Creek down to South Bank. Has anyone had any issues in the private property a few miles above the New Generation put-in?

Thanks,

 

[gunnerman]

AJ, I would not recommend runnning the whole stretch, because water is low in section going by the grumpy rancher about half-way down. His section has alot of very shallow fishing weirs and hang-ups or flips are possible, then he will encounter you. We usually just run above Slot to southbank. If you really want to run Lottis and Check Damn take out at Lodgepole and then reset shuttle. Don't take a chance cause this guy is a real jerk, and have heard stories about shotguns.

 

[lmyers]

You will be fine. The property owner is an asshole, and he has came down to riverside multiple times with a shotgun, but he knows he can't do shit as long as you stay in your boat. The drops in that vicinity are not overly clean or fun, but there are no river wide trees. If your driving from Boulder to run the Taylor than I encourage you to run it all.

Note: The last 2 years I have preferred to go Lottis to Lodgepole, and then car shuttle down to New Gen and take out at South Bank...

 

[Chief Niwot]

Lmyers, this has been my experience too in the past. We typically float through so we don't have to double shuttle.

The bureau of Rec said the 400 cfs out of the res should hold for this weekend, which I think is enough water to float through it, if my memory is right, correct?

 

[lmyers]

Yep. A bit boney in spots (especially the weirs), but its still plenty to float.

 

[yetigonecrazy]

He comes down with a handgun? You oughta try to capture a picture of it sometime- if it is the same guy as before, part of his punishments from the firing over the boaters incident was he was prohibited from owning or possessing firearms for a period of time. If it is the same guy, I wonder if his probation is up or if he just DGAF.

Logan, glad to hear you are coming around about skipping Lodgepole to New Gen. I told you guys not to for a long time but you kept insisting on doing it for completes sake. Not worth it, glad to hear you finally agree

I would expect the releases to stay 300+ until the beginning of September, and then probably dropping to 200ish by October 1, at which point they usually cut it off for the season.

Go get some!! I am jealous and envious. Pics....?!

 

[steven]

what the lowest you guys run it?

 

[gunnerman]

The main section of the taylor ( new generation to south bank ) is still really fun at 250 out of the damn, but the lottis to lodgepole section or the middle taylor (southbank to five-mile) get pretty bony at that level but still doable. This year flows will be really good all the way into september. And the hiking and mountain biking just makes this a great fall get-away. Tons of camping options to boot!!

 

[lmyers]

Here's a picture of the toilet bowl Yeti took when we ran it in 2012 at 75 cfs below the dam. We put in at the narrows and went down to south bank. I wouldn't travel far for it at those flows, but it was certainly better than not boating at all.

 

[yetigonecrazy]

Thanks Logan! I think there was 75 coming out of the dam but with some minor pickup from tribs it was around 120 in the actual "Upper Run". That was a fun day of ELF'ng....

I've run the Taylor at [all on [email protected]] 80 cfs, 120 cfs, and 160ish cfs.

My friend Jess and I went up with about 50 on the dam and about 80 at Almont, and I would skip out some of the sections and just run from Initiation to about Ranger Station and call it good at that flow. The rapids are surprisingly good and still channelized but the in between is rough, and some of the wider rapids in the lower 2/3rds will be too manky. We had a driver who was kind enough to shuttle us around some longer flats and that allowed us to run just the rapids.

At 120 at Alont you can actually boat all the way, but it still is somewhat manky. Logan, did we go all the way through from Initiation to S Bank? I can't remember and don't have my book in front of me. I feel like we did......Still, that being said, it's a whole lot of fun with lots of channels and micro boofs. There are some unfriendly rocks here and there but on the whole you will be surprised with it. I'm pretty sure the photo above was at this flow. In the section just below Ranger Station there is a rapid with a nice juicy hole (I always forget it's name) and at these flows that hole becomes a nice vertical drop. There are other goodies like that scattered through the run.

And finally Logan and myself (and I think some others?) did it one day with 120 on the dam but we had about 160 at Almont, and it was a hoot. We ran everything from Initiation down, and apart from a random rock here and there it was actually quite good. I don't think i'd want to take anything other than a hardshell or a wee little ducky down it but in those boats it is a blast. I would go back and do it at this flow just about any time.

And then 200 is the widely accepted cutoff for single boats. Most sane (or non diehard or non ELF) boaters will wait for this. Larger boats need a minimum of 250, although closer to 300 is much more advisable. Logan, any ELF thoughts you want to add?

 

[lmyers]

Yep 120 below the dam was still great fun. The day you took that picture we put in where the river comes very close to the road right above the Narrows/Toilet Bowl and went down to SB.

 

[yetigonecrazy]

Ok, so we skipped the Meat Section. Thats right. I couldn't quite remember correctly. Good stuff!

 

[wchearst]

Guns?

I don't think anyone is going to come down and point guns at anyone, maybe fly rods. That particular section (between Lodgepole and New Generation) isn't really a ranch, but a HOA with about 12 homes. I guide fishing trips in there and I have seen hard-shells come through at this level. Much lower it might get bony and when it is too high you can't get under a bridge.

If you are respectful of the fishermen and don't trespass there shouldn't be any issues.

If you want to raise hell, stick one of those telescoping spinning rods in the cockpit and yank out some big stocked rainbows...

 

[Chief Niwot]

Cool, So I think we are going to run it and be respectful, just like we have done in the past. And I think we all should run it to support our right to run it.

Any idea if we will have a hard time finding a walk in Forest circus camp spot somewhere in the canyon if we get there mid afternoon on Friday?

Thanks,

 

[wchearst]

Well primitive camping is free up Spring Creek Canyon, but I am not sure how busy the pay sites have been. It's funny up there though. The weekends sometimes arn't as busy with visitors. I think it is just so hard to get to that people come up for a week at a time and travel on weekends.

You will find something.

 

[yetigonecrazy]

Hmm. Good chance you can find one somewhere. There is a lot of CGs so it might take some looking but its not as busy as say 4th of July.....North Bank, One Mile, Rosy Lane, Lodgepole, Cold Spring, Lottis......II would have to think there would be one around. Cold Spring and Lodgepole, while small, are good bets sometimes. I dunno, good luck!

 

[Chief Niwot]

The Taylor was great this past weekend. We paddled twice through the private property, floating by fishing people and no issues. Some of the weirs were a little bony at 400cfs, but very passible in hard boats.

 

[lmyers]

I don't think anyone is going to come down and point guns at anyone, maybe fly rods. That particular section (between Lodgepole and New Generation) isn't really a ranch, but a HOA with about 12 homes. I guide fishing trips in there and I have seen hard-shells come through at this level. Much lower it might get bony and when it is too high you can't get under a bridge.

If you are respectful of the fishermen and don't trespass there shouldn't be any issues.

If you want to raise hell, stick one of those telescoping spinning rods in the cockpit and yank out some big stocked rainbows...

I have never had gun pointed at me, but more than once an individual has come down to the river's edge in a golf cart with a shotgun on a gun rack on it. This is at the big meadow river right where the roadside weirs are located.