Black Rock 7-2-07

The Clear Creek season just keeps on going. We ran Black Rock after work today at about 600 cfs. This is an excellent water level for the run. I'd say its a bit tougher than Bailey at 600. Black Rock rapid is first with a pushy,technical lead in and an undercut on the bottom left. The run-out to Black Rock rapid:



The Narrows is the next biggie. This rapid is a classic case of way bigger at river level than it looks from the road. Entrance to the Narrows:



The Mr. Bill hole is the feature that immediately grabs your attention when scouting, but it has a nice boof flake and a smooth line. The hole after it, on the other hand, is a bit sticky. Paul impressed us with all the latest rodeo moves (in a Nomad). Christian taking the conservative line, just punching the hole cleanly:



Finally, there is Rigor Mortis. This seems like a really tricky level for Rigor as shown in this photo (Its blurry because I was already going for my throw rope when I took it).

Upper Animas 6-29-07 to 7-1-07

The Upper Animas is a classic river trip in the San Juan Mountains of southwestern Colorado. The trip is 26 miles and can be done in a day if needed. We had raft support and spent two nights on the river with a long middle day and a train shuttle at the end. This is a highly recommended way to run the river. Before the trip, I heard we were packing light. As it turns out, the rafters' version of "squalor"(sp) is pretty damn nice. We had about 1500cfs at Durango and 700 at Silverton. I thought twice as much would be good. The rafters said that a bit more would be ideal.

There is a low railroad bridge about a mile from the put-in that should be portaged by rafters who wish to avoid damaging their boats.



The view from our first campsite (taken from the seat of the groover).



Most of the action came on day two. The first "big rapid" is the Garfield Slide. It is neither a slide nor is it really that big (at this flow). Jen runs the slide:



Dave- same:



No Name is the biggest rapid on the river. It is a long, pushy, but straghtforward rapid with a nasty spot on the left at the bottom. No one in our group explored this spot. Jesse runs super smooth line through the crux on the Cat.



The paddle assist raft finishes up No Name almost as smoothly.



Night two- another of the many great campsites on this stretch.



We woke up early Sunday and caught the tourist train back to Silverton with time to spare (no Rockwood Box- maybe next time). This is a great river trip and I can't wait to go back. There are all kinds of options for this trip: from a long day trip, to self support kayaking, to several days on a raft with layovers. You really can't go wrong with any of them.

Crystal 6-26-07

After a day on the Roaring Fork, we decided to check out the Crystal in the next valley over. I was hoping to run Crystal Mill Falls, but it really didn't look good. The preferred line is right. Unfortunately there is a jagged outcropping creating a curling boil. This boil pushes straight into the center left seam where you don't want to be. Maybe it goes easier with more water?



Since we were up there we ran the short section below Crystal Mill. We knew it probably would not be very good but we went anyway. There is one significant drop on this section. It is a 6 footer that strongly resembles a lowhead dam. There is a 10-15 foot recirculation that is worse on the left. Looking down from above.



I ran right, got no boof off the shallow shelf, and paddled out of the backwash. Brian did the Class V portage on the left.



Basically the run was Class III with some wood and a scary hydraulic. I doubt I'll do this one again. We ran Crystal Narrows on the way out of the canyon. The scenic and enjoyable Narrows:

Castle Creek/Slaughterhouse 6-25-07

We headed out to the Roaring Fork Valley on Monday to get the last of their snowmelt. The Slaughterhouse gauge was at 750 cfs. There is no Castle Creek gauge so we just checked it out visually. It looked like 200+ cfs which we hoped would be enough. Castle Creek has several small Boulder gardens with blind corners. This combined with its reputation for accumulating wood led to a handful of scouts.

Typical Castle Creek scenery- small boulder garden with an almost river-wide log.



Bigger boulder garden downstream.



After a few miles on Castle Creek, we joined the Roaring Fork for the Slaughterhouse run. Slaughterhouse Falls is the most significant drop in this section. It is a 5 foot ledge than can be run cleanly on the left. Brian running Slaughterhouse Falls.



The rest of the run is mellow boulder gardens.



One thing to note about these runs is that the riverbed of both is entirely smooth, round boulders, which is a nice change from the Front Range. For future trips, I think 1500+ on the Slaughterhouse gauge would be ideal.

Bailey 6-24-07

We put on Bailey with 500cfs at the put-in and 650 at the takeout. Out of the many time I have paddled Bailey, this was the highest water level. I thought the run was much higher quality than low water Bailey and not much harder (except for Supermax). We had six in our group and another three were with us for most of the day. Despite the group size, everything went pretty smoothly (except for three swims by paddlers who will remain nameless).

Second Falls.



Third Falls.



Supermax is alot harder at high water. The line is extremely thin. Nobody ran the whole thing today. Ian runs the sneaky-sneak line at Tampax.



Deer Creek is one of the few places on the run where higher water noticably increases difficulty. Its pushy at this level but it all goes straight down the main current. A rare shot of myself in the Deer Creek crux.



Deer Creek crux from below.



Ian performed a heroic rescue of a paddle that had lost its owner and become pinned in the Mystery Eddy rapid.

Poudre Play Run 6-23-07

The Poudre Play run is the Upper Mish/Lower Mish/Poudre Park/Bridges combo. It sounds like alot, but it only takes a couple hours. The general rule for this run is that more water is always better. We had 3.7 feet on the Pineview Gauge (med-high) on sunny and warm June day.

Somewhere is Upper Mish.



Cool little boof drop in Upper Mish:



"Cardiac Corner" I think:



Pinview Falls is the best rapid on the run, so naturally the commercial rafting companies portage it?!? Egan in the top half of the rapid:



And the bottom:

Upper Clear Creek 6-19-07

I have to admit I was not too impressed by this run the first time I did it (at some piddly little water level). What a difference high water makes. At 900 cfs it is good afterwork fun.

The first couple ledgy drops are actually more straightforward at this level (but they are much steeper than they appear in these pictures).





Dropping into one of the ledges from above.



After a little boogie, you come to Double Knife, which has more gradient than any other rapid on the run. There is a log left-center in the entrance followed by a huge pour-over on the right, but a simple right to left move avoids both hazards.



After Double Knife, its just read and run hole bashing to the takeout.