# River Permit (Un)Luck?



## cosurfgod (Oct 10, 2003)

I'm new to the system. I put in for alot of rivers and only pulled a couple of permits. Selway, Gates of Lodore and the San Juan.

Is the Gates of Lodore worth doing or is it full of Front Range trash?
Selway seems really far, not sure if it's worth the drive. Maybe I'll just go next year.
Is the water on the San Juan clean? Not sure it's safe to boat downriver from Farmington.

Thanks for the help, maybe I'll have better luck next year.


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## FatmanZ (Sep 15, 2004)

nice troll - you'd have to create a new user ID to sell that one better.....
😆


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## azpowell (Aug 14, 2014)

Yes,
yeah probably,
nope, full of hobos, alligators, and grizzly bears.


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## Andy H. (Oct 13, 2003)

cosurfgod said:


> I'm new to the system. I put in for alot of rivers and only pulled a couple of permits. Selway, Gates of Lodore and the San Juan.
> 
> Is the Gates of Lodore worth doing or is it full of Front Range trash?
> Selway seems really far, not sure if it's worth the drive. Maybe I'll just go next year.
> ...


Forget Gates of Lodore - you've been boating long enough that I'm sure you've been there and done that, and with Wreck-gov you can probably forget about ever getting back there again in this lifetime. Since you can't beat us, you may as well join us - it's time to embrace the suck of Front Range Trash! If you're looking for a new boating experience, what's going to really be ripping this year will be the South Platte from C-470 to Platteville. There are lots of great riverside amenities, tons of campsites, and you don't need any silly 4WD to get to it. You can do the shuttle with a combination of light rail and Uber so that's a real plus. This is a 5-day trip that includes 50 miles of the Front Range's best whitewater that includes the thrilling ("Oh shit, is that a needle!?!" "Agggh! There's a shopping cart at the bottom of the hole!!") Union Chutes playpark, Effluence Park, and then Trestle Rapid, with lots of thrilling aeration structures and drops in between!. And don't worry about the flows - you may be starting out with barely enough to float your gear rafts, but as you pass each wastewater treatment plant outfall, the river gets higher, more exciting, and takes on a different character!

Local's tip - Tie up at Confluence Park and it's a short hike to go to REI and restock your Mountain House (TM) freeze dried meals and still get an awesome burger and beer at My Brother's Bar! And maybe your boats will still be there when you get back...

Can't wait to see you on the river!


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## Wallrat (Jan 19, 2021)

Must be a Troll post! Nobody ever pulls three permits. That’s not possible in this Universe.


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## Rightoarleft (Feb 5, 2021)

Wallrat said:


> Must be a Troll post! Nobody ever pulls three permits. That’s not possible in this Universe.


I ran with a guy who pulled contiguous MFS MS permits twice in five years. In between he pulled a contiguous Lodore Deso. He also scored two Nov GC permits 5 years apart. He was a good friend. Of course this was all fifteen years ago. Things were a _tad_ different back then.


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## Nanko (Oct 20, 2020)

Wallrat said:


> Must be a Troll post! Nobody ever pulls three permits. That’s not possible in this Universe.


I scored 3 this time after years of nothing. Granted 2 of these were parties of 2 late in the seasons. The other may not have water. Guess that’s really stretching the meaning of pulling 3 permits lol. 

But when my 1 point wins the Grand next week (yeah right) I’ll be back on to gloat and offer up a few invites.


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## tBatt (May 18, 2020)

Dang, our permit party(s) only pulled 2 Salts, 3 San Juans, 2 Yampas, 2 MFS that I guess we'll turn the corner on one of, 3 Hells, and 4 Rogues. 

I guess I gotta start boating with fewer people. It's really taking a hit on my PTO and bank account. That, or start guiding again.


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## Bootboy (Aug 25, 2020)

You bastards…


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## Nanko (Oct 20, 2020)

tBatt said:


> Dang, our permit party(s) only pulled 2 Salts, 3 San Juans, 2 Yampas, 2 MFS that I guess we'll turn the corner on one of, 3 Hells, and 4 Rogues.
> 
> I guess I gotta start boating with fewer people. It's really taking a hit on my PTO and bank account. That, or start guiding again.


If this is real holy crap and congrats! My meager offerings this season and a Deso in like 2018 were the only wins out of many years of ~20 people applying for every river.


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## tBatt (May 18, 2020)

Nanko said:


> If this is real holy crap and congrats! My meager offerings this season and a Deso in like 2018 were the only wins out of many years of ~20 people applying for every river.


(2) 3/28 Salt
4/15, 4/21, 5/7 San Juan
5/10, 5/21 Yampa
6/10, 7/1 MFS
Buncha August Hells
One August and I think 4 September Rogues.
50+ people applying..

Same couple who won 5/7 San Juan (sand island to clay hills) got 5/10 Yampa, so San Juan is going back in the pool.

My buddy who had our MFS permit last year’s wife got both 5/21 Yampa and 8/14 Rogue this year.


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## Nanko (Oct 20, 2020)

tBatt said:


> (2) 3/28 Salt
> 4/15, 4/21, 5/7 San Juan
> 5/10, 5/21 Yampa
> 6/10, 7/1 MFS
> ...


Goddamn!! Have a great season. By the looks of things it will be hard not to. Enjoy!


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## blueotter (Nov 30, 2018)

It's not polite to brag


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## Wallrat (Jan 19, 2021)

Rightoarleft said:


> I ran with a guy who pulled contiguous MFS MS permits twice in five years. In between he pulled a contiguous Lodore Deso. He also scored two Nov GC permits 5 years apart. He was a good friend. Of course this was all fifteen years ago. Things were a _tad_ different back then.


Damn right he was a good friend. I love the guy and I’ve never met him.


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## cnalder (Jul 7, 2016)

tBatt said:


> (2) 3/28 Salt
> 4/15, 4/21, 5/7 San Juan
> 5/10, 5/21 Yampa
> 6/10, 7/1 MFS
> ...


So with 50+ applicants how do you whittle group down to permit max? And how do you manage feelings if a choice has to be made on who isn’t going? I’ve found this to be very tricky and seen friends lose friends.


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## tBatt (May 18, 2020)

I sent out a list of dates to 12-15 people. Of that crew we got 6 of those permits. The rest came as an invite to me from people I had boated with.

ultimately it comes down to the permit holder who they want to invite, assuming they didn’t invite 12 people who have never been on a river trip before and 2 who can row a boat. Then they need some guided suggestions, and if I don’t like it, I bail.


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