# Blue River put in?



## bigben (Oct 3, 2010)

so the put in below green mt res is pretty hardcore for a raft. it's 50ft or so, not quite vertical, with a loop of re-bar to belay your boat. lil trail for walking small boats down. definitely no place to back a trailer. i'm trying to get down there at least once this week. if you're coming up i'll help ya get your boat down the cliff if you carry my fishing pole for me. duckies + fishing poles = bad times
the lower blue's the last good thing flowing up here. i live at rancho del rio and i'm sick of the upper c. come run the lower blue with me!!


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## Swank (Jun 20, 2009)

We have launched a 14' paddle boat and a 16' cat down there. You need a few people and you really should be prepared to belay the boat down the hill (safest way) Once down the slope you have plenty of room to rig and launch.


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## Ole Rivers (Jul 7, 2005)

The embankment is around 60' top to bottom. Rope and carabiner or similar to attach to the parking lot level rebar in concrete foundation remaining from one of the 10-15 or so homes that housed dam facilities workers who lived there back in the mid 1900's.


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## Andy H. (Oct 13, 2003)

The Upper Blue has a "Class V put-in"


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## Ole Rivers (Jul 7, 2005)

Rebar/concrete...


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## Ole Rivers (Jul 7, 2005)

Another architectural and engineering design marvel there for the left slide route, complete with "tested" rope...


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## openboat (Jul 13, 2004)

Is that raft ripper still in that stretch at one of the diversion dams?


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## spthomson (Oct 18, 2003)

Andy H. said:


> The Upper Blue has a "Class V put-in"


Lower, not Upper.


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## bigben (Oct 3, 2010)

so, um, anyone wanna go run it this week???????


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## powrider686 (Aug 12, 2009)

I'll be running it tomorrow for sure. Maybe Wed and Thurs too. Going to be fishing. How many people / Boats do you have Bigben? Any chance you know of a frame for a 13-14 foot boat I could possible rent??


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## bigben (Oct 3, 2010)

i'm gonna be with 1 other person in duckies. thinking about heading over around noon or so from rancho del rio. 
probly gonna be back every day this week if it stays nice out. 
when you thinking about heading over there?? 
not sure about a frame but i can ask around a bit...


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## powrider686 (Aug 12, 2009)

Found a frame, probably early afternoon and float the canyon all the way to trough road. We're planning on fishing, you?


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## bigben (Oct 3, 2010)

not sure. we might not even bring rods, might just bomb down and think about a second lap. still gotta talk with my brother, but we were thinking about showing up around 1


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## powrider686 (Aug 12, 2009)

We're going to be taking it slow and fishing. But happy to meet up or scout the class 5 put in!


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## Meeker (Apr 18, 2012)

Thanks for the replies. So that rope attached to the rebar is a permanent fixture right? I wouldn't need to bring my own? Also I heard the take out is just as steep. Is this true? Is the main takeout Spring Creek road or are there others past there? Not sure if people go past trough road or not. Bigben...i'll carry your fishing rod if you carry my boat...for sure.


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## Jensjustduckie (Jun 29, 2007)

Meeker said:


> Thanks for the replies. So that rope attached to the rebar is a permanent fixture right? I wouldn't need to bring my own? Also I heard the take out is just as steep. Is this true? Is the main takeout Spring Creek road or are there others past there? Not sure if people go past trough road or not. Bigben...i'll carry your fishing rod if you carry my boat...for sure.


You need to bring your own rope, there is not a public rope left at the put in. 

The take out for rafts is WAY downstream of the Spring Creek bridge at the Gore Canyon put in. Kayaks take out at Spring Creek, you can take out there but it's a bitch getting up the hill and through the gate carrying a raft.

The take out at the Gore put in isn't as steep but you still have to carry the raft/frame far and across a small bridge over a ditch.


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## SROB34 (Dec 29, 2012)

Jensjustduckie said:


> The take out at the Gore put in isn't as steep but you still have to carry the raft/frame far and across a small bridge over a ditch.


Yeah. Two people carrying the raft won't cut it, its about 200 yds to get to the road. Need a third if you don't have one, and/or bring extra beer, find another boat at the takeout and pay them off to help.


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## Jamie D. (May 25, 2004)

Jensjustduckie said:


> Kayaks take out at Spring Creek, you can take out there but it's a bitch getting up the hill and through the gate carrying a raft.


Who says it OK to take out rafts at Spring Creek? My understanding is that for about the last 20yrs., the private property owner that allows kayaks and duckys to take out there doesn't want rafts to take out there. Is there still a signs that says "Kayak Take Out Only" or something to that effect?

I'd love to no if the situation has changed.


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## Jensjustduckie (Jun 29, 2007)

I've known of parties who paddle rafted and carried the raft out at spring creek, not saying it's legal. I'm unsure of the signage, haven't run the LB in a few years.


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## gunnerman (Jun 6, 2013)

I ran the lower blue last year around sept. for the first time. I run a Tomcat single IK. Hike down isn't to bad in the ducky, but a raft is definitely a challenge, and yes you need at least a 70 to 80 ft. rope. I ran the short 5 mile run to Spring Creek take-out and yes there is still a tiny sign saying Kayaks only. There are stairs and switchbacks so please honor the landowners request, and besides if you're more into fishing just float the entire 10 mile stretch. I would definitely keep eye open for that nasty metal in those diversions. Better check that thread out, posted about 2 weeks ago.


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## Aflo (May 18, 2012)

Hey I'm going to do that float in a 14' raft with three friends this weekend. Any thoughts or advise?


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## SROB34 (Dec 29, 2012)

Nah, just find the good tongues on the diversions, the Class III through the canyon is pretty easy as well, just stay off of the left wall.


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## yesimapirate (Oct 18, 2010)

What about that new takeout? I've seen it from google maps, but not actually used it. Any better than the old takeout?


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## Aflo (May 18, 2012)

Thanks srbo. Class 3 being the drops?


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## SROB34 (Dec 29, 2012)

Aflo said:


> Thanks srbo. Class 3 being the drops?
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Mountain Buzz


No there's a choke point in the river with a large rock wall on the left side of the river. If you look on a map its about a 1/2 mi after Deep Creek (I think) and before Spring Creek. Its a bit sketchier with big water (1000+cfs) but right now its not bad, a little bit of rock-dodging.
https://www.google.com/maps/@39.9080403,-106.3430754,430m/data=!3m1!1e3

The drops aren't bad, just point and push and keep the boat straight.


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## bigben (Oct 3, 2010)

Aflo said:


> Thanks srbo. Class 3 being the drops?


i'd call the couple rapids just before the 1st dam class 3ish. they're the ones up against the cliff on the left, like 3/4 thru the run(to spring creek take-out)
good class 2/2+ boogie water and boulder gardens the rest of the run. 

the first dam is immediately after the cliffside rapids. it looks good to go right down the center. the second dam looks ok down the center too, but has a couple large logs on the left side as of last week. 
both easily portaged on the right tho.


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## PowderHoar (Dec 11, 2006)

Green Mtn Reservoir just tweeted that flows are going down 100 CFS over the next couple of days. Should be at 600 CFS for the weekend
FYI


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## Meeker (Apr 18, 2012)

About how long does this float take? I'm in a 3 man 16foot cataraft. Lets assume 600cfs for flow. Thanks again.


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## SROB34 (Dec 29, 2012)

Meeker said:


> About how long does this float take? I'm in a 3 man 16foot cataraft. Lets assume 600cfs for flow. Thanks again.


If you're fishing (moving slow), and are putting in right below the dam, count on at least 8 hrs... Its longer than you think. Also note, the put in closes at 8pm I believe, so if you go too slow you'd better haul ass back up the road to make sure your vehicle doesn't get closed in behind the gate. I've heard they either tow or fine you if you're not out of that area on time but I haven't had that misfortune... [Knock on wood]


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## PowderHoar (Dec 11, 2006)

SROB34 said:


> If you're fishing (moving slow), and are putting in right below the dam, count on at least 8 hrs... Its longer than you think. Also note, the put in closes at 8pm I believe, so if you go too slow you'd better haul ass back up the road to make sure your vehicle doesn't get closed in behind the gate. I've heard they either tow or fine you if you're not out of that area on time but I haven't had that misfortune... [Knock on wood]


They WILL tow you and stick you with the bill. 
I arrived back to my truck at 10 mins past 8 one eve, and the cops had already ordered the tow. Luckily the tow driver had not left his house and they cancelled it.

Homeland security BS being a dam and all...


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## Meeker (Apr 18, 2012)

Right on...is there a shorter stretch or is that the only option in a raft?


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## SROB34 (Dec 29, 2012)

Meeker said:


> Right on...is there a shorter stretch or is that the only option in a raft?


Nope that's your only option, you have to run the upper canyon almost all the way to Blue River Confluence... Unless you are friends with someone in the Blue Valley Acres/Spring Creek Area, they have their own raft put-in. That cuts it in half...


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## kwagunt2001 (Jun 9, 2008)

I drove to the confluence (Blue/Colorado) a few months ago and it just looked like a series of steps and a rail to get boats out at the takeout (this would be the Gore Canyon put-in)? Did not look like a three person requirement. Nor did I see a footbridge. Am I missing something about the takeout? Also, any Beta about the run below Spring Creek and Gore? I used to do the stretch below the dam 15-20 years ago but have not been below Spring Creek. Thanks for info- 
MC


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## Jensjustduckie (Jun 29, 2007)

You passed it, that is the kayakers put in for Gore. The rafters take out is upstream a bit and does have a footbridge.


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## LongmontRafter (Jun 12, 2008)

> The rafters take out is upstream a bit and does have a footbridge.


So I have seen folks use this take out but all of the signs say not to park there...The Gore Take out adds a mile or so of float but my impression is that this is what the land owners want us to use...What is the deal with the footbridge take out?...I've been tempted to use it but don't want to cause further landowner issues


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## theusualsuspect (Apr 11, 2014)

LongmontRafter said:


> So I have seen folks use this take out but all of the signs say not to park there...The Gore Take out adds a mile or so of float but my impression is that this is what the land owners want us to use...What is the deal with the footbridge take out?...I've been tempted to use it but don't want to cause further landowner issues


I've never seen those signs, but I'm not looking very hard either. There was a takeout that we used to use up until a few years ago right as you turn on that dirt road. That one is closed and the newer one is a few hundred yards down. There are a few parking spots there and a foot bridge. I've always used that, and will use it again next week without ever having any problems.


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## Ole Rivers (Jul 7, 2005)

Pics from 9/12. Have a couple of "Sheriff Patrolled..." and "No Trespassing" sign pics taken several yards North of the takeout trail but no "No Parking" signs, at least, not back then.


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## theusualsuspect (Apr 11, 2014)

Interesting, never paid much attention when I was there as I didn't really know where else they expected you to take out and had always used it. Thanks for the photo.


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## Ole Rivers (Jul 7, 2005)

Pic 2- takeout


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## Ole Rivers (Jul 7, 2005)

Pic 3 - takeout trail with footbridge 9/2012


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## Ole Rivers (Jul 7, 2005)

9/2012 pic 4 - takeout parking area


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## SROB34 (Dec 29, 2012)

Mosquito city... god that beach sucks.


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## LongmontRafter (Jun 12, 2008)

Thanks for the clarifying pics Ole Rivers. The sign says it is for public use...nuff said...

LR


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## Ole Rivers (Jul 7, 2005)

Improve by adding a ramp here? BLM provides or volunteer boaters project?


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## Ole Rivers (Jul 7, 2005)

Repair to prevent further erosion? BLM and/or volunteer boaters project?

This pic 10/2014


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## Ole Rivers (Jul 7, 2005)

This pic 9/2012 compare with above pic.


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