# Lower Gunnison- Delta to Whitewater



## dtvmatt (May 2, 2011)

Yes I'll go tomorrow -Friday.Escalante to WW or Bridgeport road. PM or call me at 719 213 6205


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## fancifulnotions (Jun 9, 2011)

Still up?Give a ring...970-874-1533 Buddy


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## meadowhawk (May 20, 2008)

dtvmatt said:


> Yes I'll go tomorrow -Friday.Escalante to WW or Bridgeport road. PM or call me at 719 213 6205


We may do that section from Delta to Whitewater on July 2nd. Maybe with just one boat. Is it safe enough for an easy cruise?


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## fancifulnotions (Jun 9, 2011)

*Made the trip from Delta - Bridgeport at 10,000 CFS*

Made the trip from Delta - (small raft)Bridgeport at 10,000 CFS on the June 20th-water was high and lacked much splash.Diversion Dam was practically non-existent and flat.No huge amount of debris found anywhere.Would like to try again very soon at lower CSF for full run w/ overnighter.


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## meadowhawk (May 20, 2008)

*Delta to Whitewater*

Does anyone have experience with the Whitewater boat take out. We have a large 16' cat on a trailer, and want to do an overnighter from Delta. Will we have to dismantle the raft to get it on the trailer, or is it possible to back to the water with the trailer?


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## LongmontRafter (Jun 12, 2008)

*whitewater takeout w/ trailer*

Last time I did it you couldn't back a trailer all the way to the water because of the railroad bridge in between. The boat will have to be carried from the water to the other side of the bridge (about 30-40 feet). From there, there is a steep path to the parking lot...might be able to get a trailer down partway...?


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## Flohotter (Jun 22, 2010)

*Whitewater Ramp*

We were took out at Whitwater on Sunday, we had two 14' rafts that could sit side by side at the take out, we were also able to back our trailer down to with in 15 yards or so of the water, I suppose it would be possible to get a trailer all the way to the water but its going to be tight, real tight getting under the bridge.

I think I have read somewhere on here about someone else taking 16' cat down this stretch and having to get several hands to help move the boat from the river up to where the trailer was.


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## fancifulnotions (Jun 9, 2011)

*Whitewater take-out?*

Andru187 - How was the Whitewater take-out? How high up was the water ?Was the water real fast ?Any improvements???Hate to drive 45 miles just to look.


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## Flohotter (Jun 22, 2010)

So @ about 4500cfs there was a bit of a move to get into the eddy, nothing hard with my 14' boat. There is like a rock/island that was barely exposed just above the eddy and I was able to sneak to the right of it and get right into the eddy. You could also enter from below the little rock, but it looked a tougher to me. We had a guy ready with the bowline to jump out, the water is pretty deep just off the shore too.

There was plenty of room on shore to unload before having to haul the gear under the bridge to the trailer. Not really any improvements. There were two signs up river letting you know the whitewater take out was approaching, which I didn't remember seeing before.

Depending on what sort of boat you are in you really should not have any issues at the current levels.

Andy


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## Flohotter (Jun 22, 2010)

Oh and to anyone thinking of doing this stretch, and camping at Dominguez Creek, be ready for some pretty serious bugs. The No See Um's (biting midges) were out in full force!


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## Gremlin (Jun 24, 2010)

We ran Escalante to Whitewater over Memorial Day weekend at between 6600 and 7800 CFS with a 16 foot cat and two IKs. The dam was pretty well covered - only a small wave. We ran it left anyway because we did get stuck on it once before at lower water. We had no problems with any of the small "rapids". There was a lot of wood floating at that time though. The takeout at Whitewater is lousy, but doable. We backed our trailer to the water twice before, but it takes someone highly skilled at backing a trailer - curvy road with hills and it's super narrow under the train trestle. (We blew a trailer tire there too.) The last time we backed the trailer part of the way down and carried the boat up to it (about 30 feet). Beware of a green metal stake that may either be out of the water or totally submerged right near the edge of the water. Also watch out for the poison ivy on the upriver side of the takeout. 

It looks like the flows are much lower now - 3,650 CFS as of 6/28. We ran it at that level last year and it was fine. Just stay left when you come up on the diversion dam.

We've also heard reports of vehicle damage at the Whitewater takeout, but in the three times we've done this stretch, we've never had any problems. But take your valuables with you just in case.


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## snakester (Apr 24, 2011)

andru187 said:


> Oh and to anyone thinking of doing this stretch, and camping at Dominguez Creek, be ready for some pretty serious bugs. The No See Um's (biting midges) were out in full force!


 Thanks for the info. Andy. Ever tried using Avon Skin so Soft for the gnats? It doesn't work for mosquitoes but for gnats I've heard it does.


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## openboat (Jul 13, 2004)

Had lots of experience with gnats out there. We used to lather up with baby oil. The gnats would drown in it and we'd periodically scrape them off and re-lather. Made for some great photos of young ladies with five o'clock shadows on their faces.


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## melissawd (Apr 20, 2005)

Openboat! Where were you when I needed that gem of info? I got off Deso recently, and was totally ravaged by gnats. I finally am not scratching. One of the wort bite areas was my scalp under my hair from being caught out hiking in a visor! It would make for some seriously gross pics to put baby oil in my hair, but after the itch fest I just went thru, I think I would not hesitate! I hate putting deet on my skin, so love the baby oil tip. Thanks. any other gnat tips?


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## openboat (Jul 13, 2004)

Melissa-
About your scalp bites, I remember one of my folks not putting on the oil and he wore a baseball cap. At the end of that day he had a literal line of red dots following the cap line.

I was running a 20 person archaeological crew near Bluff that year (1980) and would buy baby oil by the case. I had never heard of it, but the locals clued us in.


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## Gremlin (Jun 24, 2010)

So which ramp will you be sitting at laughing you ass off while good American people basting in baby oil in full sun and 100 degree temperatures covered in gnat bites scramble for poison ivy covered river banks?


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## openboat (Jul 13, 2004)

Gremlin-
I understand and appreciate your skepticism. Of course, we wore long sleeves, gloves and hats when the bugs were bad. Oil on neck and face was all we needed.

It only took one bad day for the reluctant folks on our crew to come over to our side.


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## meadowhawk (May 20, 2008)

We did the trip on July 1 from Delta to Whitewater. We looked at the WW take out before heading to Delta. It is dicey, but we thought we could do it. There was a little 5' island that we were able to hit broadside with our 16' Cat. Water level was 3700 cfs. My rope man jumped on the island and then jumped/swam across the 10' span of river to the boat ramp. He pulled us in through the narrow channel above the island. Downriver of the island is a pretty strong current. I wouldn't call this an eddy. It is probably the toughest take out I have seen. We backed down under the trestle and got the boat close enough to the trailer to winch it in. It is steep and I thought my winch strap might break. 

If you have a big cat on a trailer don't do it under 4000 cfs, and always scout the take out first.

The dam is just a line of big rocks across the river...about 3 miles upstream of Dominquez. You can go river left. Above 4000 cfs, you can probably just run it and get some splash.


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