# Cross Mountain in oar raft



## Rich (Sep 14, 2006)

I personally have never seen an oar raft in Cross. Plenty of cats, kayaks and an occasional paddle raft, but I am sure someone has oar rafted it.

Definitely a step tougher than the MFS if only because there is only one way out. Fun in a cat from 1,000 to 3,000. At 1,000 it is very tight in places and the flat row in becomes shallow. At 3k it becomes huge.


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## wyosam (May 31, 2006)

Not sure I understand about the step up in difficulty due to one way out- its a 6 mile canyon loaded for a day trip compared to a 100 miles loaded for a week? Just from watching videos, I dont doubt the water might be a step up, though I haven't really found much for videos at low water (at least not with flows listed, and they tended to be kayaks). Any other input? Mostly wondering about difficulty of the moves/ room for oars.


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## Rich (Sep 14, 2006)

At low water there are several very tight moves with consequences, they work in a cat, not sure about an oar raft. I have broken oars in Cross because of very tight moves in fast water. At high water some of the huge holes become unavoidable. I like having multiple exit plans. On the MFS, I could walk out or even fly out, on Cross, there is only one way out.


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## dport (May 10, 2006)

We did it in 2010 around 1000 cfs. I We all had cats and ten foot oars. I popped an oar out of the lock at the top of Ostersizer, got lucky and grabbed two back strokes against the oar tower and that set me up to get through the rapid. It is pretty tight through the whole canyon at that flow(the only flow I have been down at) but we had no other issues. It was my first trip after I had my miniscus was repaired and was enough for that day...
There was no double cross for me.


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## okieboater (Oct 19, 2004)

Disclaimer, I have not run Cross so for what it is worth.

We had a permit for the Yampa one year at 10,000 cfs flow.

Buddy of mine (very experienced oarsman) and his passenger went out a day early and decided to run Cross in an Aire self bailer 143..

Oarsman said not a big deal, passenger said he was not going back in that canyon.

Bottom line, difficult oar boat run at any level, from what I hear. Low water makes for a easier kayak run. More pin chances for a oar rig.


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## TonyM (Apr 17, 2006)

I would love to see a pic of a 14' oar rig in cross at 10k cfs.


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## okieboater (Oct 19, 2004)

Me too on the pictures.

From the passenger's story, there was no way or time to free up a hand for pictures and no go pro in those days.


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## 39571 (May 27, 2012)

Please do


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## jtnc (Aug 9, 2004)

Did it last year as a kayaker with several cat boats and one raft rigged as an oar boat. The catch being I can't recall what size raft it was, I'm guessing a 13', I know it was green. Flow was ~950cfs. The only issue he had, which sadly I copied in a kayak, was getting stuck in the "eddy" river right of Osterizer. He made the rest of it look easy, including some surf attempts on a wave near the end.

I'd agree that it is a narrow run at those flows, haven't been on Alpine so can't compare. Definitely narrower than MFS.

John


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## Kendarflugen (Jan 31, 2006)

I've rowed a 14' cat through there and it's doable but very tight (as stated above). I've rafted Alpine Canyon and I can say Cross is way more technical... That said, if she is comfortable on Alpine and interested in something technical, it's fun!

What size raft are we talking about? IMO I'd say a raft smaller than 14' would be better.


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## mhelm (Jun 28, 2008)

Cross is not nearlay as big as Alpine Canyon, other than Osterizer/Mammoth Falls and Snake Pit. It is however much more technical, but is very short. 1500 to 3000 CFS would be a great level. When reading the level check the Little Yampa Canyon flow because the Cross Mtn./Yampa Canyon one includes the Little Snake flows that are actually below Cross. Be careful and have fun!


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