# Hey Boulder Creek Rafters...



## Dave Frank (Oct 14, 2003)

Flows are up to raft-able levels. I mean the oar rig, not just the high side mini.

There are a handful of sweeper trees throughout town, who's removal would make passage more pleasant, particularly for your unwary bow flower.

If anyone wants to chip in on clearing these out, it would be great.

Gauge is reading 465, with another 35 or so from four mile. It felt just a bit bigger tonight compared to previous years calibration.

Saw a couple cats running shuttle, Maybe Rich can provide a quick TR and more specifics on where needs to be pruned.


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## Marc (Feb 12, 2007)

The tree that would be good to take out, especially, is the one in the buttress, but those folks have never been super friendly toward boaters, and I can't see another way to get that tree out. I could help out Friday afternoon. Have chainsaw, will travel...


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## Andy H. (Oct 13, 2003)

Thanks for posting Dave. Can't wait to get on there and hopefully it'll have a good, long season this year.

The branches are something to consider; safety glasses are great for those after work runs when it's getting dusk before the takeout.

Have fun this weekend!

-AH


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## Rich (Sep 14, 2006)

Dave, It wasn't me you saw. Although there is another Rich also with a blue 12' Hyside. I could do some wood removal on Saturday and would love to get in a run. Have not done BC since flood and am leaving for the Selway/SFS on Sunday. Could also do Friday after work, but less time/daylight.


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## catwoman (Jun 22, 2009)

Hoping to get out Sunday or a weeknight next week.



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## Rich (Sep 14, 2006)

Any interest in Saturday?


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## catwoman (Jun 22, 2009)

Doing the North Platte Saturday.


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## slowgan (Jun 12, 2007)

What's the optimal, and maximum, sized rubber for Boulder? I have yet to row it, but would love to get on Sunday or evenings next week.


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## raftus (Jul 20, 2005)

I could help out tomorrow (Saturday). 

Slowgan - optimal is small, say 12' boats and below. Maximum really depends on your skill level and tolerance for bouncing off things. I'd say not more than 14'. Being a creek the real difficulty with rowing is being on line and getting your oar into the water instead of having your oar hitting shore. That said someone has probably rowed a 16' cat on the creek as some point and had fun doing it.


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## Aknoff (Aug 24, 2007)

Sticking around on account of rain and planning to get on the creek this weekend or even this afternoon/evening. 14' RMR. Have only ever paddle boated it in years past, down to about 415, which my notes tell me is the absolute lowest to go. We'd also be down to help clean it up Saturday or Sunday morning. No chain saws but happy to bring manpower.


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## Dave Frank (Oct 14, 2003)

Toni Rows our Aire 156 with ten foot oars. Been running that set up for years. Big dry box, cooler, big table. The cat boaters think she's nuts...

Was planning to run this tomorrow with a bit of cleaning in the AM, but may have to go run something else entirely. 

Game day decision.


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## Aknoff (Aug 24, 2007)

Took a lap this afternoon from Eben G Fine to Scott Carpenter. R3 in a 14'. 575 CFS. Seemed higher than that compared to last year. Bridges didn't have a ton of clearance and the pipe around the high school would be very tight in an oar rig. Definitely some hazards. Lots of sweepers, some rather dagger-like (took at least one significant branch to the pfd). Gets better after Folsom but still a lot of branches to push a raft off line. Fun as always but some cleaning would go a long way. 

Adam


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## Rich (Sep 14, 2006)

Great fun today for a couple 12' cats! 
Couple ladies guiding a 14'? paddle raft with 7-8 people were on their third lap when we saw them.
Plenty of room for big boats at 550?.
Only saw a couple kayaks below the mouth of the canyon.
Log shuts down the right channel just below 30th. Go left!

Lots of fun to be had without dealing with I-70!


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## Dave Frank (Oct 14, 2003)

Rich, is that you on the Purple Aire?

I waved from shore at the Library.


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## Rich (Sep 14, 2006)

Blue Hyside, just in front of the Purple Aire


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## dbarrett (Mar 8, 2013)

Where are people with larger rafts taking out?

Has anyone run down to 75th? That looks like an ideal takeout but I've never run below Foothills Parkway.


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## Dave Frank (Oct 14, 2003)

Common raft take out is the CU greenhouse at 30th. 

I would not go below foothills with a raft. . There is much more wood and usually a portage or three by the time you get to 75th. 


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## dbarrett (Mar 8, 2013)

Thanks Dave - we will leave the exploration of the lower stretch for smaller boats and lower flows. I've previously taken out at Scott Carpenter and 38th but neither is particularly raft-friendly, so we will check out the CU greenhouse.


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## Rich (Sep 14, 2006)

Raft Takeouts: - Just east of 30th River Right (CU Greenhouse)
Watch for log in right channel just below 30th
- Just east of 38th River Left (Bank of the West) My Favorite 
-Fate Brewery River Left. Kayaks or serious drinkers only. Not raft friendly.
-Several possibilities River Left in office lots east of 7th on Pearl Parkway (longer carry).

Just North of the New Hospital there is a VERY low newer bike path bridge.
Seems someone in the City of Boulder does not want people boating below 47th, so they created a potential death trap. Last I looked there were no warning signs.


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## dbarrett (Mar 8, 2013)

The office parking lots off Pearl Parkway are below the new bike path bridge - the parking lots at the east end of Walnut (E of Foothills Parkway) might be a better option, I'll scout these out.

Thanks!


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## Rich (Sep 14, 2006)

dbarrett: Your correct that is Walnut, not Pearl Parkway.

Dave: Enjoy BC high water! I'll be on the Selway when it peaks. 
Hope to see you on the rio in a couple weeks.


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## Dave Frank (Oct 14, 2003)

Yeah, the new bridge at the hospital is very low. Tight for kayaks at 350. Haven't been below there higher since it was built. 

East of 47th is what was intended by east of 7th. Access this area by driving east on walnut as train tracks block access from pearl, or go on 47th from arapahoe, but the raft carry is better from the Walnut side. 


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## burros (May 22, 2007)

Can anyone in the know confirm that you can still raft the creek with the recreation ban in place? I know you can kayak, but hazy on the raft with 4 chambers. Thanks - was planning on a couple runs this evening.


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## dbarrett (Mar 8, 2013)

The press release is poorly worded, vague, and contradictory:

Boulder Creek Closed to Tubing Swimming by Order of the Sheriff and Chief of Police

My interpretation is that multi-chamber rafts are allowed, but they don't want to state it outright. I may be wrong, and the sheriff and police may interpret the ban differently.


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## BoilermakerU (Mar 13, 2009)

I work at the offices on Pearl Parkway, and have been walking the path at lunch. I would say you can raft it to just past Foothills Pkwy, but take out above that foot bridge. Just after the bridge (wouldn't even think of trying to get a raft under it at this flow), there is a large cottonwood across the creek, No go beyond the bridge even if you could get under it.

Up to that point, lots of branches to watch out for, but doable I would think.


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## Dave Frank (Oct 14, 2003)

Creek is only closed to tubers and single chamber inflatables 


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## burros (May 22, 2007)

Thanks. We ran it a couple times down to 38th in a 14'er last night - clear most of the way


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## J. Thompson (Jun 14, 2011)

Planning to do the town run here in the next couple of hours, if anyone wants to join.
Text or call 
Seven/298-3753
josh


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## Rich (Sep 14, 2006)

Been in Idaho for two weeks and Boulder Creek is showing the same 550-600 that it was two weeks ago. Only local run that has not spiked.
I assume that is because Barker Dam is not full yet?

Doing BC tomorrow afternoon with two cats.


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## Dave Frank (Oct 14, 2003)

Barker has been full since mid May. I am kind of surprised it hasn't gone bigger yet myself. It briefly broke 700 a week ago. 

Maybe it just needs sunny days up high. We have still been seeing cloudy afternoons up high on all but a few days. 


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## scooby450 (Dec 4, 2008)

I'm coming to Boulder next weekend. Hoping to get on the river, R2. Too dry here in the SW, not to mention the heat. Never boated this before, looking to meet with some locals for a tag along. Maybe Sunday or Monday, the 28th or 9th..


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## BoilermakerU (Mar 13, 2009)

Rich said:


> Raft Takeouts: - Just east of 30th River Right (CU Greenhouse)
> Watch for log in right channel just below 30th......


I walked this again at lunch today (sadly walking, not boating... LOL) and removed one fallen tree (3-4" diameter) that spanned the right channel downstream from the Greenhouse access. There is another "stump" roughly 4-5 feet long still in the creek in that channel, barely hanging on to a rock (just out of my reach in work clothes, unfortunately). Wouldn't take much to get out of a boat there and remove that one, even less to bump it free and send it downstream.

There is still a fallen tree at the Greenhouse access point, between the left and right channels just after where the creek separates into two channels. With the removal of the above mentioned log, left is better, right is doable in a kayak now, but you can't cross over once you choose a channel.

With my son's baseball season winding down, I will be open starting next week some evenings for some rafting and would be able to help remove things that are still in the way, if anyone is interested by then... LOL


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## Dave Frank (Oct 14, 2003)

Took he oat rig from the mouth down to the greenhouse at 30th. It is a little bony but still do able. Levels are dropping pretty quickly. The tranches that annoy need to mostly be gotten with a pole saw. Lots of random sweepers that scrape you up but aren't true hazards. 


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