# Yampa Canyon in August



## Arrowhead (Mar 7, 2017)

I got a permit for the Yampa Canyon with an August 8th launch date. I was wondering if anyone had any beta regarding rafting the Yampa Canyon in August. High Use season ends July 15th and I was just seeing if anyone out there has had any luck running it that late in the year. Any info would be much appreciated! Thanks!


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## latenightjoneser (Feb 6, 2004)

That is arguably the lowest water season. Monsoon and Fall rains sometimes bring it up a bit. It is runnable pretty low, and of course you will get water from the Green at Echo Park.


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## jporter59 (Apr 21, 2009)

*How low can you go?*

Look at the Hydrograph for that date and it looks like a better hike than a float, that said a friend from Craig caught a tropical storm that came out of Baha in Sept one year and did a solo and I mean solo on the whole river, trip on 3000cfs. So who knows, Above a 1000 you can get most smaller (think 14 ft) boats down to the confluence, if they are loaded lightly. Rafts draft less than cats as a rule, and we do duckies to 500cfs but we usually have someone come get us at Echo. Below 500 I would go do something else. Stay positive and channel your inner Hurricane!


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## lmyers (Jun 10, 2008)

http://www.mountainbuzz.com/forums/f42/aug-31st-yampa-low-water-question-67850.html#post497610


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## mania (Oct 21, 2003)

If you look at recreation.gov almost all Yampa aug, sep and oct dates are booked and even some nov dates. clearly the floodgates have opened for clueless noobs to book every possible permit not even realizing that there almost surely won't be enough water for them. Trying to get a permit these days is damn near impossible.


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## lmyers (Jun 10, 2008)

mania said:


> Trying to get a permit these days is damn near impossible.


It seems that way for me too, but yet some how I still know a few folks that pull a San Juan, Lodore, Chama and something in Idaho every year.... 5 years and counting without a permit myself.


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## BrianK (Feb 3, 2005)

I'm pretty sure those Yampa dates showing as reserved in the fall are Lodore dates. In the shoulder seasons they only allow so many launches on both stretches combined, so if Lodore is full, Yampa will show as full as well. 

But I agree with your other point - applying for permits is pretty frustrating these days.


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## climbdenali (Apr 2, 2006)

http://www.mountainbuzz.com/forums/f43/yampa-late-july-67834.html

*"...clueless noobs to book every possible permit..."
*

That's why I think permits should be paid, in full, at the time of drawing. None of this, "we'll wait and see what we get before we commit to any of 'em" BS anymore. Charge the card $200 as soon as the permit is drawn. Make it non-refundable under any circumstances. Make it sting to apply for a permit you're not sure you can use.

Sorry for the off-topic post.


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## goldcamp (Aug 9, 2006)

climbdenali said:


> http://www.mountainbuzz.com/forums/f43/yampa-late-july-67834.html
> 
> *"...clueless noobs to book every possible permit..."
> *
> ...


In theory I like this. However the problem with that is there would be no incentive to cancel your permit if you had paid for it. So I think alot of trips would end up just going unused.


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## Joe W (Jul 30, 2008)

climbdenali said:


> http://www.mountainbuzz.com/forums/f43/yampa-late-july-67834.html
> 
> *"...clueless noobs to book every possible permit..."
> *
> ...



I love this idea just with one or two days after winning the permit your card is charged. That way folks can't just sit on permits and be indecisive.


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## Jamie D. (May 25, 2004)

climbdenali said:


> http://www.mountainbuzz.com/forums/f43/yampa-late-july-67834.html
> 
> *"...clueless noobs to book every possible permit..."
> *
> ...


Disagree. Money means different things to different people. Plenty of people can afford to gamble $200 on a trip they may or may not go on. You see this with campsites that can be reserved on line. I'd say 50% of them go unused. People just gamble the the reservation $ and when they can't go, no big deal.

Some combination of severe not monetary penalties for not using your launch date, campsite, backcountry permit combined with a reasonable system for re-issuing cancellation seems like a good system. Oh...and lotteries vs. 1st come 1st serve phone/online systems seem more fair if that's worth anything these days.


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## climbdenali (Apr 2, 2006)

I agree with most of what's been said just now. I don't think that allowing 2 days after the drawing before charging the card helps us- still allows me to apply for 10 different rivers for the same dates, then pick the trip I want. It should charge immediately to be effective.

As to the lack of motivation to cancel, what about banning an individual from applying for 2 years for cancelling for any reason? I'd be out my $200, plus couldn't apply for the next two lotteries. Bottom line, don't apply if you're not sure you'll go.

I fully believe that first-come systems should be scrapped as being fundamentally unfair.


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## T.O.Mac (Jun 6, 2015)

right, but I want people to cancel, and more importantly to cancel in a timely manner if they can't use the launch...stuff comes up all the time for all sorts of reasons. But if we are able to still use the date, then it is much less of an inconvenience than if something happens and then the launch not only goes unfilled, but someone is also unable to access the river for something (medical, kids, job) that is possibly out of their control...


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## wildh2onriver (Jul 21, 2009)

The yellow foam of the rafting community are the idiots who are 'no shows'. With the huge increase in sheer numbers of people competing for launches, why would you not call and cancel a launch asap to release it to someone else who may be able to use it? Yet it happens, and they deserve to be banned for a season or two on that stretch.


Sent from my iPhone using Mountain Buzz


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## lmyers (Jun 10, 2008)

wildh2onriver said:


> The yellow foam of the rafting community are the idiots who are 'no shows'. With the huge increase in sheer numbers of people competing for launches, why would you not call and cancel a launch asap to release it to someone else who may be able to use it? Yet it happens, and they deserve to be banned for a season or two on that stretch.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Mountain Buzz


I can agree with that. If you are a no show/no cancellation then you forfeit your right to apply in that lottery for the next 2 seasons....


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## Arrowhead (Mar 7, 2017)

Thanks for the info. I figured it'd be pretty dry. I'll do a rain dance to the river gods and hopefully we'll get some monsoons and/or a longer runoff this year. Thanks again!


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