# How to run Warm Springs?



## johnovice (Jul 17, 2009)

Running Yampa's Warm Springs rapid on 4/21; expecting 2-3K cfs. Any advice? I believe you generally enter center and get right to avoid Maytag, but is there anything else? I will be in a ducky. I have duckied the Yampa at 2K and 7K and being a "novice," hopped in a raft both times after scouting Warm Springs. Hoping to run it this time. Of course I'll scout it, but thought I'd ask for some advice if there is any beyond what I said above (and posting this is a away to be thinking about the river even though I'm not on it.)


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## David L (Feb 13, 2004)

From the scout you will easily see where you want to go, which will probably be this:

Run the top of it, the entry tongue, center to right, into the easy water there (as you know). The new rocks at the top should not present a problem getting to the right.

Set up for a run to the right of the big Maytag hole. You might want to drift a little left with your bow pointed to the right, so that you can power the ducky across the waves there, heading to the right.

Choose if you want to stay right or move over to the left for the bottom of the rapid and the left curve. Boats usually gather in the right eddy above the rock island.

I enjoyed my ducky run there last year. Actually, the scout was more exciting than the run. Need more info?


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## duct tape (Aug 25, 2009)

Then of course you can do it the way we did last two times down, right into Maytag! No biggie. It was fun (in a raft and a hardshell kayak, both before the latest rockfall which changed the rapid).


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## johnovice (Jul 17, 2009)

David L said:


> Set up for a run to the right of the big Maytag hole. You might want to drift a little left with your bow pointed to the right, so that you can power the ducky across the waves there, heading to the right.


Ahh, that's right, those laterals coming in from the right -- it's coming back to me now (I can't recall if they were much at 2K, we'll see).
Thanks.


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## Stiff N' Wett (Feb 18, 2010)

Not sure what its like now after the rock fall but last time it was around 2500 cfs we all went left of Maytag hole. There are some pretty good hits on that side and you don't want to get all the way down there a skirt the only good rapid on the river.


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## yesimapirate (Oct 18, 2010)

Is this thread considered "rubbing it in" that you got a permit?


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## johnovice (Jul 17, 2009)

Well, I/we didn't score in the lottery for high use season, but I'm lucky to get invited on this early season trip; no assigned camps and (I think) only 1 launch per day. Sweet! (and I'm sure cold at times).


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## LSB (Mar 23, 2004)

Last year in June there was a pour over at the bottom right also that we had to get back to the center to avoid. It made it a little difficult to get to the right eddy at the bottom to pick up the kids.
So the raft line was: Enter center with a left angle, Pull right below the new rock pile to avoid Maytag Hole, float along the right bank then spin to a right angle and pull left back out to center to avoid the lower pour over, Spin left and pull back to the right to catch the eddy. Easy as 3.14

PS Like Johno said there is a lateral coming off that rock pile at the top that wants to push you left.


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## Randaddy (Jun 8, 2007)

Johnovice, are you launching on the 18th? With BK?


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## asleep.at.the.oars (May 6, 2006)

Just there a couple days ago. In a blizzard. Spring Break! 

At 2-3k, Maytag is that big rock sticking out to the right of those 2 smaller rocks in between the rapid and the gravel bar. There might be enough current to wrap if you low-sided aggressively... 
Lots of the descriptions above are talking about higher flows. The current low-flow action is at the new rock fall right at the top of the rapid. We had ~1500 which left a couple sleepers along the right, a pretty forgiving hole in the middle for the Puma that strayed in there, and a sharp pourover on the left. Add a little more water, that pourover will probably turn into a pretty good hole on the left with a pretty clear run down the center. Surprise is down around the corner past the camp, don't forget about it!
At high water, the big rock below the newest rock fall that often gets confused for Maytag helps make the giant wave train that feeds into Maytag down low.

We hid under a tarp for 2 hours at Laddie Park. This is the result:


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## johnovice (Jul 17, 2009)

Randaddy said:


> Johnovice, are you launching on the 18th? With BK?


19th w/BG


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## Randaddy (Jun 8, 2007)

johnovice said:


> 19th w/BG


That's too bad. BK is better than BG.


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## FCRock (Jun 19, 2009)

Yep, do what LSB said. He went through Warm Springs right behind me .






LSB said:


> Last year in June there was a pour over at the bottom right also that we had to get back to the center to avoid. It made it a little difficult to get to the right eddy at the bottom to pick up the kids.
> So the raft line was: Enter center with a left angle, Pull right below the new rock pile to avoid Maytag Hole, float along the right bank then spin to a right angle and pull left back out to center to avoid the lower pour over, Spin left and pull back to the right to catch the eddy. Easy as 3.14
> 
> PS Like Johno said there is a lateral coming off that rock pile at the top that wants to push you left.


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## bgoldberg (Jul 29, 2009)

I beg to differ


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## BrianK (Feb 3, 2005)

Randaddy said:


> That's too bad. BK is better than BG.


I agree


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## johnovice (Jul 17, 2009)

asleep.at.the.oars said:


> Just there a couple days ago. In a blizzard. Spring Break!


Thanks for the photographic stark reminder! I sent those pics to the crew.
Also thanks for the low water take on the rapid -- I do recall now maytag rock when it was 2K.

and Wow, BG rose to the challenge!
(BG invited me, he gets my vote for sure.)
If BK is a late sleeper (or taking a lay over day), we may meet.


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## Flohotter (Jun 22, 2010)

2012 May 5ish 3-4k. Ran the tongue, hit like two holes left of center, ran left of maytag. Zero issues. Pumped to see how it's changed with the rock fall. Launching May 6th!


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## bgoldberg (Jul 29, 2009)

BK, maybe we should settle this on the river - How many days are you on? We are 5 to Split.


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## Randaddy (Jun 8, 2007)

As BK's Junior Assistant Trip Leader I accept the challenge on his behalf. He agrees to a fight to unconsciousness in neck deep Yampa water. No backing out once you see him in his wetsuit!


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## johnovice (Jul 17, 2009)

Interesting that a fight is the proposed indicator of who is "better."
I'd prefer to help judge a cooking contest!
(I however represent no one.)


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## Rich (Sep 14, 2006)

Randaddy said:


> That's too bad. BK is better than BG.


But a BJ is best of all.

Back to Warm Springs. Low water left all the way.


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## BrianK (Feb 3, 2005)

Randaddy said:


> As BK's Junior Assistant Trip Leader I accept the challenge on his behalf. He agrees to a fight to unconsciousness in neck deep Yampa water. No backing out once you see him in his wetsuit!


I believe your title is Junior Swamper - Second Class, but I'll have to check my records. 

BG - We have to move pretty fast, unfortunately, so I don't think we'll see you. However, you should get a sense of our greatness just simply by sharing the canyon with our group. Have a good trip.


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## bgoldberg (Jul 29, 2009)

Thanks BK! You guys as well - I love the Yampa and I cherish any opportunity to get down there. Our group wouldn't put up too much of a fight anyway - we mostly consist of run of the mill river-scum, a couple of musicians, and otherwise laid back folks looking for some tasty waves and cool beers!


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## Sagebrusher (May 12, 2011)

johnovice said:


> Running Yampa's Warm Springs rapid on 4/21; expecting 2-3K cfs. Any advice? I believe you generally enter center and get right to avoid Maytag, but is there anything else? I will be in a ducky. I have duckied the Yampa at 2K and 7K and being a "novice," hopped in a raft both times after scouting Warm Springs. Hoping to run it this time. Of course I'll scout it, but thought I'd ask for some advice if there is any beyond what I said above (and posting this is a away to be thinking about the river even though I'm not on it.)


Hope you're having fun today at 5-6k!


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## whip (Oct 23, 2003)

_I'd say keep the blue, red, yellow, gray etc side up is the best way to run it._


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## caverdan (Aug 27, 2004)

johnovice said:


> Running Yampa's Warm Springs rapid on 4/21; expecting 2-3K cfs. Any advice? I believe you generally enter center and get right to avoid Maytag, but is there anything else? I will be in a ducky. I have duckied the Yampa at 2K and 7K and being a "novice," hopped in a raft both times after scouting Warm Springs. Hoping to run it this time. Of course I'll scout it, but thought I'd ask for some advice if there is any beyond what I said above (and posting this is a away to be thinking about the river even though I'm not on it.)


In my many years of boating.......I've found the only way to run a rapid as such........is when you get there. 

I'll bet ya he is having a ball and hopefully will tell us all about it when he returns to the Buzz.


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## DanCan (Jul 22, 2011)

We launch 4/24 morning from Deerlodge Park... come on melt, keep it up!

DanCan


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## Sagebrusher (May 12, 2011)

DanCan said:


> We launch 4/24 morning from Deerlodge Park... come on melt, keep it up!
> 
> DanCan


Looks like you might be running it at 9k! (thanks to a nice pulse on the Little Snake)

Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service: Grand Junction


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## Schutzie (Feb 5, 2013)

Best be some videos posted of these trips.

Us Old guys gotta get our happies vicariously.


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## johnovice (Jul 17, 2009)

Derlodge reading was around 6K on 4/21 when we did Warm Springs. I was in my big ass Hyside double duck. Scouted from fairly high up, but then watched a couple of our larger boats run it. Opted against a very small (kayak size) slot all the way right at the top due to a couple of small rocks right below that slot. Decided on the more obvious center line between a couple of big holes. (of course, this was easier to see from the scout than it was from the IK on approach "I think I'm lined up for that line!") Then moved a bit right to avoid the big hole roughly half way down. Then moved left (crossing the main wave train) to go left of Maytag (had seen our big cat go down a pretty big drop on river right). There was another drop after Maytag on river left, but no big deal. Big fun. No carnage. (Did swim at Moonshine however.)

The trip was excellent; Yampa canyon of course being so beautiful, especially after Big Joe rapid. Stayed under the wall at Mathers -- had never stayed there before, very cool. Weather was fine for April, appreciated the rented dry suit, especially at Moonshine. Saw no other folks the whole time on the river(s).


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## DanCan (Jul 22, 2011)

Looks like we hit Warm Springs in the upper 8000s. It was a great time. It went exactly as planned, down the right side, just missing the sharp rock on the right side pour over and skirting the edge of Maytag.

Biggest hole was right below Warm Springs on river right after you make the left in the river, big fun.

We had decent weather other than Saturday it rained really hard. But we were prepared and all went well. We were 14 people, all put together from here on the Buzz... no one knowing more than 2 or 3 of the others. It was spectacular getting to know new people and spending the time on the river.

DanCan


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## Sagebrusher (May 12, 2011)

DanCan said:


> Looks like we hit Warm Springs in the upper 8000s. It was a great time. It went exactly as planned, down the right side, just missing the sharp rock on the right side pour over and skirting the edge of Maytag.
> 
> Biggest hole was right below Warm Springs on river right after you make the left in the river, big fun.
> 
> ...


Supposed to get to 12k by Wednesday. This will be the highest level since the rockfall in 2012
...should be interesting for anyone on the river!


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## mrkyak (Jul 11, 2005)

Just took off today. Flow was, our guess, 6-7000. Warm springs did look different, the entry hole river center was run head on by two rafts, I went right, one raft pulled left of mag tag, one went right of may tag , I went right. I don't want to say the moves are casual, but at our flows plenty of time to get where you wanted to be. I was in a lightly loaded 18 ' cat. What a beautiful river can't wait to get back.


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