# Gates of Lodore High Water



## kayakingphotog (May 25, 2007)

Hey Folks. 

A group of us are putting on the Gates of Lodore on 6/17. The dam operators are conducting a fish study and the flows are projected to be in the 5000-8000 cfs on the upper section and around 15000-20000 once the Yampa kicks in as the fish study has been extended due to cool temps and late melt. 

Permit holder was asking if the camps are washed out at these levels. Not knowing I thought I would throw that question to the buzzards.

We are camping at Pot Creek 1, Limestone, Jones Hole 1, and the Cove.


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## B4otter (Apr 20, 2009)

Only the Cove - water will cover the little "beach" below the sign but plenty of room on the bench above. All others should be fine, Limestone you won't have to carry over the little bluff.


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## kayakingphotog (May 25, 2007)

Thanks for the quick reply B4. Cannot wait to see the Gates at high water!!!!!


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## tjligon25 (Mar 19, 2015)

Where did you find that information at? Last I read it said it was a 7 day flush, about 7 days ago. We have a launch on the 19th. Been trying to figure out what they are going to do. Thanks.


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## kayakingphotog (May 25, 2007)

Permit holder called the dam operators for flaming gorge an hour ago. He also just spoke w/the ranger office and they assured us all of the campsites will be fine.


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## Riverwild (Jun 19, 2015)

I'd be more concerned about the caterpillars at Jones 1. They will be all over and pooping all over your kitchen. Weirdest damn thing I've ever seen


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## yesimapirate (Oct 18, 2010)

Be prepared for mosquitoes. Most mozzy's I've seen in ages was on my last high water Lodore trip. Especially after the confluence.


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## Junk Show Tours (Mar 11, 2008)

yesimapirate said:


> Be prepared for mosquitoes. Most mozzy's I've seen in ages was on my last high water Lodore trip. Especially after the confluence.



No mosquitoes as of 6/9, we even camped at Bug Island.


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## SherpaDave (Dec 28, 2017)

FYI Saw a friend today as he was getting off the Yampa & he said it was crazy big. Made it from Jones Hole to Split Mountain today averaging ~6 mph. That’s normally a big push.


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## raymo (Aug 10, 2008)

If the water level isn't as expected and might change from higher to lower levels or lower to higher levels. When you wake up in the morning you could discover you boats 20 to 30 feet from the river, well beached or if the river rises you could discover your boats floating 10 to 15 feet from shore. So just make sure the bow line's are securely tied off, nothing worse than finding, your one or two boats short while your drinking your morning coffee. I have experienced some extreme changes in water level on both Yampa and Gates of Lodore over night.


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## noahfecks (Jun 14, 2008)

Stay well left at triplet, it's not hard but the triplets are a real hazard at high water, scout and make sure you understand the run.


Marty's hole in moonshine might be a flipper


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## JFOinCO (Oct 9, 2017)

Triplet is big at high water but it's easily avoidable, momentum right to left. There's a decent eddy below as well to wait for the rest of your group. We ran it at ~13K in April 2017 (dam and rain and snow) during snow and scouted most rapids because there was no high water beta. It was great though because no one showed up, not even the ranger, so we had our choice of camp.


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## JFOinCO (Oct 9, 2017)

Back to the original point...all the camps were beautiful at that level, except for one after the confluence, and only because of the W. Have a great trip.


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## kayakingphotog (May 25, 2007)

Thanks folks for all the beta. Gonna be a lot of fun. Will definetly will scout the above rapids and snap photos. 

SYOTR


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## MrScamp (Mar 19, 2013)

I do remember a pretty adventurous landing to make Jones 1 or 2 (forget). We had to be really on it with a bowman and then had to bag the boats that only had one person. We all made it in but just.


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## MaryB (May 17, 2007)

We Just did Echo Park to Split Mountain ramp via the Yampa. We didn't encounter bugs.


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## panicman (Apr 7, 2005)

Just got off ladore Friday June 14th. Launched Monday the 10th. Stayed at pot creek 1, rippling brook 2, sea cliff and Jones 3. Flow came up on launch morning to the 8 or 9k. All the camps were fine just not a lot of beach and just need to be ready to catch them. If your on the wrong side or n the middle they are easy to miss. Had to line a couple of boats back up that missed pot creek. Jones 1 looked like an easy landing. Jones 3 was tiny to fit all our boats. Jones 2 looked tough and muddy. No bugs at all. Awesome weather. 

As for rapids upper and lower disaster were the biggest and most demanding. Worth scouting upper but it is real easy to miss the scout eddy as 3 of our boats did and ran it blind with 1 hole surf in upper disaster. Run upper middle left to miss the monster hole on the right then work back middle for a bit then get left for lower disaster and get ready for some big wave hits. Defiantly raft flipping potential. There is a far right line in lower that is cleaner but the penalty for not getting there is a huge hole thrashing.

Harps falls just square up down the middle for some super fun huge wave trains.

Triplet was down the middle for the top part then hard pull left like always but I hung it out a bit and there are some really fun huge waves to hit at the bottom.

Hells was actually much easier to line up as we went right side of the big boulder and down the middle. 

Moonshine was wide open at our level with some big waves to work through but the holes were real easy to miss. The rest was just wavy and really kind of washed out.


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