# Eagle river beta needed please



## bobbuilds (May 12, 2007)

I was hoping some of you might be able to tell me about the eagle river here in colorado.

We have not run it before, taking 2 newer paddlers with rolls down lower.

We are kayaking it this weekend, flows are 2400cfs, about now.

We are planning to do the upper and lower eagle. Running lower first with the ladies

What hazzards are on the lower eagle? are there any big holes on the lower to be on the lookout for?

The guidebook says that the first of 3 class 3's on the lower eagle will cause the most trouble. what will it be like at these levels?

I want the ladies to have fun, they will prob. only run lower eagle, so beta there would be awesome.

how would it compare to the poudre or the ark at simillar flows?

and a quick question about upper eagle.

how does it compare to upper mish on the poudre at high levels? Is there still a dam in the first few miles?

thanks for all the help, in advance!


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## bobbuilds (May 12, 2007)

also, I did search, and read back post, i am just looking for any last minuet info i can get to calm the ladies down!


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## Aknoff (Aug 24, 2007)

Lower Eagle: Much less continuous than the Upper - more pool drop-y with occasional boogie water in between. Personally, I think Trestle freaked me out most my first time down. You come around a blind s-curve under a bridge into a decent drop. The line down the drop is right down the middle, avoiding holes on either side and an undercut rock on river right. Scout it and everyone will be fine - just make sure you know where to be coming under the bridge. The rest is fun read-and-run, nothing too crazy. Depending on where you take-out, the final (optional) rapid could give you some trouble. Depending on flows, it develops some decent sized holes. Not a ton of maneuvering necessary though. Given the cold water, this section feels long and can wear on some folks (17 miles I believe?).

The Upper is super fun, we'll be there paddleboating this weekend before the water dries up. The top half is kind of creeky feeling (at least in a raft). There are 3-4 older, worn down diversion dams along the way. The first is at the I-70 bridge, line is river left, the second is just upstream of Avon and it has a sneak far left (for kayaks). After going through the Avon play park, there's another diversion, line is center-right. The whole section is fairly continuous and very cold, but tons of fun. Everything is read and run. Edwards mile gets a bit tighter, faster, and bigger as you get to the end with the biggest action around the last two corners. Have fun!


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## ENDOMADNESS (Jun 21, 2005)

The Lower section is really 2 boatable sections folks do (each takes 1.5 - 2 hours, and about 8 miles) 
Edwards sanitation to Wolcott campground. The only real rapid is the Trestle rapid- its in the last 1/2 mile of the run. Scout river right at the eddy just upstream of the bridge. For beginners it will be fairly daunting as mentioned...but it is straight down the middle, with a few laterals and a hole bottom right.

The next section Wolcott to Eagle Fairgrounds, has 2 real rapids. Dead Cow (is a quick drop (III) and you will see/hear it. About 2 miles downstream of wolcott campground) just punch the wave/hole. The last rapid- as stated above- can be skipped if you take out at the Eagle Visitor Center (just behind the Eagel bowling Alley)....1/3 mile upstream of the Eagle Fairgrounds takeout. The fairground rapid is right at the fairgrounds takeout.

Upper Eagle is a blast and the "dams" are really just drops taken within a few feet of river center on each one....no need to scout anything in this section (i would look at Dowd Chute, if you are running that) for class IV paddler, its all down the center and boogie water.


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## ENDOMADNESS (Jun 21, 2005)

And Bob...i would come up Saturday if you have the choice....flows are dropping fast and the Upper Eagle is MUCH funner above say 1500 cfs (at Avon treatment plant gauge). I guees it will be 1500 on saturday and 1300 on sunday (midday)


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## bobbuilds (May 12, 2007)

Thank you both for the information, we will be up saturday, paddling all day.

We are leaving golden at 8am am should be at the takeout by 1030-11.

phone number 970-2nine1-six945 bob, text or call

Thank you all for the information, we are feeling much better about taking the girls down.

It all sounds managable, I will try my luck at dowd chutes as well. It might be some time till we get back out there with good water.

thanks, give a ring if anyone wants to shuttle, and or run together.

bob


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## willoughby (Mar 15, 2004)

What are you calling "upper" and "lower"? It's basically Gilman Gorge, Dowd Chute and below. Gilman is manky and constricted and full on class V at 500+ cfs. Dowd is pushy class IV with sticky holes at the bottom, running at 5 feet or so on the bridge gauge. Should be scouted and run with strong boating skills. Everything below that is essentially read and run class III with accurate descriptions above. Edwards to Wolcott is typical entry level Eagle River run with an option to take out at the Hwy. 131 bridge if the gals don't want to run trestle rapids. Wolcott to Eagle is another standard intermediate run with a straightforward kayak move at Dead Cow. Water is highest (funnest) early morning and again around sunset.


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## bobbuilds (May 12, 2007)

willoughby said:


> What are you calling "upper" and "lower"? It's basically Gilman Gorge, Dowd Chute and below. Gilman is manky and constricted and full on class V at 500+ cfs. Dowd is pushy class IV with sticky holes at the bottom, running at 5 feet or so on the bridge gauge. Should be scouted and run with strong boating skills. Everything below that is essentially read and run class III with accurate descriptions above. Edwards to Wolcott is typical entry level Eagle River run with an option to take out at the Hwy. 131 bridge if the gals don't want to run trestle rapids. Wolcott to Eagle is another standard intermediate run with a straightforward kayak move at Dead Cow. Water is highest (funnest) early morning and again around sunset.



I thought that the run below dowd chute was called "upper eagle" for 7 miles, then called "lower eagle" for 16 more miles with the option of doing 8 and 8 miles (roughly).

We are trying to take the girls down a fun section of river in the lower area. we are looking for the most wave trains and fun rapids in that 16 miles and trying to know the landmarks for the bigger rapids. trestle, interstate, and dead cow. so that they, and we can scout them to give the girls an idea of the crux rapids.

I could be wrong here but, the first rapid on the lower eagle would be interstate, then trestle, then dead cow?

From your post, it sounds like the top 8 miles from edwards to wolcot is easier than the last 8 miles from wolcot to eagle? Is that accurate?

I've never been, and we're excited to go, thanks for the info willoughby.


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## Aknoff (Aug 24, 2007)

You're correct, it's a misnomer but the section from riverside bus stop (dowd take-out) to Edwards is the upper eagle. Edwards to eagle is the lower eagle, which has an optional take out 8 miles in at wolcott. Excluding the final rapid at the lower eagle take out (rodeo) in eagle, I'd say the second half of the lower eagle is easier, as trestle is in the upper half and most difficult for noobs. Not sure what time we'll be putting on but maybe we'll see you tomorrow on the upper. Blue 14' Rocky Mountain with 6 paddlers. Have fun!


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## Porkchop (Sep 19, 2007)

hey bob, i think you'll be happiest running avon to edwards, put in just below avon playpark. head west on us 6 from avon and take an imediate right once thru the round about. there is a little put in road for rafts. take out edwards, turn right past the trailer park cross the bridge back track a little take out across the street from water treatment.

I'd do this first, if goes well and you want more run from below the chute to Avon.

I know it would be more efficent to start high and go all the way to edwards but think the lower is a notch eassier and the crux (edwards mile) is the last rapids. so if there is trouble every one ends in the lake and everybody is warmed up... 

if you want to scout the irrgation hazards mentioned above it is easy to have a look while setting shuttle. the upper is just below where i-70 crosses the rio in eagle vail. the second you can stop at shop and hop in eagle vail and hop across 6 and go thorugh a parking lot to have a look see. i think this one is worth look as its a little bony in the run out. everything else is read and run.

have fun.

upper gore creek from east vail to the play park is also an funer easier one in the neighborhood. And the eagle form tigiwan road down to the ranger station (chute put in) thru Minturn is class III as well.


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## Rich (Sep 14, 2006)

Anyone know of a trailer friendly takeout on the Eagle by Gypsum?


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## Porkchop (Sep 19, 2007)

the defunct ritten house resturaunt looks like it would work. don't know if you could actually back in to the river but you'd be real close. there are fishing acsess campground type areas west of town that could work as well. haven't been down that way in awhile and i know they made some "improvements"... blm may have some info as there are day use fees and picnic areas and stuff.


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## Ron Rupert (Feb 12, 2004)

*The Rittenhouse Goes.*

The downstream end of the Eddy is good. Backed the trailer up and loaded my dory no problems. It is nota huge Eddy so you do need to be on it a little bit.


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## Rich (Sep 14, 2006)

Thanks


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## lmyers (Jun 10, 2008)

Hey Bob, hope you had fun on the river yesterday.

Another really fun option for you is the Eagle River through Minturn. I think it's a really under-appreciated class III run. Hit it a few weeks ago at 350 and thought it was continuous class III with a few more defined drops and the crux being the S-Turns. Put in at Gillman takeout or on Cross Creek just above the confluence with the Eagle. It's currently running 437.

Most of it looked like this:


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