# Bear Creek - 77cfs?



## deepsouthpaddler (Apr 14, 2004)

Not enough unless you are the ultimate mank jedi.

Once got into a debate about whether you could run bear creek at 100 cfs. We ran it, and both of us broke our boats. Not sure who won that arguement. (my boat was an already cracked and welded mank boat, so it wasn't a big loss for me).

I've run no fun falls down to 50 cfs and lower. To me it was a fun diversion while waiting for flows to come up. You can lap it and put in at the top of the lead in, bash down some slo-mo mank, and plop over no fun falls. Current flows are plenty for that little adventure.

I'd probably look for 140+ to run bear creek in its entirety.


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## caspermike (Mar 9, 2007)

Give er, didn't you hear low is the new medium in Colorado


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## ACC (Oct 30, 2003)

The mank tolerance here has reached a new all time low! Don't forget that it is "normal" for the season to be starting in late May. Last year and other early melt-out years are somewhat anomalous (but maybe a trend?). Lyons has 300 cfs or something, where you could actually work on valuable kayaking skills.


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## BrianK (Feb 3, 2005)

Thanks Deepsouth.

I'm not really looking for the best Front Range option. I know Lyons is probably a better choice, but I've just always wanted to run Bear Creek, and I doubt its going to get much higher this year. Looks like I need to wait for a bigger rain event or until they take out the dam in Evergreen.


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## deepsouthpaddler (Apr 14, 2004)

Alex, I have racked up many an all time mank low, and plan to rack up more of them! Thats what welders are for. 

Gotta love the early season itch... everyone is impatiently waiting for the melt. We've waited for months, but the last few weeks and days seem to go by soooo slow. 

I doubt bear creek will run this year, but this spring has been a strange one, so you never know.


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## cayo 2 (Apr 20, 2007)

it 's up to a whopping 85 cfs was 87 earlier....of the mediocre choices being tossed around :Bear at 80ish,lefthand low, Boulder Crk. at 207, or Lyons low...Fourmile down would be the most reasonable run and or playing Lyons the beet option....since Lefthand is in between Boulder and Lyons, goes fast (1/2 hour), and is simple logistics (all roadside) you could easily combine any of these runs (not Bear) ..Imo .......supposed to keep raining in both areas...


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## paulk (Apr 24, 2006)

bust out the Y let's go.


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## KSC (Oct 22, 2003)

Ian made me do it once at 135 cfs and even that was ridiculous! It mainly had nostalgic value for when it was actually running in years gone by where Forrest and Gary were at No Fun Falls pelting people with eggs.


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## deepstroke (Apr 3, 2005)

Eldo is running.


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## KSC (Oct 22, 2003)

So is SSV. Bam! It's mank boatin time!


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## Dave Frank (Oct 14, 2003)

Four mile creek at Orodell (new last year?) is kicking in 82 cfs. This is below BC at Orodell. Should be good to go. Might even be worth starting on four mile for a possible first D!


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## Schizzle (Mar 26, 2004)

I'm with Deepsouth. 140 and I'd go. just take out at no fun. the top is channelized a lot better and doesn't need much. I did it at 100 once with a b-team boat and had fun. I don't have a b-team boat anymore though. Runs like bear creek killed it.


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## Phillips (Feb 19, 2004)

Schizzle said:


> I'm with Deepsouth. 140 and I'd go. just take out at no fun. the top is channelized a lot better and doesn't need much. I did it at 100 once with a b-team boat and had fun. I don't have a b-team boat anymore though. Runs like bear creek killed it.


Yep 140 is min. I've done it at 110 with a mankster. 300 is prime. Great run, especially since freemont flossed it years ago. Never runs anymore though, bummer.


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## ACC (Oct 30, 2003)

It is against the odds, but it appears there is a chance... Bear creek is actually showing peaks the last couple days and with warm days this week, it may actually run. Hmmm. Come on 2-hundy!


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## stephenwright (Oct 20, 2012)

*144 now...*

anyone running today?
S


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## deepsouthpaddler (Apr 14, 2004)

I think you are right Alex. 144 today, with a good bump. The snowpack on the echo lake snotel is above average, and is just starting to come down from peak snowpack. My guess is bear is close to 180 by tomorrow which is good to go in my book. 

I sure wish I would have went in there and cleaned some wood... oh well.

Now comes decision time... so hard to decide when all of your favorite runs start coming in at the same time.


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## Cliff (Apr 20, 2004)

Hey Stephen,

I want to run today. Have a maybe from another boater already. 

You want to meet at the park at 11:30? 

I think 140 is a fun level. 303-854-4906


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## Roy (Oct 30, 2003)

Last time I paddled Bear that low, I broke my boat...


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## deepsouthpaddler (Apr 14, 2004)

Thats why you bring a pre-broken boat.


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## Rez072 (Apr 21, 2008)

I've lived above Evergreen on Bear Creek for 2 1/2 years and it hasn't really shown much of a pulse until now. I would like to run it. Hopefully it runs for a while. I can make it happen after work on Friday (6 PM @ put-in) or Saturday afternoon. Hit me up if anyone has any interest in those times (and it's still running). Also, I wanna see a TR if anyone fires it in the meantime!


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## deepsouthpaddler (Apr 14, 2004)

Give us a wood report if you go today Cliff.


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## stephenwright (Oct 20, 2012)

*Just ran it*

I've only run it once before, years ago with something like 300 cfs, so my feedback might not compare to the consensus views. Ran with Cliff n Chrispy...we all agreed that this level was totally good to go and lots of fun. Lots of wood everywhere right now, but we could boat/scout and see it all fine. Didn't have to portage anything (though we all walked the dam). Not much push through most of the run, so easier to avoid junk rocks, didn't feel as though this was particularly boat abusive. 

If the level holds or rises, I'd love to do 2 or 3 laps again tomorrow 
Stephen


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## chrispy (Apr 6, 2004)

Stephen Wright cleared the wood.... should be good to go.... house rock good to go...we portaged the dam drop... no fun falls was fun.... the bottom was great too.... a new min level for me... used to be 180. if the levels come up wood will move around so be heads up!... get some.



l.m.m. plays music Fri at the d note in arvada 9:30.


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## KSC (Oct 22, 2003)

What?? I think somebody's been spending too much time in the southeast. I'll concede that it could be fun, but not the boat abuse part - at least for me - maybe you have a light touch. I'm curious to see how much of this is coming from lower elevation snow that's almost gone or if it keeps bumping. Above 180 and I think it's worth running laps on. Below 180 and in my book low water SSV or maybe even lower water Black Rock is a better choice for rock bashing.

Oh, and thanks for cleaning the wood! Excited for the prospect of actually running it again this year!


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## deepsouthpaddler (Apr 14, 2004)

Its gonna keep bumping up. The low elevation rain from last week is gone. Bear creek above evergreen lake is putting in over 80% of the water that's in the creek at morrison. To top it off, the creek is primed at a min flow, and the echo lake snotel has a full snowpack ready to come down.


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## Roy (Oct 30, 2003)

The hell with "standards" and "minimums" then, dammit. Who's up for a nooner tomorrow? I've got a conflict after work and need to get out in the worst way! 

And what's up with that bridge that I seem to remember them building at the first rapid last time it ran? Right channel still goes? Did you guys go all the way down to Morrison?


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## KSC (Oct 22, 2003)

What is this, 1995? Nobody goes all the way the Morrison. The bridge does not appear to impede yer boof so right channel still goes.


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## Roy (Oct 30, 2003)

KSC said:


> What is this, 1995? Nobody goes all the way the Morrison. The bridge does not appear to impede yer boof so right channel still goes.


Well, Prince was just in town, so yeah. And some of that lower stuff is pretty fun if you stay out of the willows...


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## Cliff (Apr 20, 2004)

Not sure about the bridge. There was some wood at the top and we Putin below. No boat abuse experienced with our crew, all light touches. Chrispy was giving me a dirty look as it looked low at the takeout and his minimum was 180, but after the run he revised his minimum to a little lower than it was today .

I'll meet for a nooner tomorrow. We went down to the park, love that last 1/4 mile of mank.


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## Pizzle (Jun 26, 2007)

Haha, if you are paddling in co, it is boat abuse.


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## Roy (Oct 30, 2003)

Meeting Cliff at the park in Morrison at 11:30 tomorrow (Weds) if anybody wants to join, flow permitting. We're gonna paddle like it's nineteen ninety five (when the Bear ran).


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## stephenwright (Oct 20, 2012)

*be there around 11:45 or noon*

Hope to run with you guys if you're moving a little late. I'll have a first time friend with me. She's solid. Probably be in Morrison around 11:45. If not, have a great run!
S


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## Roy (Oct 30, 2003)

11:45 it is. Disappointing lack of bump today, but it's got the same as yesterday.


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## Rez072 (Apr 21, 2008)

*after work mank*

Can anyone meet in Morrison at 5:30 PM on Friday for a run?


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## gannon_w (Jun 27, 2006)

Almost to Golden but I don't know where the park is... 9708171639


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## KSC (Oct 22, 2003)

gannon_w said:


> Almost to Golden but I don't know where the park is... 9708171639


As usual, I've already added all this information to River Brain. 
Bear Creek - Idledale to Morrison - River Brain


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## ednaout (Jun 3, 2005)

> Ian made me do it once at 135 cfs and even that was ridiculous! It mainly had nostalgic value for when it was actually running in years gone by where Forrest and Gary were at No Fun Falls pelting people with eggs.


130 tonight and I think it was good to go! It definitely got bonier after the dam, but I don't think it deserves all the mank hyperbole...pssshhhhhaaaa. 
I'd never run it before and was stoked to get on a new run - and one that doesn't run often to boot!


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## Rez072 (Apr 21, 2008)

*dawn patrol*

Pete & I are doing a dawn patrol tomorrow. I have to be at work at 8 so we're meeting at the take out at 5:15 AM.

Call me w/ interest and skills

four one nine 2 zero 5 1 five seven seven


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## KSC (Oct 22, 2003)

Et tu, Jon?


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## Rez072 (Apr 21, 2008)

Shakespeare would run Bear Creek at SuperMank levels if he lived on it for 3 years too, Kevin... you should join us...?


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## jonny water (Oct 28, 2003)

Anyone planning to go this evening around 6 or 6:30? Give me a call
720-273-1998. I'm trying to work out if I can make it or not right now.


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## Schizzle (Mar 26, 2004)

Supah manka's. I went with Ednaout and it was fun. I think I'd pull out after No Fun if I did it again, but only because I want my boat to last another season...it was all kinda fun in a ghetto kind of way.

A little beta since I haven't seen anyone post anything about the run from this season. Lot's of wood as usual, but nothing you couldn't go over (or under in a few cases). Flows didn't seem high enough that it was a threat, but if they hit 180 or more, might want to be more careful. Lots of rocks are holding cross current logs.

The enchanted bridge rapid (haha) or no scout I guess it's called was totally clean. The next drop where you see a big rock splitting the current on a bend to the left and the line is left of the rock -- it was clean. The stuff leading up to No Fun was all clean enough. No Fun was fun. The fishermen and tourons think you're exciting. The slide 1/2 mile below no fun was clean with a line literally just off the right bank. I was a little further left than Ednaout and I pitoned at the top and the bottom of the slide. Go right of the fan rock for better results, I went over it. Just after this slide maybe 100 yds there's that double ledge where the bottom is a u-shaped hole. The hole just after the first ledge and above the u-hole had a log in it that you couldn't see until you went over the ledge. I just tucked and lifted the end of it at the same time, but it would be nice to get that thing out of there as it wants to flip you above the u-hole. Should be easy as I could move it from my boat. We didn't run the dam, too low. Lot's of wood here and there until Lair of the Bear, but again, with good boat scouting nothing we had to get out of boats for. Lair of the Bear to the takeout was all clean. Basically same as it ever was, just more wood since no one's been in there for a few years. As usual, wood will start moving as the flow comes up, blah, blah, blah, so don't be reckless.


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## jonny water (Oct 28, 2003)

Anyone think the flows will hold through the weekend? I may just shoot for Saturday morning.


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## deepsouthpaddler (Apr 14, 2004)

With warm temps forecast for the next few days, I think bear will hold at current flows into the weekend. Looks like a cool down is forecast next week which could shut it down.


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