# Clear Creek 7/7 Record Flow!



## DanOrion (Jun 8, 2004)

Woot! Woot! It's been great on the clear this year. Where are all the boaters?


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## Badazws6 (Mar 4, 2007)

DanOrion said:


> Woot! Woot! It's been great on the clear this year. Where are all the boaters?


No kidding, I was there for an hour and a half yesterday looking for someone to boat with. No one showed...


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## JeremyTheMonster (Jul 12, 2010)

I stopped by the PP yesterday. Way above my pay grade...


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## Cutch (Nov 4, 2003)

I'll be up at CC tonight. Not sure if we'll playboat or run something. Great July!


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## hojo (Jun 26, 2008)

We ran upper last night and it was awesome. So awesome I tried part of it sans boat. Still awesome.


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## Ed Hansen (Oct 12, 2003)

DanOrion said:


> Woot! Woot! It's been great on the clear this year. Where are all the boaters?


I know, I know! It's not just your creek that is empty. The Royal Gorge has been low on kayakers as well. I like to think that everyone is spread out across the state enjoying all the crazy high water. Maybe there aren't really as many of us as we thought. Post peak season lower water, we will all be back, crowded onto our home-town favorite floats being social once again. :mrgreen:


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## gannon_w (Jun 27, 2006)

hojo said:


> We ran upper last night and it was awesome. So awesome I tried part of it sans boat. Still awesome.


Ha ha (Sans boat) that's funny.

When you gonna get back up here for the Big T?
I'm gonna playboat the upper section (non-sans boat)!


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## basil (Nov 20, 2005)

I'm not on CC because I'm scared.


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## DanOrion (Jun 8, 2004)

I've been wanting to have these stickers made, but haven't found the time. I'd like to commemorate this amazing boating year.


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## jasons (Sep 29, 2006)

Who's in for a black rock run after work?


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## hojo (Jun 26, 2008)

DanOrion said:


> I've been wanting to have these stickers made, but haven't found the time. I'd like to commemorate this amazing boating year.


I'll totally take one.


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## blutzski (Mar 31, 2004)

jasons said:


> Who's in for a black rock run after work?


I'd be in and I have one other guy.
Bruno
3oh3-99zero-188two


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## kayapelli (Aug 18, 2005)

The heck with the sticker idea, get a tattoo!


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## kayapelli (Aug 18, 2005)

Btw, we paddled the Lawson play park on Monday and if you wanted to, you could sneak a couple of the holes by paddling the sidewalk.


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## riojedi (May 23, 2005)

going even higher tonight, rain and 50 degrees at ike tunnel, main fork over 800 west fork over 600. get some!


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## Kendrick (Jul 8, 2010)

I did a single lap on Rigor Mortis about 8pm. Guess it was about 1300 there. 

Holy shit. I can safely say, I've got a bomber roll after that. At one point I reached to pull my skirt, but thought "No, I still have breath." Got upside down and worked in at least a couple holes in Rigor itself, and even above Rigor, but luckily flushed as I rolled up (eventually?). Had no line to speak of, but luckily went right of the big rock. I think I'm a class 3 paddler with a class 4-5ish roll. 

After that tiny little lap, I felt like I had been paddling all day. I am thankful for every ounce of energy, piece of gear, and dumb luck I had that allowed me to not swim.

Ps. Surprised that I still bonked my helmet on some rocks with this water level. (I probably shouldn't be, but I don't know better). I'm really happy with my WRSI helmet now.


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## Phillips (Feb 19, 2004)

Wow dude. . . be careful. Glad you lived to tell about it.

K



Kendrick said:


> I did a single lap on Rigor Mortis about 8pm. Guess it was about 1300 there.
> 
> Holy shit. I can safely say, I've got a bomber roll after that. At one point I reached to pull my skirt, but thought "No, I still have breath." Got upside down and worked in at least a couple holes in Rigor itself, and even above Rigor, but luckily flushed as I rolled up (eventually?). Had no line to speak of, but luckily went right of the big rock. I think I'm a class 3 paddler with a class 4-5ish roll.
> 
> ...


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## ski_kayak365 (Dec 7, 2003)

Just did Upper. It was around 1300, we put on in a complete downpour and lightening storm over head. Oh at it was 820pm. We bombed it in 25mins, w/ a couple hole rides due to not being able to see w/ rain and darkness. maybe not the best idea, but damn was it fun!


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## stubby (Oct 13, 2003)

Morning surprise, another day of record flows! 1540 in the middle of the night. Lawson through Upper last night was stompin!


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## ACC (Oct 30, 2003)

Kendrick, did you just break up with your girlfriend or something? That is not smart. If you are a class III boater and have no one to paddle with, then go to the play park and work on slalom or play skills. Good job hanging in there though.

I got some dirty surfing in at trestle last night between 3000 and 2500, looking forward to more highwater CC soon.


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## basil (Nov 20, 2005)

I think these high flows suck. Many of us are too scared to hit the river. I would rather the creek ran at 600 for 3 months rather than 1000+ for 4 weeks. 

It's a waste of water. Nature is just not as convenient as we would like.


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## JeremyTheMonster (Jul 12, 2010)

basil said:


> I think these high flows suck. Many of us are too scared to hit the river. I would rather the creek ran at 600 for 3 months rather than 1000+ for 4 weeks.
> 
> It's a waste of water. Nature is just not as convenient as we would like.


Amen to that.


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## KSC (Oct 22, 2003)

Anybody running clear creek this evening? I've never seen it this high - wouldn't mind doing a lower CC run.


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## twitch (Oct 16, 2003)

Basil - think of it as natural selection. You're just smarter than the rest and are in favor of self preservation.

On another note, lower CC at this level is the best pre-work dawn patrol out there, period. Only one real nasty hole to worry about in the entrance to 1/4 mile, otherwise it all goes. Creek's moving fast though so be sure to scout ahead of time if you go. Very few eddies of note.


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## Claytonious (Jan 17, 2008)

Kevin,

What time were you thinking of hitting lower CC tonight?


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## Ricky NM (Jun 28, 2008)

twitch said:


> Basil - think of it as natural selection. You're just smarter than the rest and are in favor of self preservation.


Self preservation? More like vaginitis! Just kidding....

But seriously, the buzz high water stoke threads to actual boaters on the river ratio is way off. Is everyone on the front range a pussy?


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## adgeiser (May 26, 2009)

2 days straight we tried to get people to boat with us.... all no go's. we had 2 people (both solid ) but wanted 1 or 2 more for safety reasons. I have no problem running cc with only 2 up to 800ish after that i start to think safety.

and damn if i didn't promise the gf a nonpaddling weekend in july....yeah this weekend


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## KSC (Oct 22, 2003)

I'm pretty open starting a couple hours from now. Let me know what works. 



Claytonious said:


> Kevin,
> 
> What time were you thinking of hitting lower CC tonight?


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## ednaout (Jun 3, 2005)

> I did a single lap on Rigor Mortis about 8pm. Guess it was about 1300 there.


Kendrick,

Did you do a single lap, a solo lap or a single solo lap. No judgement here, do what you've got to do, I'm just curious.


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## Kendrick (Jul 8, 2010)

ACC said:


> Kendrick, did you just break up with your girlfriend or something?


I didn't break up with my GF or anything. We're still together and doing great! Though I wouldn't expect you know anything about that. Thanks for the concern. 



> If you are a class III boater and have no one to paddle with, then go to the play park and work on slalom or play skills.


I might not be giving myself enough credit. Strictly speaking, I have paddled Class IV a fair amount this season, and I do fine in it. I feel very comfortable in Class IV rapids. My modesty in this case painted a picture a bit more dire than otherwise, but I'm aware it was still dangerous. I do not have any plans of dabbling in what can be considered Class V again, any time soon, especially Rigor Mortis or other parts of Black Rock. Paddling into an eddy at the Lower CC put-in after Rigor was such a relief. 



> Good job hanging in there though.


Thank you, sir. 



ednaout said:


> Kendrick,
> 
> Did you do a single lap, a solo lap or a single solo lap. No judgement here, do what you've got to do, I'm just curious.



I am not single, nor did I paddle a Fluid Solo! 

Fortunately, and I'm sure this will shed light on my run, and mayhap, illicit a sigh of relief or few, for whom it may concern, I did have the forsight to borrow some kittens from my sister, to put in the back of my boat. It was just the motivation I needed to not swim. Rest assured, I'm okay!

Ps. My sister does have a few kittens that will need homes in a week or two. So lemme know if you want one.


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## ednaout (Jun 3, 2005)

> I am not single, nor did I paddle a Fluid Solo!


so what your're saying is that you hit your head pretty good on one of those class IV rolls....

way to keep the kitties dry.


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## JeremyTheMonster (Jul 12, 2010)

Kendrick said:


> Fortunately, and I'm sure this will shed light on my run, and mayhap, illicit a sigh of relief or few, for whom it may concern, I did have the forsight to borrow some kittens from my sister, to put in the back of my boat. It was just the motivation I needed to not swim. Rest assured, I'm okay!
> 
> Ps. My sister does have a few kittens that will need homes in a week or two. So lemme know if you want one.


Motherfucking comedy sir! /salute


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## DanOrion (Jun 8, 2004)

By popular demand, I updated the sticker and ordered 100 for all the people I haven't been seeing on the river.


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## KSC (Oct 22, 2003)

Hmm, so I just caught up with this Kendrick post. Sounds like a look "at me, I'm a cool guy" post. Pretty weak shit if you ask me. Not respecting big drops at high water and posting about it on the buzz shows really poor judgment and that's a nice way of saying it. I hope you wise up before you make a fatal mistake.


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## ednaout (Jun 3, 2005)

So, I want to throw some support to what KSC said...I had originally wondered if you had solo paddled rigo, thinking that this is something an experienced boater might do, that is willing to accept those kinds of consequences...and I don't judge that because someone doing that isn't really putting anyone else at risk (for physical safety)....however, when u post that you're a class III paddler, paddling rigo at 1300, solo, that takes it to a different level. I'm not talking about the solo part, that's your choice, but to post that on the buzz, in a way, puts others at risk, which is totally irresponsible. Less experienced paddlers might think that its something they could so also, because believe it or nor, people actually read this stuff and sometimes even take a little bit away from it. Hopefully, anyone, with class III skills, would look at rigo, at 1300, shit their pants, and realize that it was a bad idea....but Darwinism is what it is...

It's just something to think about.


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## [email protected] (Apr 26, 2006)

What holes did you get stuck in, rigo is flushed out right now. You people would know that if you actually paddle clear creek when it has water. who said they wish it would run at 600, thats a good minimum. Ricky is right you are all pussies, especially class 2 ricky


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## green.zorak (Jul 13, 2010)

Knowing both your ability level and comfort level and being comfortable with yourself is one of the greatest strengths anyone can have in this sport. So kudos to everyone; those that are comfortable with cc at this level and those that are comfortable enough with themselves and this sport to know when and where not to paddle. 
While cc might be high there is still good fun to be had at union chutes, deckers even the c-470 run has some fun surf spots. Whether or not you think I'm exhibiting strong Darwinian traits or have something wrong with my vagina; that's where I'll be paddling for the next while. Send me a pm if you'd like to join.


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## DanOrion (Jun 8, 2004)

For the Class III paddler, Idaho Springs to Kermits or Upper Takeout to Black Rock Putin should be fun at this level. There's just no excuse for not taking advantage of the best flow in decades. Not boating right now is like skipping a powder day!


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## blutzski (Mar 31, 2004)

DanOrion said:


> Not boating right now is like skipping a powder day!


Good way of putting it.


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## cmack (Oct 15, 2006)

There is a lot of silliness in this thread that people are getting sucked into. On our way out of the canyon yesterday we stopped to look at Rigo. While I agree that it is kind of flushing and it probably goes, no class III paddler, who actually considers him/herself to be a class III paddler, would look at Rigo and then run it at this level. It just isn't going to happen. Bro is either totally solid and jerking y'all around, or just joking about this in general. 

On another note, the Dumont section is glorious, fist pumping, hoot/hollering, shit eating grin fun at this level. Put in at Lawson for the most action.


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## Kendrick (Jul 8, 2010)

I don't mean to encourage anyone to go out and do something stupid, but I can't let people berate me for my personal accomplishment, either. 

First of all, I made my own personal evaluation. I looked at rigor several times, and talked to people who run it. Talked about the features that make it dangerous, and felt that at 1300, a lot of the bad stuff was flushed out. The left side of the rock had high enough water, it actually had kind of a wide channel. I've been worked in Elbow Falls a tad, and rolled up fine, on either side in the past, so there is that, too. 

At that water level, I wouldn't call it washed out. It might appear that way, but if you miss your line, which I did, the river's sort of like "goodbye and good luck bracing this s*** dumbf***!". Don't have enough experience on Rigor to say if the holes lock you in less or what at this level, but I did have to roll while I was still in a hole, I think, but it's kind of a blur. I may have just been lucky, I mean, wholes can keep you all day if they want to, right?

If the only reason you feel comfortable running something, is because your friend has a throwbag ready for you, you probably shouldn't run it. I mean, exiting your boat should never sound like a good idea, and maybe having that false sense of safety would have spelled trouble for me. 

Gotta get back to work. 30 seconds left in my lunch break.


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## powdahound76 (Jul 20, 2006)

All of this aside, just ran IS town run in the playboat this am with my buddy and it was a hoot. Big tall waves and huge curlers, smiling like a 15 year old who just got lucky the whole way down. Well, maybe it aint that good, but you get the point. For sure put in at exit 240, you can easily fit under the bridges and pipes in town and there is a great surf just after the put-in. Looked at rigor this am, I would run that in an inner-tube if I could just find one with 2 chambers so I would be on the right side of the law.... The rock at the bottom had just a little bit of water flowing over the top of it in places.


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## JDHOG72 (Jul 18, 2007)

"I don't mean to encourage anyone to go out and do something stupid, but I can't let people berate me for my personal accomplishment, either." 

Stupidity is not an accomplishment son. Congratulations on not dying...maybe next time.


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## Kendrick (Jul 8, 2010)

Btw, I didn't come here looking for a pat on the back, either. Part of me wanted to keep my little visit with Rigor a secret, but it had such a huge effect on me, I just felt like sharing. Why should I keep something like that to myself?

@powdahound - See that was part of it too. The sign said "No tubing or Swimming". It would have been against the law to pull my skirt!


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## Kendrick (Jul 8, 2010)

JDHOG72 said:


> Stupidity is not an accomplishment son. Congratulations on not dying...*maybe next time.*


Honestly, dude?

That's pretty cruel. You're just the kind of asshole I'd never want to see holding a throw bag. Fuck you.

If paddling dangerous stuff in a kayak is stupid, then maybe getting out of bed every morning is stupid too. We all have different levels of personal risk we're going to take. 

It's not unheard of to see people running Rigor Mortis without safety. Sure, maybe there are two paddlers instead of one, but that in itself introduces new problems. 

If you feel like it would be stupid to run Rigor Mortis, than you're probably right, because you know your own limits.


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## JDHOG72 (Jul 18, 2007)

Ha..you don't have to worry about me holding a rope for you. I don't pick my paddling partners from the Darwin Awards candidate list.


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## tellutwurp (Jul 8, 2005)

bout time to lock her up perhaps.


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## cmack (Oct 15, 2006)

JDHOG72 said:


> Ha..you don't have to worry about me holding a rope for you. I don't pick my paddling partners from the Darwin Awards candidate list.



Yes, but would you hold a turkey leg?


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## KSC (Oct 22, 2003)

JD, I think you should reconsider your criticism in light of these revelations. Kendrick, despite considering himself a class III boater, both looked at it several times and talked to people who run it. Not only that, but he was wearing a WRSI helmet, so I think he was probably good to go on it after all. Besides, Tom says it's running at medium flow. 

Yo Kendrick, it would help if you gave us some identifying characteristics so we know when we see you on the river. You've got a growing list of assholes you don't want standing by the side of the river holding a rope for you. Seriously, bud, all shit talking aside, wise up. People with experience have seen too much shit go down that would be avoidable with better judgment.


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## bolsito (Aug 26, 2007)

Back to the actual subject of the thread...average flow on Clear Creek for today is just over 400. Awesome flows this year.

Does anyone know where that tree below Black Rock went? It was there a week ago, gone yesterday...I can't imagine that it made it all the way past the play park, but I didn't see it anywhere in that stretch...

As to the issue of solo Rigo runs...even if you don't think a throwbag will help you, solo swims tend to be far more expensive...unless you're really good at self-rescuing.


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## JDHOG72 (Jul 18, 2007)

Turkey Leg if accompanied by a Schlitz.

TJ says it's only class 2 at this level so I take it back.

I boat with Crazy Nate so I guess I do pick my paddling partners from the Darwin list.


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## jmack (Jun 3, 2004)

The issue is not paddling hard whitewater, or even paddling it solo. There are plenty of people who are qualified to run Rigo at high water. The problem is that you are not one of them. You are a self-decribed class III paddler and you have only been paddling since last year, so it is really no surprise that when you attempted this descent, you totally hacked it up.

You are correct that you have the right to take whatever risks you want, but don't pretend that your Rigo run is the same as getting out of bed in the morning, or even the same as a good paddler running Rigo at high water because it isn't. 

You did something really dangerous and survived and it is great that you are still with us, but you should probably exercise more caution in the future if you ever want to get good enough to run Rigo upright.


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## [email protected] (Apr 26, 2006)

Kendrick said:


> I don't mean to encourage anyone to go out and do something stupid, but I can't let people berate me for my personal accomplishment, either.
> 
> First of all, I made my own personal evaluation. I looked at rigor several times, and talked to people who run it. Talked about the features that make it dangerous, and felt that at 1300, a lot of the bad stuff was flushed out. The left side of the rock had high enough water, it actually had kind of a wide channel. I've been worked in Elbow Falls a tad, and rolled up fine, on either side in the past, so there is that, too.
> 
> ...


It is a great big water flow and if you can't brace in there maybe you shouldn't run it and there are no holes that will hold you besides the one on the left below the drop


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## deepsouthpaddler (Apr 14, 2004)

Kendrick said:


> I can't let people berate me for my personal accomplishment


Running a rapid upside down isn't an accomplishment its a fuck up. 

Inexperienced boaters think barely making it down something big is an accomplishment. Experienced boaters KNOW that barely making it down something is a screwup that they will end up paying for if they do it enough.

I met a guy with this type of attitude, and he died on the river.

Be safe out there.


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## DanOrion (Jun 8, 2004)

In the spirit of high water discussion, I missed a powder day yesterday. For me, there's nothing wrong with walking or skipping a day because you're not feeling hot. Missing all of June on the other hand...


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## hojo (Jun 26, 2008)

deepsouthpaddler said:


> Running a rapid upside down isn't an accomplishment its a fuck up.
> 
> Be safe out there.


True. I can confirm from (in)experience.


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## stubby (Oct 13, 2003)

Wow, this thread has turned ridiculous.
Echoed, be safe out there. 

In the meantime CC is still at historic highs, Lawson is 1440 right now, again a new high flow...how long can this go on?!


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## Phillips (Feb 19, 2004)

Looks that way eh? At least I am. . . 



Ricky NM said:


> Self preservation? More like vaginitis! Just kidding....
> 
> But seriously, the buzz high water stoke threads to actual boaters on the river ratio is way off. Is everyone on the front range a pussy?


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## KUpolo (May 24, 2005)

Kendrick said:


> I don't mean to encourage anyone to go out and do something stupid, but I can't let people berate me for my personal accomplishment, either.


Accomplishment? You ran a rapid upside down on accident. That's a failure, not an accomplishment.


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## KUpolo (May 24, 2005)

stubby said:


> Wow, this thread has turned ridiculous.
> Echoed, be safe out there.
> 
> In the meantime CC is still at historic highs, Lawson is 1440 right now, again a new high flow...how long can this go on?!


Ian, I've got guys in town on Wed/Thurs, but I'm up for a Friday Lawson-upper run if you're around.

-Dan


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## stubby (Oct 13, 2003)

> Ian, I've got guys in town on Wed/Thurs, but I'm up for a Friday Lawson-upper run if you're around.
> 
> -Dan


Yeah, planning to get out Friday, but thinking of trying out a little Boulder Creek. Interested? If not for sure get on CC.


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## Cutch (Nov 4, 2003)

Solo paddling is completely okay if you KNOW that you are not going to mess up. If your thought process is to imagine what would happen if you flipped and ran it upside down, then you can decide that it's okay and give er, knowing that you will probably flip and run it upside down. Pushing limits is a great thing to do, and solo paddling is also a great thing to do, but they should never mix. Solo paddling is for bombing down your favorite run that you know well, not for progressing your skills on harder whitewater. If you are a class III paddler, stick to soloing class II. If you are a class V paddler, stick to soloing class IV. If you are a class V paddler that just broke up or seriously argued with your significant other, then you might find yourself soloing Rigo or Normandy Canyon against your better judgement (after you've called your friends and they can't go paddling).

In my not so humble opinion, a friend holding a throwbag on the side of the river is pretty inadequate safety for running big/fast water class V. When running Rigo the most reliable safety net is the ability to paddle the drop with a partner. We use the buddy system a lot in a group of 4, so that 2 guys always know that they have each others back and they operate as a unit. When one guy paddles into Rigo, the other guy is 15 seconds behind him. Keep in mind both of these guys know that they are not going to even roll... but just in case they have the best saftey setup there is, and arguably the only adequate one for Rigo at 1300. 

See ya'll tonight in the canyon. Powder day!


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## DanOrion (Jun 8, 2004)

Stickers have arrived. Water is on the high side of medium for most CC runs right now. Water temp is getting warm, almost Caribbean. Why no boaters still? Get out and get some!


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## rivrrunr (Jul 20, 2004)

*Sans boat*

Ha. One of those cool runs where "aggressive swim to shore" really means something. Ask me how I know...


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## Kendrick (Jul 8, 2010)

"Accomplishment" was a poor choice of words, I admit. I guess, "personal experience" and the fact that "Tried Class IV. Didn't swim" can be considered a personal achievement at my level, but certainly nothing to gloat about.

Also, gazed upon some real Class V rapids, like the top of Eleven Mile at 500 cfs, and there's no way in hell I'd ever consider paddling that. Rigor Mortis looks like nothing next to that. The bottom Class V rapid also looks a lot worse to me than Rigor. 

So anyhow, that's why I feel like, a bad left line, which at high water, seems like it's hard to make, even if you tried, might be Class V (channel is much wider though at 1300), but even if you're a s###ty paddler like myself who happens to have a good roll on both sides and you just tumble through the thing, you should be alright, if you keep your cool. That wasn't my plan, but that's how it panned out.

Stupid and crazy? Probably. But I didn't get hurt, or put anyone in danger. 

So all in all, I feel like Rigor Mortis at 1300 was Class IV at best. Kind of like really powerful but non-sticky Class III. Had it been lower, it would've been more dangerous. 

Part of me is sorry to have shared the story here, and sorry that I snapped. Glad at least a few people got some laughs out of it, though, myself included.


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## DanOrion (Jun 8, 2004)

I didn't bump this thread so people could beat the good judgement horse. I bumped for Clear Creek Stoke!

Lets go boating! 850 on the Golden gage. High medium. Tasty!


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## Kendrick (Jul 8, 2010)

Indeed. Lower CC (probably the rest of it too, but I wouldn't know) is a lot of fun. I don't mean to be a killjoy. 

Keep paddling.


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## green.zorak (Jul 13, 2010)

Why no boaters still? Get out and get some![/QUOTE]

I headed out to Golden Yesterday and found it empty. Want to get in and play but I'm not sure I want to get in the water by myself quite yet.  Any regulars out there willing to let me tag along next time you head out?


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## Drew72 (Aug 2, 2011)

kayapelli said:


> The heck with the sticker idea, get a tattoo!


And slap it right on the side of your neck where everyone can see it.


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