# Oar Boat down the Ark from Salida to Ricon?



## Andy H. (Oct 13, 2003)

I once rigged at Johnson Village while sharing the boatramp with a commercial group that was going to Canon City. They were two boats, one carrying a family of 4, the other carrying a half-ton of gear for all 6 of them mounded about a foot and a half above the tubes on a 16' oar rig. The Ark was running about 600 then. I've run Salida to Rincon as low as 400 on a paddleboat. Looks like it's about 750 right now below Salida. You'll be fine.


----------



## longr6 (May 21, 2015)

I have a 15 foot Aire Raft and run that stretch all the time in the 500's.


----------



## thinksnow (Aug 21, 2013)

I ran Salida East to Rincon on Sunday with 3 adults and 3 dogs (two over 75#) in a 14' boat with full fishing frame. We didn't get stuck once. Still a great run. A little boney in Bear Creek Rapid but that's it. The swimming holes above rincon is a great place to practice throw bags when the kids jump off the cliff. Enjoy!


----------



## lala paddle (Jun 6, 2008)

Sounds like it's going to be great--thanks all! Any particular way to go in Bear Creek Rapid, or is it read and run?


----------



## thinksnow (Aug 21, 2013)

In Bear creek after the culvert under the road it gets wide. There is a brown rock river center/left that is dry. Stay just to the right of it. That is where all the water goes to the left. You can scout it when setting shuttle. Pull over right across from County Road 101. At the bottom all the current goes to the right hard and it looks like you may hit the wall...but you don't.
The rest is read and run. Also the fishing is really good now...Hopper/dropper on the fly rod or any panther martin. Have Fun, and maybe I'll see ya down there. I'm in a white 14' Hyside with a fishing frame.


----------



## lala paddle (Jun 6, 2008)

Ok, one more question. Thinking about putting in at Salida East to avoid congestion in town. Would it be enough to go down to Rincon from there, or should we keep going to Vallie Bridge? That doubles the mileage from roughly 7 miles to 15 miles. Would that be too much at 750 cfs? How long do you think each of those options would take? I guess I don't want too little time on the river but with my group I don't want too much either! Or is there a section downriver before Parkdale that anyone would recommend to get something in between those options?
Thanks again for all the info, it is very helpful!


----------



## longr6 (May 21, 2015)

Should be no worries. Ran it last weekend. A little thing redside. Go left.


----------



## lmyers (Jun 10, 2008)

lala paddle said:


> Ok, one more question. Thinking about putting in at Salida East to avoid congestion in town. Would it be enough to go down to Rincon from there, or should we keep going to Vallie Bridge? That doubles the mileage from roughly 7 miles to 15 miles. Would that be too much at 750 cfs? How long do you think each of those options would take? I guess I don't want too little time on the river but with my group I don't want too much either! Or is there a section downriver before Parkdale that anyone would recommend to get something in between those options?
> Thanks again for all the info, it is very helpful!


FYI, Salida East can easily be more crowded than the downtown boat ramp, especially on Saturday morning...

Another good option would be Rincon to Bighorn Campground just before Cottonwood Rapid. This section sees significantly less traffic. Crux of the run is Tincup, which has a nice wave train on the left.


----------



## DoStep (Jun 26, 2012)

The real bottleneck on that stretch is the Rincon boat ramp, only one lane wide and not much of an eddy. Though most folks usually are pretty good at keeping things moving at that take out.


----------



## lmyers (Jun 10, 2008)

At one point I heard AHRA has plans to redesign the Rincon ramp so it faces downstream, which would make building an eddy much easier and effective...


----------



## thinksnow (Aug 21, 2013)

Salida East to Rincon can take as little as 2 hours so slow down and catch a few eddies it's beautiful in that canyon. Like Imyers said the take out at Rincon sucks right now. You may have to stage your boats in the eddy above on the right. Going to Valley Bridge would take 3/4 day with shuttle. Tincup is the biggest rapid in that stretch.


----------



## lala paddle (Jun 6, 2008)

thinksnow said:


> Salida East to Rincon can take as little as 2 hours so slow down and catch a few eddies it's beautiful in that canyon. Like Imyers said the take out at Rincon sucks right now. You may have to stage your boats in the eddy above on the right. Going to Valley Bridge would take 3/4 day with shuttle. Tincup is the biggest rapid in that stretch.


I think we want to make a day of it, so we may do Salida East to Valley Bridge, and therefore bypass Rincon all together. Any info on Tincup rapid other than the left wavetrain that lmyers mentioned? 

Are people running shuttle often to Valley? I was going to bike it back up, as we don't have 2 vehicles to complete the shuttle and as a gal I am not comfortable hitch hiking on the road--but if I could get a ride back from someone doing the same stretch that could be a quicker option.


----------



## lala paddle (Jun 6, 2008)

I think we want to make a day of it, so we may do Salida East to Valley Bridge, and therefore bypass Rincon all together. Any info on Tincup rapid other than the left wavetrain that lmyers mentioned? 

Are people running shuttle often to Valley? I was going to bike it back up, as we don't have 2 vehicles to complete the shuttle and as a gal I am not comfortable hitch hiking on the road--but if I could get a ride back from someone doing the same stretch that could be a quicker option. 

Or, are there any shuttle companies working out of Salida??


----------



## protechie (Jun 16, 2005)

Most of the commercial companies in the area will run shuttles depending on how busy they are. Try Independent Whitewater.


----------



## DoStep (Jun 26, 2012)

If you are a one boat/one car trip, paying for shuttle is economically worth it. Otherwise, self shuttle is pretty easy for that stretch, perhaps 45 min round trip.


----------



## thinksnow (Aug 21, 2013)

Tincup is scoutable from the back road up from Valley Bridge. Heading upstream there is a old cemetery on the right side of the road. Go about one city block then pull over and look down to the river. You will here the water. Look at Google earth and you will see it. At this water level you will run river left down it with a left angle because there is a strong lateral wave coming off the left bank you will want to square up to then strainten up for the drop. That road comes out at Howard bridge. Hope this helps.


----------



## lala paddle (Jun 6, 2008)

Thanks everyone! I think I have all I need--just got to get out on the water now! Have a great rest of summer!


----------

