# Colorado Catboaters: How Low Will You Go?



## Rich (Sep 14, 2006)

I thought we would have a longer season, it is only mid July and I am boating runs much lower than ever. How low will the following runs go?

Clear Creek: Used to think 400 cfs was pretty much minimum top to bottom. Did Black Rock to Rigo at 380, think it could go to 320. 
Looked at it today @ 240 and no way! Did Lower Clear Creek today at 240 and Elbow and Diversion Dam were both surprisingly good.
Screaming Quarter required some dancing, but no boat abuse and only had to Flintstone once. My backyard run so I need to extend the limits.

Eagle: Dowd to Edwards Mile lowest I've done is 500, it is already 360 in mid July. Worth the drive?

Poudre: Have done Stephens to BTO at 2.2', I'm sure it goes lower but a long drive. Middle/Lower Narrows have only done at 2.7', it looks like it could go lower but at some point those drops will become steeper and sharper.

Arkansas: Pine Creek/#s, never done below 500, its already down to 580.
I enjoy picking thru the boulders at low flow, but how low?
Have done the Royal Gorge down to 500 and remember boats getting stuck in Sunshine and a shallow row out. 

Colorado: Gore have run between 800 and 1200. My guess is it gets harder as it drops? Anyone know how long Gore will last? 
Barrel Springs, have never done this one. Planned to this year but it is already down to 510. I thought it would still be good in 
Aug/Sept, still hoping to get over there. Any local beta? And to be clear I'm talking below Lower Death. Any scheduled downtime on the power plant?

Thanks for any info and if anyone else is it to low water catboating, send me a message.


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## mattman (Jan 30, 2015)

I've run the Royal Gorge down into the 200's with 13' rafts, and I'd be willing take my small cat down there that low( though at 500 or so the crux hole is particularly munchie for oar boats)


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## Dave Frank (Oct 14, 2003)

Gore shouldn't drop much lower, s it is a major delivery system for agriculture.

Poudre should also come back up, as I heard they shut off the tunnel to look for a missing body.

Bailey was at a nice padded out 500. I've not seen anyone row this yet, but with a few portages maybe you'd be good to go?


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## Rich (Sep 14, 2006)

Dave, I have always been curious about Bailey, just how bad are the portages and how many? My new cat is about as light as possible.
Talked to Ian about it one year for Bailey fest but could not find another cat.

I've wanted to ask you about Boulder Creek, 4 Mile to Town. I've only scouted Elephant Butte section at low water, I can envision a line at high water, but at high water would an oar rig fit under the highway bridge?
I did not get up to Boulder Creek this year, when it hit 550 (the peak) I thought I would wait a week and get it higher (a mistake).

I have not done Gore in three years, it always beat me up.
But it could be the only thing flowing come Aug, good to hear it will stay at this level for a while.


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## BruceB (Jun 8, 2010)

The Boulder Creek highway bridge does not go at high water with my frame, which is about as low as any frame on the river. I was out there once paddle rafting and we had to pull out because the bridge did not go that day, even without a frame.

A Gore run may be in order and sometimes they give the Moffatt Tunnel an August burst so Alto Alto may go at some point. Run the three miles above Rollinsville for a total of six.

Personally, I am inflating my inner tube to extend the season.


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## Daryl (Apr 16, 2013)

I'm still looking forward to running some low flow runs together Rich. Been on permanent vacation this summer but heading back soon. 

Just curious about how you run your Cat down the creeks because I noticed that my downstream method is different than most. I ran paddle rafts down the New and Gauley in WV a lot when I hailed from the Midwest. That usually meant hard forward and the guide steering the ass end around obstacles (or one side forward and the other back) but rarely back stroking to pull away from obstacles. 

I continue to have the same "paddle" mindset even though I'm pushing an 18' gear boat with 11' oars on big canyon runs. I read the water and run the boat almost never pulling on the oars. Some would call this macho if it were intentional by design, I call it ignorance because I revert to the paddle boat mindset. The good news is I've never had issues running the gear pig nose downstream so far.

Back to my original question, do you run your Cat more like a traditionally backstroked raft or like a paddle raft? Surely a combination of both are employed but is your instinct to back away or skid past obstacles and ship oars as you slide on by?


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## mattman (Jan 30, 2015)

Not sure if ya meant question for Rich or in general, but for me it depends a lot on the conditions. I learned to paddle boat on the Ark, so I tend to do a lot of bow down stream and push at least with with higher flows. Low water, I tend to run my small cat traditional oar boat style, with more pulling off of obstacles, it tends to be really easy, since you can let a lot of current just slip under your tubes.
In the end it is a blended strategy.
Who I boat with kinda changes things to I guess. If i'm running with rafts, I have to push down stream more, since they tend to move faster then me. If I'm with other cat boats, I can get away with more up stream ferry usage, and tend to work a little less that way.


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## Rich (Sep 14, 2006)

When I am in a rapid, I like to slow things down, so I backstroke maybe 80% and push forward 20%. I want to spend as much time in the rapid as possible and have the most time to move back and forth across the river.
An ultra light boat helps with this.

Lower Clear Creek is hang on at 220, might try one more run this afternoon. Are you in town?


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## Daryl (Apr 16, 2013)

Suffering in VA Beach but will be ready next week. 

The mini cats do allow the user to pull, pull, pull then go very easily. 

Thanks for the input. Hopefully we can hook up next weej


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## Rich (Sep 14, 2006)

I'll be here next week but I'm not sure Clear Creek will still be running. 
220 today and dropping.


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## curtis catman (Sep 29, 2015)

Daryl, once you star back rowing your cat, catboating will become a whole new experience for you. You will get to run rapids differently. You can surf waves in rapids that you used to blow through. And lines will open up that you did not know you could make.


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## mattman (Jan 30, 2015)

curtis catman said:


> Daryl, once you star back rowing your cat, catboating will become a whole new experience for you. You will get to run rapids differently. You can surf waves in rapids that you used to blow through. And lines will open up that you did not know you could make.


 PREACH.


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## buckmanriver (Apr 2, 2008)

The sections of the colorado river in Utah and Arizona are great in the winter months (November - March). No crowds, no mosquitos, and great a climate for long hikes.


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## mattman (Jan 30, 2015)

Really enjoyed the daily section last December, snow on fisher towers and canyon walls was gorgeous. A couple Ice burgs floating down the river, but no shelves along banks. People watching us float into Whites rapid thought we were nuts! No one else out there.
Truly memorable trip.


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## Phil Walczynski (Aug 4, 2004)

I'm heading over to the Ark this weekend with my 12' Destroyer, 13' paddle boat and my kayak. Probably getting on Numbers with a paddle boat crew on Saturday. Would be stoked to get a few cat boaters together for a run down Numbers or the Gorge on Sunday.


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## Rich (Sep 14, 2006)

*Any beta on Barrel Springs?*

Did Lower Clear Creek yesterday at 210 cfs.
I will not go any lower. Elbow Falls and the Damn Dam went fine,
but too much boat abuse in the entry to Screaming Quarter and the flats.
It has been a great season on my backyard run, but it is done!

Hoping to get over to Barrel Springs next weekend.
It has been as low as 550 but seems to stay closer to 900.
Anyone catboat it at these levels?

Pine Creek and the Numbers are already down to 610 cfs.
Hoping they hold out till Mid August.
I will get down there for one more weekend.


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## jortsKing (Jan 9, 2014)

did you run barrel springs this weekend? how did it go?


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## Rich (Sep 14, 2006)

jortsKing said:


> did you run barrel springs this weekend? how did it go?
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Mountain Buzz


No Barrel Springs, way too low at 300+/-cfs. 
Did Royal Gorge laps instead.
Also did laps on the Pueblo Play Park.
Decent surfing at 400, but not worth the drive.
Would like to see it at high water sometime.

Shoshone Power Plant does annual maintenance at which time it would be runnable, otherwise need to wait for next year. Trying to find out the scheduled shut down for the power plant. Any one have any info?


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## Imlivinforever (May 17, 2016)

Little late to the party but as far as the Dowd goes I ran it under 2' at the bridge gauge (4' @avon). Went to Bobs bridge once then to Kayak next day. Dowd at low water is very similar to having 2-3 clear creek Rapids in a row. The 2 diversions below kayak were impassible. There was a new rapid above Bobs bridge that was probably more fun than the chute...

Lots of rain on the way! Should be a good weekend. 

I'm looking to get in Gore Canyon anytime someone wants to go please let me know!


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