# Rafting blue below take out to green mtn. reservoir with 2yr



## Bryan (Feb 3, 2005)

Wondering if this is wise, would appreciate any input from someone who has done this section in the last 4-5 days and has info on strainers or other threatening obsticals.
We are comfortable and have taken our two year old down pumphouse for overnighter to give you an idea of hers and our tolerance level for possible trouble.
Not looking for excitement just a nice float and overnight camping.
Any info appreciated.


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## zbaird (Oct 11, 2003)

i did the float last year at 800. it is a fast class two affair with some wood to avoid. just kind of busy. there may be one or two threeish sections but nothing big. i dont know that i would take my 2 yr old down it but i am real conservative when it comes to kids. i suppose if there was someone with good raft experience dedicated to holding onto the kid it would work out. biggest hazards are wood moving about, crotchety landowners, and the row out!!!! the lake is pretty full so youll have +/- couple miles of lake to row across if you take out at the ramp on the left at GMR. there are fisherman access points just above the lake but the carry up isnt nice for a raft . oh, and if the wind comes up when you are on the lake, heaven help you. it is a million times worse than pumphouse wind at low water.


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## danab (Apr 3, 2004)

*we may have just run this section*

I'm a bit confused by "below take out to Green Mtn Res". Section above Green Mtn. Res. and below class IV? (campground to FR2400) at 800 cfs is fast, almost continous class II to lower III. One bridge with cable after it but can easily be ducked on left of sign near middle. A fair amount of strainers but all were pretty easy to negotiate. I believe whenever there was a split, we stayed to river left as there was wood clogs and other various weirs etc on river right fork. One pretty interesting drop/river wide recirc. (rancher dam) but not a problem to push thru. One abandoned bridge with a very low clearance that we could duck in open boat on the right side. And...almost all private land but we found one very nice friendly spot to have lunch. 

This all from oc-1 and 2 perspective. Of course a raft make this kind of water pretty simple. But, the lack of really any pool/drop any real eddies does give this a different flavor if there is some wierd mishap, than pumphouse (at least as it is at typical discharge). 

If you are talking of Blue below Green mtn res. (that is below that short run's takeout)--there were quite a few posts a year or 2 ago warning that to be a pretty unfriendly section (just my recollection but I that is starting to wane with age).

db


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## Bryan (Feb 3, 2005)

Thanks for the info.
My wife caribiners our child's life vest to hers with a bout 15" of webbing between them which works out in case of a swim.
I am leaning towards not floating this section with the whole family due to the fast moving action you described zbaird and lack of eddies.
Any other ideas of a friendly family float close by the summit county area or further out. Ruby Horsethief is always an option but a little far out.


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## cmsummit (May 19, 2004)

Bryan said:


> Thanks for the info.
> My wife caribiners our child's life vest to hers with a bout 15" of webbing between them which works out in case of a swim.


I realize that on the stretches you're talking about the chances of swimming are quite small, but that method seems a little sketchy to me. If both go for a swim, it seems like there is chance of getting that webbing caught on something.


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## Bryan (Feb 3, 2005)

Good point.
Any other suggestions


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## caverdan (Aug 27, 2004)

I'd head up to Pumphouse and the upper Colorado, by Kremmling. It's less than an hour away from green mountain resevior, beautiful, and good camp sites along the river. IMO,the best ones are between Radium and Rancho Del Rio.

The river is easy and fun for a family float. I was there last Sunday and had a great time with a bunch of us cavers taking to the water.


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## Andy H. (Oct 13, 2003)

I ran that section of the Blue once at higher water and it was totally not worth it. I think of it as highly technical Class I. It was a rock dodge the whole way but no rapids to speak of. There's also a nasty piece of steel just downstream of the Hwy 9 bridge, I think on the right. Camping on that stretch might get you breakfast courtesy of the Sheriff.

-Andy


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## rivermanryan (Oct 30, 2003)

I have a 2 and 4 year old who love rafting. We don't tether them to anything. On the more boring sections they usually entertain themselves by finding sticks in the water then splash the water with them.

There are many kid friendly trips in the state and in eastern Utah. Some of our favorite include: San Juan, Durango through town, Escalante to Whitewater on the Gunnison, Ruby/Horsethief, Moab Dailey, Green River Dailey and would like to do the Upper Colorado and the Dolores soon.

We just got off of Desolation Canyon last week and it was a great trip for the kids.


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## Bryan (Feb 3, 2005)

Thanks for the ideas rchristianson..What are your thoughts about the two year old falling in, do you have someone holding him or her.


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## COUNT (Jul 5, 2005)

I talked to someone who was down there earlier this week (III-IV boater, accidentally missed take-out for the Upper Blue). They kayaked about 1/2 a mile down before getting out and walking back up. They said that there was wood/strainers all over the place and it was pretty ugly with some challenging maneuvering. Take this with grain of salt because I was not actually down there and this is second hand reporting, but he said that he would not suggest going down there in any craft. Just thought I'd report this: better safe than sorry.

COUNT


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## rivermanryan (Oct 30, 2003)

Bryan-

In any kind of a real rapid, someone is always holding on to the 2 yr old and the 4 yr old for that matter. Also, you can't really do this on the Blue, but in some of the runs out west, I will swim with one of the kids in the flat water and let them float a little on their own (within easy reach of me) just so they know what to expect if they ever did accidently fall in. My daughter did fall in on a flat water section of the Moab Dailey because she was horsing around. It scared her a little, but it was good experience for her (and we were able to pull her right back in the boat). Make sure the PFD's you have your kids in are appropriate!


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## Bryan (Feb 3, 2005)

I like the idea of getting them in the water in flat sections.
PFD's are a little tricky for the little ones.
We are using a Stern with extra flotation in back of neck to hopefully allow them to float on back more easily and keep face out of water and of course strap between legs.


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## mprobst (Oct 13, 2003)

I highly recommend floating your kids in a pool or lake with their jackets on. I have two sons, 3 years, and an 18month old. they both wear life jackets with out the pillow behind the head, and have the crotch straps. My sons have been taking swimming lessons from infant swim research since they have been 6 months old. (at 6 months they get taught to roll over and float on back) we found that in the pool if they had the life jackets with the extra flotation pillow thing, they could not roll over onto their backs, it took a little searching to find good kids jackets without the pillow, but they love the multiday class 2 trips we do now, and walk around anything that looks big, or is a long rapid. not saying there is anything wrong with the pillow type lifejacket, just make sure your kid is big enough to roll onto thier back with the pillow and not stuck head down, my 3 year old could probably do it now, but at 12 months old when we first started taking him on the upper Colorado he could not.


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## Bryan (Feb 3, 2005)

Checked out the ISR website and it looks like the way to go for teaching infants and toddlers to swim.
We have had our two year old in swimming lessons at the local REc. center and I am not to impressed with what I have seen when I have gone and watched her lessons.
More of a lesson in not being afraid of water less of this is what you need to do to save yourself etc,..
What type (Name brand) of PFD do you find works best for your kids mprobst


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## mprobst (Oct 13, 2003)

I am pretty sure the ones we have are from sterns, they have a two into one (?) strap coming under the crotch, attaches in two spots on the front and only one in the back, keeps the straps to the sides, hopefully better for boys. I wil have to check when I get home. The first jackets we used, my wife cut the pillows off and sewed a grap loop type handle on right behind the head, seemed like it would be nice to get them back quick, luckily we never needed them, but we did not think they would pass if they ever got checked by a ranger at the put in since we had modified them.


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## caverdan (Aug 27, 2004)

One thing I made my son wear until he was in his teens was a helmet.


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