Denver's Red Rocks Park sits
at an altitude of 6,200 feet and is a breathtaking area to exercise and
enjoy Colorado's outdoor trails. It was the subject of Tomer's Trails
on the Fourth of July.
Many of the trails take hikers and
mountain bikers through terrain worthy of postcards. However, It can
get busy on weekends and tourists do flock to the park.
Deer,
foxes, raccoons, magpies, and various wildflowers all call Red Rocks
home. Pets must be on leashes. Rock climbing is prohibited and so are
fireworks.
Good morning, friends. I'm back from my trip on the Green River. Boy, did I have fun and I can't wait to tell you guys all about it. But until then, here's a look at today's flow numbers.
If you're planning on hitting some of the rivers this holiday weekend, please be careful. Oh, and one more thing, HAVE A BLAST!!!! I think I'll be testing out the Eagle River this weekend.
Into the Wild: Chicago Basin 14'ers by Meteorologist Chris Tomer
Took a backpacking trip with two of my closest friends into the remote Chicago Basin located in the San Juan Mountains. We climbed three 14'ers: Mt. Eolus, Mt. Windom, and Sunlight Peak. Deep snow was prevalent above 12,500ft and required crampons and ice axes.
Departing the Durango-Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad....
Thats right ! During SEVERE WEATHER you can now sit in the comfort of your home and watch live from the My Fox Storm Chase vehicle. If there is a storm I may be right in it or behind it. ( depending on locations of the Eastern Plains of Colorado ).
I will be out of pocket through Thursday of next week. But I promise I will make up for it when I get back. I will be participating in a 4-day trip on the Green River. And then on Wednesday, I will be rafting the Royal Gorge. I will be back on Thursday. And then next weekend, I'm hoping to raft the Upper Animas. So look forward to some gret blogs, coming up!
Yesterday I went along with my friends at Clear Creek Rafting Company and rafted the Advanced section, a full day trip. First of all, holy crap! I did not know that this great of rafting was so close to Denver. That's awesome and that's totally my bad for not realizing that. Honestly, yesterday's run was one of my favorites this year. Clear Creek gave me everything I wanted in a trip; Big drops, long rapids and a great guide. What more could I ask for? And get this, Clear Creek even has a Class V section, a section that will get my adrenaline pumping far more than it was yesterday. I admit, I'm an adrenaline junkie. And I suggest any other adrenaline junkies to give this run a chance. Unfortunately, I did not get any pictures of the best stuff we rafted through, so you'll just have to take my word for it. Half of yesterday's run, I had already rafted before. It included the intermediate portion, which I had done twice already. Clear Creek was flowing at about 750-800cfs, which was a lot faster than my previous two times. And I loved it. Clear Creek is awesome at high levels.
We put in, near Lawson. Within a few minutes of getting started, we were already rafting some Class IV rapids. They were called Meat & Beef and the Lumpies. Both had big holes and big splashes, which is exactly what I like. At that section, the creek wasn't too narrow. It was perfect. In the Lumpies, there was drop after drop. But at the same time, there was plenty of rest time between the drops. After these two sections, we were in the intermediate section, which was familiar territory for me. We went through Nomad & Fall River, which were both Class III rapids. Both of them are fairly easy with great paddlers, and very quick. You're done with it, before you even realize it. Phoenix, Deliverance & Outer Limits were pretty good rapids. Normally, Outer Limits is my favorite, but I think it was a little washed out. But going through Deliverance was pretty cool. It is great with high water, there were lots of big waves. After Outer Limits, we started making our way through Idaho Springs, and stopped for a quick lunch. Once we got back on the river, we rafted down the beginner's section. I really think this section would be great for families. It has some great views and it's pretty mellow most of the way through. There are some rapids, but nothing too big. But shortly after the beginner's section, it was time to get into the good stuff, the hardest rapids of the day. This, in fact, was the best part of my day. In this section, there are a lot of big rapids. Like I said earlier, I was totally shocked. I had no idea Clear Creek was capable of this.
At the top of the lower advanced section, there are two big drops. They are called Upper Beaver and Lower Beaver. Upper Beaver totally kicked butt. We dropped about 9 feet or so. It was so much fun. When we hit, I even felt my butt come off the raft. The second drop was also pretty big, but nothing compared to the first one. Next, we went through Ejector. This was a pretty good rapid. But it was just getting us warmed up for what we were about to do; Double Knife, the biggest rapid of the day. It runs quickly into another big rapid, called Hell's Corner. This section is pretty intense. In fact, we were with two other rafts. Two people on one of the other rafts fell out at the top of Double Knife. Before going through this section, the guide said this is where you don't want to fall out. Thankfully, the two people did not float far, and were able to get back into the boat quickly. I loved this rapid, because it was non-stop paddling for almost a mile. This section is also pretty technical. You have to manuever the raft, to avoid some of the rocks. I am sure it is even more technical, when the water is lower. Some of the rocks that are normally showing, were under water. But this rapid is definitely what made the trip awesome. There were big holes, big drops, big waves, lots of paddling, and my adrenaline was flowing faster than the river. We made it through the toughest part of the day. But we weren't quite done just yet. We went through a couple of more Class IV rapids, but they were short and sweet. One was called Terminator and another was called Corkscrew. I got a few good splashes straight to the face during these rapids. They were a lot of fun. After corkscrew, we were pretty much finished with the hard stuff and we were only a mile or so away from our take-out point.
What a great run and what a great day. It was better than anything I had imagined. I totally recommend this run for those who like a good challenge. I've rafted some pretty good runs this year, but as of right now, this one, along with my run on the Roaring Fork, are my favorites.
Fortunately, I rafted with a great group of people. In fact, I made friends with them. We had a great guide. His commands were very easy to understand, which is important when you're on a technical run like this. One wrong move, could cost you. He was great about letting us know when we should paddle hard and fast, and which direction we needed to paddle.
So last weekend, I packed up my bags and traveled south toward Durango. I knew I needed to hit one of the rivers down that way, and I heard the Animas was a good one. Not to mention, the Animas River Days was going on, too. The rafting company offered to let me tag along on their advanced rafting trip, in the Upper Animas. Unfortunately, I was unable to go, because it's a two-day trip. But I plan to do it within the next month or so. So instead, I chose to do the Lower Animas. Going into the trip, I really did not know what to expect. I don't know the rivers in southern Colorado as well as I do the ones in Northern Colorado. Anyhow, the Animas River was flowing at about 3500 cfs this day. That's nothing compared to the 6000 cfs it was flowing a couple of weeks before. Regardless, it was still good water. The first part of the trip was very laid back. I mean, really laid back. This run is perfect for families. In fact, there were two small children in my boat and they had a blast. So I suggest, if you're looking for adventure and you're an adrenaline junkie, try the Upper Animas, instead. But the Lower Animas is perfect for those who like mellow trips with very little rapids. GREAT FOR CHILDREN.
There was only one rapid during this trip. It's called Smelter Rapids. This is a Class III rapid. I didn't think it would be a very big deal, but this rapid packs a pretty good punch. There were three big holes and some big waves. I was pretty impressed. As usual, I was in the front of the boat, so I got a face full of water a few times. But you know me, I love the front. We made it through the rapids just fine. We hit the holes straight and had no problems. The guide I was with said he had "dump trucked" the raft, earlier during the day. So four people had fallen out. Thankfully, we did not have any problems. After Smelter rapids, the trip was laid back again. We were in a paddle-assist boat, so the guide paddled the entire time. In fact, we didn't have to paddle once. That gave me plenty of time to chat with the people in my boat. ;)
So, it's time now for me to get on my rafting soapbox. Read this article and tell me what is wrong...
RAFT FLIPS, SENDS SEVEN INTO THE RIVER
A commercial raft flipped near Salida East Campground in the Arkansas River about 3 p.m. Tuesday, throwing seven people - including a 4-year-old girl - into the river. About a mile downriver, on the north river bank, rescuers found the missing 4-year-old with another juvenile and three adults including the river guide. They all self-rescued from the river moments before rescuers arrived, Chaffee County Sheriff Tim Walker, reported. Stephen Thompson 30; Janice Thompson, 51; Kenneth Thompson, 56; Crystal Thompson, 29 and two unidentified family juveniles, all of Fort Worth, Texas, were rafting with a Canyon Marine Rafting Co. guide. Walker reported Stephen and Janice were able to exit the river on the south side of the river. Stephen ran to U.S. 50 and flagged a motorist who called 911. Within minutes of the 2:31 p.m. emergency call, about 30 rescuers, some in kayaks and rafts, were along riverbanks searching for victims. Search boats from Salida Fire Department and Colorado State Parks were deployed from the Salida East boat ramp. Janice Thompson was rescued from the south bank of the river by emergency responders who used a rope and basket system to get her to a waiting ambulance. Five victims exited the river on the north bank where there is no road. "We used boats to take blankets and medical supplies to the victims on the north side of the river and then used all terrain vehicles along the railroad tracks to rescue them," Walker told The Mountain Mail from the scene. They were transported by ATVs to ambulances waiting near the livestock sale barn east of Salida. Heart of the Rockies Regional Medical Center personnel reported they treated and released four victims from the incident for being cold and wet. Other victims were not taken to the hospital. During the rescue, a heavy thunderstorm made communication difficult because of thunder, heavy rain and hail battering rescuers on both sides of the river. Other responders included Salida Police Department, Chaffee County Fire Protection District, Chaffee County Search and Rescue, Chaffee County Emergency Medical Services and Arkansas Valley Ambulance of Howard. In a press conference later, Walker said he has been asked if he has authority to close the river, but said he doesn't. "I can't just shut down the river. That's the state parks (personnel) job," he said. "But I can remind people to use common sense and make sure they are ready to get out of the river, because chances of going in at these water levels is pretty good." June 14, a raft flipped in almost the same location dumping multiple people into the river. Colorado State Parks rangers heard calls for help and rescued two small children hanging under the inverted raft as it was swept downstream.
Courtesy: The Mountain Mail
First of all, what the heck is a 4 year old doing on a commercial rafting trip on a river that is flowing at more than 3000cfs? Seriously. The Arkansas River is not a toy that needs to be played with right now. Honestly, it takes a lot to flip a raft. A lot of times, rafts flip when they hit holes or rocks. And a 4 year old should not be rafting a run with holes! I think it is the raft company's decision, on how old a child needs to be, but 4 years old is way to young for the Arkansas right now! And I hear the kid floated a long ways, before being rescued. That's because 4 year olds don't understand how to swim aggressively to the shore!!! That's insane! I just wanted to throw that thought out there real quick and see what everyone else thought. Feel free to comment.
Hey everyone! First of all, I would like to apologize for any inconveniences with the site the last couple of days. It's been down, so some may have not been able to reach my blog, unless you navigated your way through myfoxcolorado.com. But things are back to normal today, and I have a lot of work to do. This afternoon, I will post a blog about my trip down the Lower Animas river last weekend. I will also be posting a blog about a trip I did yesterday down the advanced section of Clear Creek. Trust me, you'll want to read this one. But before I do that, here's a look at today's flow numbers:
I see the Arkansas River is finally coming down a little bit. Hopefully, I will be able to take a trip down that way sometime next week to do a Run on the Royal Gorge. I am also hoping to do a run in the Numbers & Pine Creek sections. The Colorado River is also going down a little bit, but it will be a little while before I'll be able to get down that way and raft Shoshone. And take a look at the Roaring Fork flow number! That river is really flowing right now. Right now, no commercial companies are running trips through that section, just because the water is too big. But I think it will be raftable again, early next week or this weekend. But it looks like all of our rivers and creeks have met peak and levels are on their way back down. What a month!
We went to the top of Green Mountain in Lakewood for Tomer's Trails on Tuesday, June 24, 2008.
What a view! And SkyFOX was there, so take a look at the video because some of it truly is spectacular.
Green Mountain in Lakewood was once home to buffalo and an old ski
resort! It is also known as William Frederick Hayden Park. A network
of trails cover the 2400 acres of open space with a summit elevation of
6800 feet.
The summit views are truly 360 degrees including the
"big 3" Front Range 14ers. From Denver, to Castle Rock, to Sedalia, to
Morrison, to Mountain Evans, to Longs Peak, to Golden, to Boulder, to
DIA.
Dogs on-leash, horseback riding, paragliders mountain
bikes, hikers, trail runners all welcome. The network of trails serves
all skill levels. GO NOW: Wildflowers galore are blooming. WATCH OUT
for rattlesnakes. The old nickname of Green Mountain, "Rattlesnake
Mountain". Avoid this mountain after a heavy rainfall.
Green
Mountain Trail: 6.4 Miles, Loops around the mountain as well as by the
summit. Significant elevation gain and loss. Bring the sunscreen.
Another death on the Arkansas River this weekend. This is the fourth death on the river this year, and the third in less than a week.
Courtesy: The Mountain Mail
Kayaker dies north of BV A 70-year old kayaker died Sunday afternoon in a section of Arkansas River known as the Magnificent Mile north of Buena Vista.
Volker Beer, of Tucson, Ariz., was kayaking with a friend at 11:45 a.m. about six miles north of Buena Vista, Randy Amettis, Chaffee County Coroner said.
Other details of how Beer died were not made available by Chaffee County Sheriff's Office officials. By 8 p.m., a phone message asking for information was not returned and a dispatcher said the office would issue a press release today.
At 3:45 p.m. Sunday, river flow, which is nearing seasonal peak, was 3,270 cubic feet per second at the Granite measuring device.
The death Sunday was the third fatality on the river in six days and was the fourth of the rafting season.
A 61-year old Woodland Park man died Thursday when the raft in which he was a passenger hit the center pier of the F Street bridge in Salida and flipped. The man was pulled from the river about a mile downstream where rescuers began life saving efforts.
Tuesday, a 67-year old Illinois man died when the raft in which he was riding flipped in Pinball Rapid at the north end of Browns Canyon.
May 25, a 26-year old Kansas man died at Sledge Hammer Falls Rapid in the Royal Gorge when the raft in which he was riding overturned.
Hubby and I (ok, hubby) opted for a little box garden of tomatoes and chili peppers this year, but we're finding that the chilis just aren't growing. Could it be that chili plants and tomato plants just don't cohabit? We water regularly and they're planted in time-release potting soil, in a sunny spot. Should be a win-win situation, right? What's up? Help!
Happy Peak Weekend, everyone! Because of recent warm temperatures, many of Colorado's rivers are expected to peak this weekend. My words to you: Have fun, but PLEASE be safe. All of the rivers have a mind of their own. As for me, I will be heading down to Durango for the weekend for Animas River Days. While I'm there, I'll be taking a run on the lower Animas. So look forward to my blog on that next week. Until then, here are today's flow numbers:
I was told by my colleague, Meteorologist Chris Tomer, that the National Weather Service is predicting peak this weekend. Most likely, Saturday or Sunday. So stay safe on the rivers!
