Colorado Wooden Boat Float

August 13th-14th on The Upper Colorado River.  Pumphouse to State Bridge, camping overnight below Yarmony Rapid. 

 

I will be running my Rapid Robert and should have the wife running a raft for support and will have another drift boat or two along also.  I plan on trying to float on Friday to set up camp and meet others at the Pumphouse put in at 9:30 for a 10:00 am launch.  I will have burgers and brats for grilling on Saturday evening and hope to see other wooden boaters there to talk shop, get ideas for my next build, and admire others craftsmanship.

 

Water is coming down fast right now and should be at a great level by the 13th.  Fishing is picking up and we had a great weekend fishing up there this past week.

 

Contact me and I can forward any necessary information regarding location, shuttle service or fishing reports.  Hope to see a few others out there.

 

Mark Hilbert

hilbert_mark@yahoo.com

 

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Permalink Reply by Marc Tittle on July 26, 2011 at 6:30pm
Hey Mark, We would like to join you for a day trip on the 13th. It will be myself with my wife and kid. Maybe we can nudge Peak and family to also come up from Palisade. Thanks for taking the lead and putting this together. Just drop a note about the details when you get a chance. Marc
Permalink Reply by Greg Max on July 29, 2011 at 11:48am

I'll be on the CO river that weekend as well with a couple of friends.  We're also planning on putting in at pumphouse on Saturday morning, but hope to be on the water by 8:30 or 9:00.  I assume that you're probably planning on camping at the island site?  If so, that is also what we were planning on.  If we're ahead of y'all and you get to the island to find a wooden boat there, pull on up.  

 

I am also heading out to float this section tomorrow, I'm really interested to see what impact the high flows have had on the ecology.  Hopefully the fish are hungry!

 

Also, I was driving through my home town of Louisville, CO and saw a guy pulling a painted wood boat through town.  I didn't get a great look, but it seemed like a 14 footer and had a hand painted on the hull.  Anybody know who this was?  With how rare wood boats are out here, it sure seems like a shame to not know an owner in my own town!  Looking forward to meeting you guys in mid-August in person.  Until then, tight lines!

 

Greg

Permalink Reply by mark hilbert on July 29, 2011 at 3:42pm

Greg/Marc,

 

I hope to float Friday and possibly set up camp at Island or Benches, then float down to Rancho in the morning and run back up to Pumphouse to put in.  I would love to be on the water by 9:00 on Saturday, but with that schedule it may be hard.  I'll fly a flag or something to let you know the campsite I have from Friday if I miss you on Saturday morning.  What questions do you have Marc?  What about our two other possible boaters?  You guys still coming?

 

Mark Hilbert

303-816-9175

Permalink Reply by Marc Tittle on July 29, 2011 at 5:00pm

I was hoping to coordinate a shuttle or do you know of a shuttle service out of the Rio Rancho (area where several commercial companies work out of above Yarmony)? Marc

Permalink Reply by mark hilbert on July 29, 2011 at 7:41pm

Rancho del Rio 970-653-4431 does shuttles from Pumphouse to Rancho for $35.  That's who I will use to get the most time on the water and not sitting around the put-in (that will be busy..to say the least).  I will be floating overnight also.  Let me know what else I can possibly help with.

 

Mark

Permalink Reply by Marc Tittle on July 29, 2011 at 8:05pm

sounds great, we'll see you on Saturday morning. Thanks Marc

Permalink Reply by Russell Turpin on July 30, 2011 at 8:07am
I am hoping to get join in...Saturday and Sunday. I am still waiting on my rowing co-pilot to get clearance from his wife.
Permalink Reply by mark hilbert on July 31, 2011 at 7:54am
Hope you can make it up Russell. I am presently patching a hole I just put in my floor last night when my boat came off it's stand in the yard with me in it wh
Permalink Reply by Greg Max on August 1, 2011 at 4:00pm

Just got back from this section yesterday.  Flows were a bit big at 3,000, but nothing that was too worrisome.  Water clarity was better than expected and the fish are already at it.  Even pulled in a mountain White fish.  No new trees to be aware of, but I hear that there is a drift boat hull in the middle of Yarmony somewhere.  We didn't see it when we went through, so I'm not sure where it is supposed to be or if it is gone already, but I figured that I'd give you guys the heads-up.  See you fellas in a few weeks and happy floating!

 

Greg

Permalink Reply by Russell Turpin on August 1, 2011 at 5:15pm

I talked to Mark today.....questions about running Needle Eye and Yarmony.... He suggested sending you a post...

Seems that my wife would go as long as I don't scare the crap out of her...I talked to a gal at Cutthroat Anglers, and she said that she was scared to death when she went through Needle Eye in April. Others have told me that both Rapids are pretty mellow

I having a hard time getting a feel for what to expect....Comparable to Mother-in-law or Red Creek rapids at the Green??

 

I would really like to have her along ...she really enjoys the river camping...but she is not looking for a whitewater trip

Permalink Reply by mark hilbert on August 1, 2011 at 5:31pm
Russell,  I would say Needle Eye is like Mother in law and Yarmony is real similiar to Red Creek as far as moves and difficulty are concerned.  While I told you today on ther phone that I haven't floated my wood down the Green, I have done it many times via rubber.  Hope you can make it up.  Still hope Greg feeds you a little Beta from his run this weekend.
Permalink Reply by Greg Max on August 2, 2011 at 5:04pm
Russell, I haven't run the green either, so it's hard for me to compare.  Needle Eye was a little bit challenging at 3,000, which is where the flows are now.  The moves that you need to make aren't difficult, but there isn't a ton of time to make them.  If the river comes down to the 2,500 range, you'll have plenty of time to make the moves that are necessary and I can easily give you a description of what you will need to do.  Yarmony was a piece of cake at those levels and just gets easier as it comes down.  There is a great line through Yarmony that lets you float straight through without hitting any of the big stuff, so that one isn't a concern at these levels.  I think that a friend of mine in the back of my boat may have shot some video of both, let me see if I can track that down and post it up for you so that you can check it out.  I would say that you should plan on coming either way with your wife.  If flows aren't down to 2,500, simply put in at Radium which is below Needle Eye.  Your float will be 4 miles shorter, but you can always float all the way down to State Bridge, which adds 4 miles on the end.  I'll check for the video and get them posted if I can.  I'm also heading out to do the same stretch again this upcoming weekend, so I can let you know how much Needle Eye mellows as the flows continue to fall.

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