July 3, 2024

Annual AWC Arkansas River weekend event, July 18-21, 2024

July 3, 2024

Best to reply directly to Scott Carpenter via text/call at 505-400-6124 for questions or email scott.carpenteriver@gmail.com

Scott will track those who have confirmed and will provide updates to the email addresses submitted to him.

Free Primitive Camping Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights:

Browns Creek will probably have the most open space to accommodate our large AWC group with multiple trailers. There are sites along CR 272 on the way to the Browns Creek trailhead where the vault toilet is. Several folks will arrive Thursday to get the best sites in that ¼ mile between the cattle guard and the trailhead, where we were in 2023.

Watch for light blue AWC banners (later Thursday), NM plates, and anyone wearing AWC merchandise. Scott drives a white crew truck with a silver shell and red trailer and will leave ABQ around 9:00am Thursday. Primitive camp means bring everything you need to be comfortable, well-fed, and proper clothing/gear to safely paddle in cold water. Expect 50-80 temps in Buena Vista.

Here is the Google Maps link to the Browns Creek trailhead area destination:

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Browns+Creek+Trailhead/@38.6740969,-106.1620192,1889m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m6!3m5!1s0x871547afe22b899d:0x6ccb4eb68a7118ba!8m2!3d38.6721529!4d-106.1615329!16s%2Fg%2F11c49_8z0n?entry=ttu

Raspberry Gulch is also near Browns Creek Recreation area, but other areas on the map are all east of Buena Vista.

Turtle Rock CG is nice but small and often full and does not work for trailers.

Elephant Rock area just north of the tunnels is small and has no shade.

There is dispersed camping to the East of Turtle Rock in the four-mile area.

General Paddling Plans:

Meet at appropriate River Access Point (RAP) at 10:00am to arrange shuttle.

All RAP sites require day-parking pass so bring plenty of small bills.

Rafts and trailers may consider dropping boats at put-in then stage trailers at the take-out by 10:00 for a ride back up.

Options for adding miles before or after or using intermediate access point to leave/join the group, but this is proposed plan.

Carpool and shuttle arrangements can also be arranged at campsite each morning to minimize parking costs.

Thursday:

Travel and set camps near Browns Creek Trailhead.

Some may rally to paddle something Thursday afternoon, or just explore BV and CKS.

Friday:

Class 2-3 group 10 or 6 miles Buena Vista (or Johnson Village at AW) to Ruby Milk Run.

10:00am meet at Ruby take-out rm64.3.

Shuttle up to WA to launch, or further upstream at BV.

Class 3-4 group 7 miles: Railroad Bridge Launch to Buena Vista (Fractions/ Frog Rock).

10:00am meet at Buena Vista take-out.

Shuttle up to Railroad Bridge to launch.

Paddling past Frog Rock Hazard.

Class 4 group 6 Miles. Numbers.

10:00am meet at the new RAP put-in for the Numbers.

Drop boats and shuttle vehicles trailers to Railroad Bridge take-out.

Return to put-in to launch.

Very difficult run, for rafts and class 4 paddlers.

Saturday:

Class 2-3 group 9.5 miles Stone Bridge to Salida.

10:00am meet at Salida East take-out rm64.3.

Shuttle up to Stone Bridge rm52.3 to launch.

Paddling past Big Ben RAP.

Paddling past Salida Whitewater Park to RAP rm61.6.

Class 3-4 group 19 Miles. Milk Run – Browns.

10:00am meet at Hecla Junction take-out rm48.6.

Shuttle up to Johnson Village (Wilderness Aware Rafting) NE of hwy 24 Bridge ($5 fee to park) to launch rm35.

Paddling past Fisherman’s Bridge RAP rm39.

Paddling past Ruby Mountain RAP rm40.8. (2-3 class boaters could take out at Ruby.)

Continue through Browns Canyon.

Class 4 group 6 Miles. Numbers.

10:00am meet at the new RAP rm____ Put-in for the Numbers.

Drop boats and shuttle vehicles trailers to Railroad Bridge take-out rm____

Return to put-in to launch.

Very difficult run, for rafts and class 4 paddlers.

Sunday: Pack camp and paddle before traveling home…

Class 2-3 group 10 miles. Salida to Rincon.

10:00am meet at Rincon RAP take-out rm71.7.

Shuttle up to Salida East RAP rm64.3 to launch.

(Longer trip would be down to Vallie Bridge RAP rm80.6.)

Class 3-4 group 10:00am Return to Browns again or,…

Class 4 group 10.5 miles. Royal Gorge.

10:00am meet at Parkdale RAP rm108.8 put-in for the

Drop boats and shuttle vehicles trailers to Canyon City Centennial Park take-out rm119.1.

Return to Parkdale to launch.

Very difficult run, for rafts and class 4 paddlers.

Checkout the recorded June 14, 2022 AWC Presentation for great info about the entire Arkansas River Valley by Logan Meyers:

Presentations — Adobe Whitewater Club (https://www.adobewhitewater.org/videos)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPvGN_wD4Tg

More detailed river section info and real-time flow conditions available at American Whitewater map:
https://www.americanwhitewater.org/content/River/view/river-index?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR2HD1F0ntKPyTQziv_zDCW1pIqiVSemmdOpTeKvpGxtSezSDINt4LGcTMQ_aem_vJ1uv_v5qmsPJzSvHCJrsQ

Watch for any updates as we close in, and I hope we can all connect — Scott Carpenter

Donna Koechner

March 13, 2023

NM Gila River Run trip report 2023-03-13

Donna Koechner

March 13, 2023

Thanks to Robert Southwick for this recent NM Gila River Run trip report!

Just back from a Gila River Run.
People running the Gila from Grape Vine down might find this helpful.

The Gila has changed.
We put on the river at about 600 cfs and took off five days later at about 1000 cfs.
The river was fast moving with few eddies.
Shortly after Alum Canyon there is a short but mandatory portage.
There may be a portage about mile 14 down from the Grape Vine put-in a little way above where there was a hot springs on river left. That spring is totally covered up now. This is a tree all the way across the channel with a small sneak route on the right at our flows.
At about mile 20 ¼ or 0.8 miles below Sapillo Creek there is an area with lots of strainers which should be scouted on river right.
A short distance below this on a long straightaway there is a tree across the channel which we snuck by on river right but it should be scouted.
Where Cow Canyon comes in on river right there is a rapid we called Fence or Cable Rapid as there used to be a fence there but now only a cable exists. There is an aluminum canoe standing vertically in the trees on the river right. The run used to be on river right down a steep drop next to the cliff but that has become very shallow and rocky. You should scout this one on the river left. Our boats made it through the right side but got hung up several times.
Somewhere below the water fall that falls into the river on a right turn there is a tree across the channel that needs to be scouted. At our flows we were able to run it by ducking under some of the branches on the left side. We had to cut out some branches to make it possible for us.
A short distance below this there was another tree across the river which we were able to get by on river left but this should be scouted as well.
Below Turkey Creek and just above the Brock Canyon takeout the is a large root ball in the channel which we ran on the right side of the root ball. This is a nasty place with the water coming off the root ball forcing you into heavy brush on the right, a good place for a flip if you aren’t careful.
We took out at Brock Canyon, but you need a high clearance vehicle because of several washouts on the road.
The takeout below Mogollon Creek had a gate locked preventing access to the river so if you plan on using that takeout you need to check with the forest service.
Robert Southwick

Always assess the weather and flows and allow plenty of time to safely paddle.