Oh Be Joyful
EddyFlower - Kayaking information for the addicted.EddyFlower - Kayaking information for the addicted.
 Login  |  Rivers and Flows  |  Boats  |  Store  |  Travel  |  Photos  |  Forums  |  Classifieds  |  Events  |  Links  |  Contact  |   
Oh Be Joyful   

Run Length 1 mile Average Gradient 400 fpm
Difficulty Class V Recommended Flow 400-2000 cfs
River Oh Be Joyful Creek Location Crested Butte, Colorado
Author Brian Adkins Current Level 30 cfs 
Drainage Gunnison Elevation 9360ft to 8960ft
 
Oh Be Joyful
Paddler:Fred   Photographer:Cindy Kuznik
Over the past few years Oh Be Joyful Creek has become the most popular Class V creek run in all of Colorado. The sickening gradient slides down generally smooth flat slate resulting in surprisingly easy lines. Don't take it too lightly though, the swims are few but there is potential for epic carnage. The creek has taken on the nickname "Oh Be Careful". This run gets dramatically easier the more times you've run it. After the 2nd or 3rd time down most competent Class V boaters can bomb it in less than 10 minutes without breaking a sweat.

The upper and lower sections of the creek are very different, even though the gradient is about the same. The upper 1/2 has the big waterfalls, a 25' fall and two 18' falls. Most boaters put in below the first one, Ankle Breaker, it has rocks in the landing zone. Don't bother boofing either of the 2 big waterfalls below, a hole thrashing at the bottom is a lot less painful than a 2 story drop landed flat. This section is generally a little less frantic than the lower half, as it is much easier to eddy hop your way down. There is very little wood in the upper half, so some boaters take out just above the huge avalanche path that crosses over the creek, the start of the lower half.

The lower half is characterized by a big string of amazing long and steep slides interspersed with river-wide logjams climaxing in a shotgun blast over a 12' sliding-waterfall at the very end. The eddies are there, but you get going so fast it’s like a gravity beam pulling you into the big drops. It is generally possible to "wheel-chair" your way over and off the backside of the worst logjams, although some do chose to portage. Don't boat down to the confluence with the Slate, take out river left at the end of the large pool just below the last slide/waterfall.

The Quadruple Crown: Because of the short length and proximity of the Crested Butte creeks all 4 of them can be run in the same day. The East River is the best to start out with; it has the largest flow and the least gradient of the four. Next in line is Daisy Creek. Just continue downstream after Daisy to the confluence with the Slate River; there will be about 1 mile of slack water until the first rapid. The takeout for the Slate River is the same as Oh Be Joyful Creek so just walk or drive up to the OBJ put-in from there.

Flow Information:
This creek is fed entirely by the days snowmelt so the later you put on the higher the flow will be. Peak flows are at sunset or shortly after.

Before June look for minimum flows of 700 cfs or higher. Early in the season the gauges, located far downstream of the actual reach, are mostly reading snow melt from lower elevations.

Video Clips:
Oh Be Joyful by Troy Hartman

Disclaimer

Show Large Images Add Rapid