Lake Fork Canyon
|
|
| |
Also known as: Red Bridge to Gateview. This is a quintessantial Colorado run- a scenic canyon with a fast and clear, but non threatening river at the bottom. This canyon would be one of the prettier of the state, but that was ruined when Blue Mesa Lake submerged half of it.
The whitewater isn't too terribly hard, with mostly straightforward lines and obvious moves. The road parallels the river the whole way, so scouting and portaging are super easy. There's four "big" drops and a whole host of class II and III water to fill in, but it boats quick and you can actually manage a few runs in a day if you're on top of it. A fun option is to camp at Rebridge the night before and get a bunch of runs in the next day. Regardless, it's a beautiful canyon and the whitewater, while not long, provides a good bit of excitement.
Thanks to CRC for contributing the following run information: The development and use of smaller playboats has made the Red Bridge to Gateview run on the Lake Fork of the Gunnison a richer experience. It’s always been a short run with small waves, except in a very good snow year, when it’s a short run with big waves. The new cartwheeling, flat-spinning kayaks allow the avid playboat to work ‘Red Bridge’ and increase its value as a good run. It will never be a great run. But it exists in a pretty setting and does have an easy shuttle. It also has Lake City farther on up the road. Lake City is one of the last cool Colorado towns – quaint, jistoric, and with a couple of good bars. The town hasn’t been ruined yet, probably because it’s lucky enough not to have gambling or a ski are nearby, just us darn boaters lurking about.
The run on Red Bridge to Gateview is through a nice craggy canyon. Occasional glimpses of Bighorn sheep grazing on the steep slopes can be had as you make your way downstream. Most of the rapids are short, but the big gun ‘Rattlesnake’ in the middle of the run, has plenty of holes in it and higher water wants to take you into a logjam on the right. It’s not a good rapid to swim. There’s a good play sort at the end of the run, and it’s tempting to continue, but the action ends just after Gateview Campground where the river prematurely dies as it pours into a long arm of the Blue Mesa Reservoir.
Disclaimer
|
|
Show Large Images
| | Put-In
Take CO 149 S from just west of Gunnison. Following this road, you will go up and over a small pass, and down into a lush and wide river valley. This is Cebolla Creek, a fun run in itself, but not the one you need. Keep going and you will come up and over another small pass, this time dropping into another river valley. This is the Lake Fork Valley. As you come down into the flats, just before a sweeping left hand turn in the road, a road marked "Redbridge C.G." and "Blue Mesa Cutoff" takes off to the right. Follow this for ~2 mi until you reach the campground, where you can put in. |  | Surprise Ledge Class IV-
The first of the big four, Surprise Ledge is fairly straightforward. Watch out for the two sleepers above it, point for the middle, and punch it. The hole at the bottom usually flushes pretty well, and if you're on top of it, you can actually surf a full size raft here. |  | Rattlesnake Class IV
The big guy of the run. This isn't too complicated, but requires a little bit of manuvering. The whole rapid is actually comprised of a class III in run, a IV+\V- main drop (depending on water levels), and a class III runout. The lead isn't that bad, but make sure you don't get flushed to the right, otherwise you'll end up in a nasty logjam. The easiest line is to just follow the main flow and avoid any rocks in the way. |  | Raft Ripper Class III+
Pretty easy, but worthy of note. The river gets shallow for a quick section here, and runs over a low angle boulder pile. The result is a manky rapid that would not be fun to swim in. Just stay upright and thread the rocks and you should be perfect. Watch the river left side, if you get too close it is not pretty. |  | Last Chance Class IV
An interesting rapid right at the end of the run. Half the flow goes over a large, powerful ski jump on the left, while the other half goes over a smaller pourover and into a back up room behind a HUGE boulder. Just head for left and boof the ski jump and you'll be fine. | | | Take-Out
At the campground, the road forks, with the left fork going over a bridge and then switchbacking up the hill. The right fork follows the old railroad grade and the river down about 5 miles or so before it dead ends at Gateview C.G. The end of this road is your takeout. |
Add Rapid
|
|
