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| Encampment
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Beautiful remote wilderness run just over the northern boarder of Colorado in Wyoming. At the highest levels this is a rollercoaster of fun, not epic, but if you swam it could be a very long hike out. Generally the bigger the rapid on this river, the more likely the line is right down the gut paddling hard.
Keep your eyes open for Damnation Alley, this is the crux of the run. If the five miles or so in the heart of the run were easily accessible this would be one of the best whitewater runs in the Rockies. As it is this run is a long drive to get there, a long dirt road shuttle, with some long stretches of class II and swarms of mosquitoes at the campground.
To check and see if the road is open, call: The Encampment Forestry 307-326-5258
This run is eligible for the EddyFlower Vertical Challenge. Go HERE to learn more.
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Encampment
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| | Put-In
From the town of Encampment drive south for about a mile until you see the sign: "Encampment River and Trail". Follow this road to a campground where the road dead-ends at a gate. This is the takeout. To get to the put-in drive back out to the main highway and head south again on the highway. After several miles turn left on FR 550, about 20 miles down this dusty road is Commissary Park, the put-in. |  | Beginning (Mile 0.0) Class II
Mellow Class II/III for about 2 miles after the put-in.
|  | Class IV Section (Mile 3.0) Class IV
There will be a fun section of Class IV about 3 miles in. It soon mellows out to flat water again though...
|  | Damnation Alley (Mile 5.0) Class V-
This is the crux of the run. Slowly the gradient will pick up speed (if you are here at high water it will be a rollercoaster of big waves) until you are presented with an obvious horizon line. The bold should just run it down the gut, those who scout usually regret it. Take out on the right below this drop, next to a large logjam, to scout damnation alley.
| | | Continuous Rapids (Mile 5.1) Class IV
Don't snooze after damnation, this is the most continuous part, and actually has some technical moves to make in some of the rapids. The next 2 miles are very continuous, then the next 3 miles slowly mellow out.
| | | Flat Water (Mile 10.0) Class II
The rapids will slowly decrease in difficulty and regularity after damnation. By the time you are at mile 10 there is nothing but mellow Class II left...
|  | Entrance Exam Class IV
Entrance Exam is located few miles in, just below the foot bridge and below the confluence with Hog Park Creek. Get out and scout at the foot bridge.
The rapid is an S-curve with a few moves to make to avoid an undercut boulder river left. Fun boogie water for a hundred or so feet follows. | | | Take-Out
From the town of Encampment drive south for about a mile until you see the sign: "Encampment River and Trail". Follow this road to a campground where the road dead-ends at a gate. This is the takeout. Don't be fooled by the houses you see alongside the river, you are still a few miles from the takeout. Takeout where a hiking bridge crosses the river. |
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