Upper Colorado Family Float 2012

Spent the last weekend before school started with some good friends/family on the Upper Colorado.  Went from Radium to State Bridge on Day 1 and then Pumphouse to Radium on day 2.  Stayed at Radium BLM campground.  Stay away from this campsite if you have any hopes of a quiet night by the river.  ( it was a summer weekend so I should have known).

Lots of kids in sit on top kayaks, IKs, SUP and 3 oar boats and a paddle boat. Daughter Nina rowed through Yarmony and Needle's Eye by herself so very proud of that and happy for her and all of the kids as they improve their whitewater skills.  Lot's of fun!

Heather and I thought it was too hot for a Three Dog Night.  How about a Three Dog Day?

Last one in the pool has to sleep with the cat!

Tanner trying out the SUP

Nina rowing buddy Craig below Pumphouse launch

Wooden Boat Float 2012

Met some folks who were coordinating the "2nd Annual Colorado Wooden Boat Float" and seemed like a great idea to meet up with some other wooden boaters and run the upper Colorado a few weeks ago.  We ran from Rancho Del Rio to the new Eagle County Two Bridges takeout. About 8 river miles and nice float with enough easy rapids to make it interesting. 

 Left to Right: Mike's decked 16' McKenzie on the left, Mark's 14' Rapid Robert in the middle and Greg's 16'  open McKenzie on the right.

Hatch open to access snacks and drinks



Mark in the "Hanna Platte". A 14' Rapid Robert built a few years ago by Mark.  A cool boat!

Lunch Spot below State Bridge

Rogue Warriors!

Just returned from a trip to the Pacific NW with the family.  1st time on the Rogue river. From Almeda to Foster Bar.  For those of us used to the dry dry desert rivers of the Southwest, the Rogue was a treat!  Pacific fog in the morning and sunny skies in the afternoon!

1st major rapid is Rainie Falls. The run over the falls wasn't going to go so we banged down the fish ladder on the far right.  Easy enough in a rubber boat but not sure if the wood boat wouldn't have been reduced to toothpicks.

A cool thing about the Rogue is the historical homesteads that are in the canyon.  This is the Rogue river ranch located at Mule Creek.

Stair Creek Falls tumbles into the river at the tail end of Mule Creek canyon rapids. Who do you think was the most scared in Mule Creek rapids?

The crux of the run are Blossom Bar Rapids.  Enter far left and then tuck in behind the big boulders in the middle to reach the middle chute and then pick your way through the boulders down below.  All boats made clean runs.

Ashley and Maureen about to make the entrance eddy and cut behind the roks in the middle at Blossom Bar.

Camp 3 at Upper Upper Solitude camp.  Not much in the way of sandy beaches but the scenery more than makes up for it.

View upriver above camp from the Rogue river trail.

The kids on our morning walkabout on the Rogue River trail. (Above Upper Upper Solitude camp.)

A great trip!

Lodore June 1st-4th, 2012

Just finished up a sweet Lodore trip. River flows 2300 +/- 500 cfs depending on time of day. Here are some shots (Photographer Jeff Swanson)

Son Tanner (11) at the sticks along with sister Susan

 Kolb Camp

 Typically awesome Lodore Canyon Scenery. Love that Uintah Quartzite! Marcus (13) rowing Dad Robby's boat.

 Tanner about to make a splash just below the confluence at Mitten Park Fault

Matt, Kai and Grandad Bill upstream of the Yampa

 Brenda confirming that Bud Light is the best beer in America

 Kris also adding her data to the hypothesis. Eric concurs.

 Kolb camp

 Jeremy, Jeff, Steven

 Sleepover friend at Kolb camp

 Swimmin the confluence

 Winnies Grotto

 Lodore is a beautiful place

 Panorama of the last part of Triplet Falls

 Matt styling the right side of Lucifer in HHM

Fish Cam works!

this is a test to see if I know how to work this thing

Trying to figure out how to blog it up.  This sweet shot is of my good friends Craig and Kristi in Hermit on my last Grand Trip in June 2010.  Flowing 10K or so. A sweet ride but it was gentle that day. ................ok lets see if this works.... (photo: Robby Schwarz)

Getting Ready for 2012 river season

Just started messing around with this blog.  Hoping to use it to be able to share river trip pictures and other river related stuff.  I spent last summer repairing and getting river ready a decked McKenzie boat.  1st trip was down Ruby/Horsethief on the Colorado river August 2011.  Not sure what to name it yet but the Rock Chalk has been suggested.  Whether the boat earns that name or not it seems like a good name for a blog.