Yampa River, Cross Mountain Rapids

We took a hike one day (well, I mtn. biked and the other guys walked) into see Cross Mountain Rapids on the Yampa. We never intended to run this stretch and with the high water we wanted to see what it looked like. We were very, very high above the rapids so couldn't really get the full impact of the water/rapids, but the canyon is very impressive by it's self. Such a contrast in the land and river so quickly.

Rode 15 miles touring around looking at the different views.

Rode down to that point, as well. This is where the guys hiked to and then hiked part way up the canyon wall for a better view.

A shelter with a campfire spot at the top of the canyon.

Coming out.

Yampa River.

The Yampa was our original destination river. The CO State Park Rangers advised us to let it drop some before we attempted it, hence the days on Williams Fork, Steamboat Lake and the day hiking to Cross Mountain Canyon. The Yampa went right by the State Campground just west of Heyden where we stayed and I put a stick in the ground where it met shore. After 5-6 days it finally dropped about 3-4 inches. We picked the section with no diversion damns nor narrow twisty spots (directly downstream from Steamboat) where we could be forced into a strainer, to give it a go.
After aborting the plan to get to a landing 32 miles downstream to drop off our shuttle vehicle (we have a van and a street motorcycle) from our put in due to it being an extreme cow path that if it rained we'd never make it out of, we decided to add 12 miles to the 32 and make a 42 mile day.
If I'd have had a dirt bike or used my mtn. bike, it would have been great fun, but it was harrowing to say the least on my STeed.

 My return track in the middle. The ruts were 4-6" deep at least.

 We never did get to the river....just turned back.

 With the water moving at  around 5 miles mph, we figured we could to this 6-7 hours. We were pretty accurate.
This run goes through Duffy Canyon.
Mac in front, Bogie in back. Long time co-workers, friends and probably have spent as much time in a canoe together as most couples now a-days have spent in bed together. Going on close to 25 years, I'd guess.
Bogie is my BIL, we married sisters, we all attended the same high school together in WI.

Refreshment break. Also had some cheese and sausage.

Father and Son combo, Tom (Dad) on the left, Josh on the right. Great guys who were fun both on and off the water.

 We also saw some elk on Williams Fork River and a few antelope and Muley's while driving.

Again, a lot of carnage as this year set record flows with combined heavy snow falls and abnormal high rain amounts...only 10-14 days before we got there. All the canoe landings were wiped out and many of the campgrounds had been underwater.

 The water had to 6-8 feet higher (the banks were 3-4 feet high) to have carried these large trees up into the pastures. There were many dozens of them piled up.

Williams Fork River, CO.

Williams Fork, out of Craig, served as our river of choice due to high water on the Yampa. This was fine, as it provided some great attention-grabbing paddling. Super twisty and fast. Had to sneak around every corner to see what's there. Too many strainers to just speed down it. All told, we did about 40-50 miles on this river on 3 different days. We had to talk to land owners to get permission to put on and take off....cost us a case of Bud Light to one land owner.
Tom and Mac, in the canoe, after a high start, had to abort and come down to calmer water. It was quote amazing they got as far as they did, though. Had to walk out and ask permission from the same ranch to take out that wouldn't let us put in when asked yesterday....well, we tried to do the right thing. One would have wished they would have told us about the barbed wire across the river on their land, though....luckily I noticed it before the other 2 kayaks and myself got tangled in it. 

Tom, met him a number of years ago when I was looking for a kayak to race with. He let me use his Prijon Kodiak. Been friends since.

Josh, Tom's son. He came on our Canadian trip last year, during record low water levels....to this year with record high water levels. Good kid.

 This was a raging torrent of water a couple weeks ago, but the water is receding fast.