During last September paddling trip to Nebraska with Rob Bean I used my Subaru Outback to carry our two Kruger canoes along Dismal and Niobrara Rivers.

I have 58″ Yakima crossbars on Subaru and Ezee-V racks. We carried my Sea Wind (28″ beam) upside down as usual on crossbars and put Rob’s Sawyer Loon on V racks. I transport a variety of my racing boats and kayaks on these racks (see my review), but it was first time I used them for a “fat” canoe. Of course, in the case of wide boat straps need to be used instead of bungee loops which work fine for Thunderbolt kayak or Surfrigger. I should point out that Loon is much lighter and a little bit narrower than the expedition heavy Sea Wind.

All transportation went pretty well including a longer driving from Mullen to Valentine with a strong cross wind. You can see more pictures of these two Kruger boats in the Dismal River slide show. Pictures presented here were shot by Rob with his Pentax Optio W30.

Related posts:
Dismal River 2009 – Slideshow from Paddling Nebraska Sandhills
Ez-Vee Roof Racks from Kayak Pro – Review

In the last weekend of September I went with Connie for paddling trip to Mullen, Nebraska. We took our two dogs (Pixels and Dax) and Sea Wind canoe. In Mullen we met Rob Bean with another Kruger canoe (Sawyer Loon). Me, Rob and Pixel managed to run two river trips. Connie helped us with a shuttle. We all enjoyed a beautiful early fall weather.

The first one was 36 mile paddling on the Dismal River from highway 97 (Mullen) to highway 83 (Thedford). It took us nearly 10 hours. Next day, we drove to Valentine and paddled 15 easy miles on the Niobrara River.

I prepared a 40 picture slide show from the Dismal River:

Every year I try to visit the Gross Reservoir located west of Boulder at least once. It is one of mountain reservoirs owned by Denver Water. The Gross is opened for paddling during summer months (the Memorial Day weekend through September 30), is very scenic and quiet (with exemption of a few trains going to the Moffat Tunnel).

My recent 10 mile paddling on the Gross Reservoir was on July 3, 2009. I paddled the Surfrigger (outrigger canoe) and Rob his new/old Sawyer Loon. Loon is much lighter and faster than my Sea Wind.

All pictures below were taken from a boat with Pentax Optio W30 camera. If you check my previous trips reports you will notice that I am shooting at the same spots. The inlet of the South Boulder Creek is my favorite place to visit. I am also checking a burnt forest every time.

Rob posted some of his pictures on Facebook.

Related posts:
9 Pictures from Paddling Gross Reservoir in Colorado’s Rocky Mountains
Gross Reservoir – Fall Paddling in Colorado Rocky Mountains
Gross Reservoir – A New Paddling Destination in the Colorado Front Range

I am extending my paddling on the North Platte River in southern Wyoming. Last Sunday I had a very nice trip from Bennett Peak campground to Pick Bridge below Saratoga. I paddled Sea Wind canoe with Pixel, the water corgi, as a partner. Connie with Dax were waiting for me at the Pick Bridge. It was a fast training run: 36 miles in exactly 4 hours without any stops.

River flow: ~1700 cfs in the North Platte at Northgate + ~1000 cfs from the Encampment River joining just above Treasure Island, ~4500 cfs in the North Platte further downstream. It was still high water, but much lower than a month ago during the Wyoming Outback Challenge. A perfect weather with just a moderate wind, very green with a lot flowers. A lot of wildlife including nesting bald eagles.

The river below the Bennett Peak campground is very scenic. It flows in a granite canyon with many rocks and cliffs. There are multiple narrower channels in several places. Paddling was easy. I suppose that it may be more challenging at lower water: some rocks sticking out and rocky shallows in some channels.

Driving to the Bennett Peak access takes some time. It can be reached by 19 mile long dirt road starting at highway 230 a few miles east of Riverside. The road is well marked and pretty scenic. The first 10 miles you can drive at highway speed, then you need to slow down.

In my recent paddling on the North Platte River around Saratoga in Wyoming I was accompanied in Sea Wind canoe by Pixel, the Water Corgi. Pixel has grown up with our Newfoundland girl, Dax, and is real water dog. We paddled together on my local lakes in northern Colorado and on the South Platte River. The North Platte was his debut on a bigger river with some waves and splashes.

Lonetree Reservoir southwest of Loveland belongs to my favorite paddling waters in northern Colorado. You can always enjoy a nice view of Rocky Mountains Front Range. It is a great spot to shoot sunsets over mountains.

However, in springtime when reservoir is full it’s time to explore some hidden treasures – submerged cottonwood forest in different lake corners. Please note that the heron rookery is a restricted area.

During last few weeks I paddled different boats on the Lonetree Reservoir: Surfrigger (outrigger canoe), Thunderbolt-X kayak, and Sea Wind Canoe. I cannot take Surgrigger into tight passages between cottonwood trees. There is a lot of floating debris after recent heavy rains. So, Sea Wind is the best choice for my exploration.

7 years ago I was training here with Spencer X-treme canoe for my first Texas Water Safari. I couldn’t find any other place in my vicinity to practice portaging over fallen trees and log jams.

At this high water level you can even escape the lake and explore some irrigation channels. You can easily find the inlet of a supporting channel to the lake. It is a little water cascade over headgates when the lake is low, but at this time it was the same water level in the reservoir and channel. However, there is also another entry to that channel hidden in woods which I discovered this year. No portage.

2×5 mile paddling workout on the South Platte River: upstream from Kersey to the Plumb Ditch dam and back down the river, about 3 hours with some playing and shooting at the dam.

Another afternoon paddling on the South Platte River, this time near Kuner. It was warm, but windy. I packed again my DSLR camera with a tripod into Thundeborlt kayak, but didn’t have an opportunity to shoot to many pictures.

The light wasn’t that great. So, all pictures below come from Pentax Optio W30, except the last one of old cars.

I have several favorite “tight places” on the South Platte. One of them is a narrow channel a mile or so upstream of Kuner. The river forms a pretty big island there.

My local paddling lakes are frozen, but Horsetooth Reservoir is still open and the South Platter River is flowing. Unfortunately, I am not ready for my usual winter paddling yet. I need a few weeks to recover from my wrist surgery which I had just before Christmas.

Meantime, I am reposting a photo story from my paddling on the South Platte River on January 12, 2008. I paddled Thuderbolt-x kayak upstream from Kersey to the Plumb Ditch Dam and back down the river. All pictures were shot with Pentax Optio W30.

Rob Bean just paddled the same course on the South Platte with his Spencer X-treme canoe and a new wing paddle. He posted some pictures from this trip on Facebook.

Related posts:

South Platte River below Denver, Colorado – GPS/photo river guide

Paddling with Icicles – Thunderbolt-X on the South Platte River below Greeley

Old Truck, Young Eagle and the South Platte River Mysteries

Paddling Thunderbolt Kayak in Tight Places – Lone Tree Creek

January 2001 – My First Paddling on the South Platte River

Fog on a river may be really photogenic. Well, if it is not too dense. I rarely have occasion to paddle in fog in a dry Colorado and when it happens it is usually too cold to enjoy it. I just returned back to my pictures shot during the 2006 WaterTribe Ultimate Florida Challenge.