During my last paddling trip I made a stop to photograph the confluence of St Vrain Creek and South Platte River below Platteville. It was just before sunset. Hundreds of Canadian geese were passing by. I had my drone about 8 minutes in the air and some of flying geese were captured in my pictures.
Pictures of my drone (DJI Flame Wheel F550 with Panasonic Lumix GM1 camera) were shot earlier during my first stop at Wildcat Mound about 1 mile below the confluence.
My next visit to this river section with be probably on SUP and without the drone. I paddle Badfish SUP with a short fin which is probably safer at some shallow and rocky spots below the confluence.
Aerial view of the South Platte River with Sea Wind canoe and a paddler/pilot.Aerial view of South Platte River and St Vrain Creek confluence looking upstream, i.e., southAerial view of South Platte River and St Vrain Creek confluenceDJI Flame Wheel F550 drone with Panasonic Lumix GM1 camera on a sandbarSea Wind canoe with DJI Flame Wheel F550 drone
I am adding the above pictures to Aerial Landscape gallery in my stock photography portfolio. They are available for license and immediate download as royalty free images.
A stretch of the South Platte River along Wildcat Mound below confluence with St Vrain Creek is my favorite river section for paddling. It can be accessed from the county road 19.5 bridge on the St Vrain Creek (north of the power station). This river access is relatively easy without a need to climb any fences. From here you have 1 mile of paddling to the confluence. This may be a start of a longer downriver trip or just downstream/upstream workout. The St Vrain current is pretty mild and you can easily paddle upstream. The South Platte is, in turn, much faster with some shallows and even little rock gardens (easy to navigate). It is more interesting for paddling downstream and more challenging for paddling upstream than the river section below Evans.
During my last trip (March 10, 2015) I shot some aerial pictures of the river at Wildcat Mound from a low flying drone. This place is about 1 mile below confluence. There is a shallow rapid just below the confluence. It gave a very good workout when I was paddling back upstream. River flow was ~120 cfs at St Vrain Cr and ~400cfs on South Platte at Ft Lupton (several diversion dams upstream). For comparison you can check pictures from my packrafting trip in June, 2011. The 2013 flooding cleared all previous log jams on the St Vrain. You can still see these huge cottonwood trees in the water, but they do not block the river.
South Platte River at Wildcat Mound looking up streamSouth Platte River with Sea Wind canoeSouth Platte River at Wildcat Mound with a little rock garden looking down stream
I am adding the above pictures to Aerial Landscape gallery in my stock photography portfolio. They are available for license and immediate download as royalty free images.
In a typical winter all lakes in northern Colorado are frozen, so I am paddling on the South Platte River. However, this winter I have not been on the river yet. All time I am paddling Sea Wind canoe on the Horsetooth Reservoir just west of Fort Collins. I didn’t paddle in January when the lake was partially frozen and there was no good access to open water.
The ice on Horsetooth is usually starting from its southern end. So, if the South Bay is covered by ice it my be still possible to launch in the north at Satanka Cove from a boat ramp or rocky tip next to the Horsetooth Dam. Sunrise Area on the eastern side would be perfect for winter launching, but is closed for a cold season. You would have to use a cart to transport boats from a parking lot down to the water or execute a pretty long portage.
Pictures below cover all my paddling from late November 2014 till late February 2015.
November 27, 2014 – Eltuck CoveDecember 9, 2014: A quiet evening near Inlet Bay.December 20, 2014 – Exploring Inlet Bay and Hansen Feeder Canal supporting water to Horsetooth Reservoir from the Colorado River through the Big Thompson Project (map)December 27, 2014 – Quarry Cove in winter scenery, my last paddling in 2014.February 4, 2015: Quarry Cove, a month later. My first paddling in 2015.February 13, 2015. Eltuck Cove. Testing a new remote control for my Canon camera – CamRanger with iPod touch.February 13, 2015: Sunset over Horsetooth Dam seen from the ELtuck Cove. Springtime weather.February 16, 2015: Back to winter weather. It was snowing. Old sandstone quarry in Satanka Cove.February 18. 2015: Quarry Cove. Some serious multitasking: paddling canoe, flying a drone and shooting selfie.
