paddling with a camera

Tag: Masters

  • Starting 2015/16 Winter Paddling Season on South Platte River

    Starting 2015/16 Winter Paddling Season on South Platte River

    A middle of November. It’s time to start my winter paddling season. Of course, Horsetooth and other local lakes in Fort Collins are still open, so I can continue my summer style paddling. Nevertheless, I took the Sea Wind canoe, Pixel (aka water Corgi) and went for the first fall/winter paddling on the South Platte River.

    We went to Masters and started to paddling upstream. However the dam just above Master bridge was closed and diverting water to Jackson Reservoir, so we paddled a couple miles downriver instead. Beautiful weather and a good flow of ~900cfs @ Weldona. Actually, I spent more time photographing than paddling.

    I am hoping to do more paddling on different sections of the South Platte River during the incoming winter season and, finally, update my river guide. Would you like to join me? The South Platte with a typical winter flow is just a wading river and suitable for safe paddling with any boat – kayak, canoe or SUP. Well, a paddleboard would require some experience and a short fin due to possible shallows. I don’t think that you need to dress for immersion, but I always take extra clothes for change.

    I am still sorting my blogs after migrating to a new server. If you encounter any problem or missing links please let me know.

    aerial view of eastern Colorado landscape with South Platte River, water channels, reservoirs and irrigated farmland
    South Platte River in eastern Colorado below Masters with Jackson Reservoir ditch, looking downstream
    aerial view of South Platte River in eastern Colorado with a canoe on sandbar, fall scenery
    Looking down from Phantom 3 drone. Can you see the Sea Wind canoe, me and Pixel?
    aerial view of expedition decked canoe on a sandbar, South Platte River in eastern Colorado
    Let’s look a little closer
    river sandbar texture and pattern - South Platte RIver in eastern Colorado
    and, even closer
    South Platte River in eastern Colorado between Greeley and Fort Morgan, a typical fall or winter scenery
    A typical fall or winter scenery on the South Platte lit by the low setting sun
  • Opening 2015 Paddling Season on the South Platte River

    Opening 2015 Paddling Season on the South Platte River

    winter paddling on South Platte River
    Paddling Sea Wind canoe upstream of the South Platte River above Masters

    March 6, 2015. Finally, I started my 2015 paddling season on the South Platte River. I took Sea Wind canoe to Masters (about 28 miles east of Greeley on highway 34) and paddled 2.5 miles upstream and back: easy workout, a short photo session, watching bald eagles and deer.

    Masters offers a typical bridge access to the river with a barbed wire fence and wide shoulder parking. It is similar to Kuner access, perhaps a little easier and shorter. There is a diversion dam just above the bridge. It was open and easy to paddle in both directions. Several diversion dams below Kuner can be open and runnable, at least in winter. River flow was much lower (~650cfs) than at Kersey (~1000cfs), but I still had plenty of water to paddle.

    Riverside Park at Evans.The main park access from 37th Street remains closed, but the park was partially open in September 2014. Here is information from City of Evans webpage:

    On September 13, 2013, Colorado experienced widespread flood destruction from what the media referred to as “biblical” rains. Riverside Park was completely destroyed in that flood.
    One year after the flood, on September 13, 2014, the City was able to proudly open a section of the park accessible from 42nd Street. The 7-acre Riverside Lake was opened for fishing and a portion of the trail around the lake was opened as well.

    It would be worth to check if there is an easy access to the river from the reopened part of the park. Last year, I was looking for an alternative river access at Evans. There is a possibility to launch boats under the highway 85 bridge (the end of the frontage road on left shore where a bike trail starts).

    South Platte River 2 miles above Masters
    South Platte River 2 miles above Masters