Lake Creek - 01. MM 69 to Wills Gulch picnic area


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Lake Creek,

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01. MM 69 to Wills Gulch picnic area

Class V+
9 Miles
Avg Gradient 137 fpm
Max Gradient 235 fpm

Paralyzed


Paralyzed
Photo of ? by Jered Johnson



River Description

In 2003 Lake Creek ran at huge levels (almost 2000cfs) for almost an entire month, as a result I have heard that almost all rapids had changed, some dramatic - some minor. Most significant was Tombstone which turned into an unrunnable sieve, no ifs and or butts this is now a mandatory portage!!!

Lake Creek is a schizophrenic stream. 1/2 of it is meandering Class II, 1/3 is undefined continuous Class IV, and the rest is a handfull of sick V+ bedrock gorges. If you run the upper half be sure you scout the locations of Tombstone(V) and Toaster(V) before putting on, to ignorantly float into either could be fatal. If you run the Lower Gorge(V+,VI), make sure to scout the whole damn thing! Last but not least, do not forget to run Cauldron Rapid(V)! It's the second biggest drop, and lacks some of the scare factors of the rapids upstream.

The entire run parallels Hwy 82. The upper put-in is at milemarker 69, the take-out above the Lower Gorge is at mm 74.5, and Cauldron Rapid is at about mm 79.


StreamTeam Status: Not Verified
Last Updated: 2009-02-11 17:22:34

Paralyzer

Detail Trip Report Edit  Paralyzer  Lake Creek, CO(36.49KB .jpeg)

Paralyzed

Detail Trip Report Edit  Paralyzed  Lake Creek, CO(48.21KB .jpeg)

Lower NIMBY

Detail Trip Report Edit  Lower NIMBY  Lake Creek, Co(53.18KB .jpeg)

Middle NIMBY

Detail Trip Report Edit  Middle NIMBY  Lake Creek, Co(45.66KB .jpeg)

Upper NIMBY

Detail Trip Report Edit  Upper NIMBY  Lake Creek, Co(40.23KB .jpeg)

Tricky rock outcropping

Detail Trip Report Edit  Tricky rock outcropping  Lake Creek, Co(46.31KB .jpeg)

Toaster Falls

Detail Trip Report Edit  Toaster Falls  Lake Creek, Co(28.73KB .jpeg)


Gauge Information

Gauge Description:

Click here for current level, from the Colorado DWR.
Lake Creek can be run at many different levels. For the Lower Gorge and Nimby you will probably want 500 cfs or less, although everything has been run at much higher flows. Also, Lake Creek has long stretches of IV that would be a lot of fun with more water. Most of the water in Lake Creek is diverted from the Roaring Fork River on the other side of Independence Pass.

Report - Reports of Lake Creek 01. MM 69 to Wills Gulch picnic area and related gauges

Reports give the public a chance to report on river conditions throughout the country as well as log the history of a river.

Reports

When River/Gauge Subject Level Reporter
Lake Creek [Co] Toaster Falls 500 cfs Brian Adkins
Lake Creek [CO] Paralyzed n/a Brian Adkins
Lake Creek [CO] Paralyzer 300 cfs? Gordon Dalton

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User Comments
2006-07-09 18:19:27 (1220 days ago)
Clay WrightDetails
Lower Lake rapids clear as of July 6 06, wood in NIMBY's river left side and scouting / portaging
difficult by the time you see it. Log above waterline shorty below CG below Paralizer - easily
duckable at 400.

Cauldron's right pocket sticky at 400. "Kiss The Wall' hard to get right below 400.
Clay
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Rapid Summary

Mile Rapid Name Class Features (Legend)
0.0put inIV+Putin
2.0Tombstone Rapid5.0Access Hazard
4.0NIMBY Rapid5.2Hazard Waterfall
6.0Toaster Rapid5.0Access Hazard Waterfall
7.5The Brain Rapid5.2Hazard Waterfall
8.0Paralyzer Rapid5.3Hazard Waterfall
8.1Z-turn Rapid5.2Hazard
8.3Campground BridgeIVAccess
9.0Cauldron Rapid5.1Takeout Waterfall

Rapid Descriptions

put in (Class IV+)
For a long day put in at the tunnel coming out of the mountain. The cascade of diverted water down to Lake Creek proper is fun.

Tombstone Rapid (Class 5.0, Mile 2.0)
This is a very dangerous seive, and not really worth running. Make sure to scout it's location before putting in, just above the South Fork of Lake Creek Road. Or, put-in right below the seive and catch a mile or so of fun warm-up IV before it mellows out again.

NIMBY Rapid (Class 5.2, Mile 4.0)
Not In My Back Yard, there are several summer homes surrounding this beautiful rapid so you can't scout it until you boat down to the entrance. At the top of the rapid there is a park bench with a no tresspassing sign next to it. Despite the sign it is OK to scout on river right, just be low profile and respectfull. The entrance drop has logs stretched across it at head level, the middle is a fast s-turn with undercuts leading into a constriction. Then the creek splits, river right is a waterfall and left is a smaller broken fall.

Toaster Rapid (Class 5.0, Mile 6.0)
This is would be a relatively simple 10' waterfall if it weren't for the fact that it pours directly into a huge undercut boulder. A hard boof left will just barely land you away from the undercut. This rapid is one of the main reasons I call Lake Creek schizophrenic, there is nothing but boring Class II a mile above and below it. Take out just downstream if you don't want to run the Lower Gorge.

The Brain Rapid (Class 5.2, Mile 7.5)
This is a very technical waterfall. The hardest part is negotiating a tricky seam just a few feet above the lip of the falls. After The Brain you are stuck in a steep little gorge, getting out to scout or portage Paralyzer Rapid(VI) is difficult.

Paralyzer Rapid (Class 5.3, Mile 8.0)
Whether you consider this a V+ or VI, one fact is undisputed: this cascade is huge!

Z-turn Rapid (Class 5.2, Mile 8.1)
This rapid could almost be considered the run out of Paralyzer, but there is a small pool between them. Z-turn looks insignificant compared to Paralyzer but it's actually much more dangerous. The current makes a severe left turn and slams directly into a badly undercut cliff. The trick is to boof right over the guard rock pushing the current left. The move is scariest at low flows and gets easier with more water.

Cauldron Rapid (Class 5.1, Mile 9.0)
This is one of the best rapids in Colorado! It's a pounding funneling waterfall that dumps you in a big bubbling rock cauldron! At low flows the narrow exit from the cauldron is blocked by wood.



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