Saint Vrain Creek, North,

02. Buttonrock Preserve to CR 80 (Middle NSV)

Usual Difficulty	IV(V) (may vary with level)
Length	1.8 Miles
Avg. Gradient	110 fpm
Max Gradient	133 fpm

River Description

This is a great afterwork run, and a great run to decide if you are ready for Class V or not. The rapids are generally natural smooth bedrock with some boulder drops mixed in. After putting on and bobbing through a 2/3 of a mile of II/III cliffs suddenly soar up the side of the canyon and you are presented with a massive horizon line. The 1st rapid is a huge stair stepping drop that sieves out several times. If it weren't for the sneak down the right side it would be an epic Class V+ or VI-. Fortunatly the sneak is rather easy, I'd say it rates V- or IV+. Don't snooze at the bottom, the gradient keeps crankin' for about another 100 yards. Run a short technical ledge just below and eddy left to scout the second big rapid(V-). After the second drop the rapids mellow out to Class IV and gradually peter out for the remainder of the run.

To Get There: Head out of Lyons on Hwy 36 (towards Estes Park) After several miles turn left on CR 80, if the road leaves the river you've gone too far. The run is the section where CR 80 leaves the river, so leave a takeout vehicle where the road heads up the hill(or a little further down river if you want to catch some more III). The put-in is where CR 80 dead-ends at Buttonrock Preserve. The No-Paddling signs refer to the section upstream. There is a remote possibility the rangers will hastle you, just tell them you boating downstream not in the Preserve.

See Colorado Rivers and Creeks II, by Banks and Eckardt (The Bible), for info on this and most of the other kewl runs of Colorado.

Lat/longitude coords are approximate, from TopoZone.

The various reaches of of Saint Vrain Creek,
Upper NSV (Class V+/VI-),
Middle NSV (Class IV/V),
Lower NSV (Class II/III),
Upper SSV (Class V+/VI-),
SSV (Class V/V+), and
Left Hand Creek (Class IV).