Lime Creek

This run is usually done along with a piece of the Upper Animas through Rockwood Box. If this run is flowing, then Rockwood will be high / higher flows.

The total length of 3rd Gorge Lime + Animas Through Rockwood = 10.5miles. It's a decent day trip.

This is one of the best days of paddling around Durango if 3rd gorge has proper flows. It's not the stoutest...yet it offers spectacular views, a variety of paddling from a small thumping creek to big water Rockwood Box, and is a full day. As with most Durango runs, a decent approach hike is required although this one is all downhill :) Drive to Purgatory ski area and park across the street by the lake. The access trail is directly across from the parking lot. Follow a small creek down an obvious trail.

3rd Gorge is primarily grade IV except for one rapid called Land Slide. It'll be your first obvious horizon line as you paddle downstream. A one boat eddie on the left allows paddlers to get out and scout the drop. Stage upstream and give your mates a chance to get out. You can portage the entrance sequence and put in at a small eddie on the left to run the rest of the drop. Or just send the entrance and enjoy.

Be on the lookout for wood in this run due to the narrow gorge and frequent treefall.

After Land Slide the run remains grade IV read and run. Be on the lookout for a ledge drop in the middle of the run. There's a stout hole on the right that gives a good beat down and is very difficult to escape. A swim here would result in your boat making the long trip alone to the Animas...and you most likely doing a very difficult hike out to your car...which would suck and be brutal. This rapid can be scouted. The rest of the run is fun grade IV.

Once on the Animas, enjoy 6 miles of big water grade III/IV paddling with the occasional mini gorge to spice things up. The Rockwood Box will be obvious. The walls rise and you paddle under the train bridge. If 3rd gorge was pumping, the Rockwoo

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