Clear Creek
07. Black Rock - Green Bay Rock (MM 262.9) to Rigor Mortis (MM 267.2)(Black Rock)
| Difficulty | IV-V(V+) |
| Length | 3.1 mi |
| Avg Gradient | 114 fpm |
| Gauge | Clear Creek at Golden, Co |
| Flow Rate as of 36 minutes | 110 cfsbelow recommended |
| Reach Info Last Updated | May 18, 2026 |
This is the most challenging run on Clear Creek. This section is made up of mostly read and run IV, with two V's and one V+. It is a great after work run, but keep in mind the riverbed is entirely unnatural and often unkind to upside down or swimming boaters.
To get there: The put-in is at mile 262.9 on Hwy 6, at a pullout with large spray painted rocks. The take-out is just downstream of Rigor Mortis after passing under the bridge(mile marker 267.2).
At mile 262.9 is a large dirt pullout with a house-sized spray painted rock
The first hard rapid. You have to thread your way through the rock garden in the top half, and avoid the undercut rock at the bottom.
The hardest part is the entrance, be sure to scout your line carefully. The cliff on river left is undercut at several points throughout the rapid and it's runout. The runout is possibly the funnest rapid on the river.
The creek drops into a constricted mess of hydraulics. It is amazing the variety of carnage that can happen here. Concentrate on a clean line in the entrance to avoid the big hole at the bottom. There is a large, slightly undercut rock 50' downstream from the big hole, remember to swim right.
Jul 2, 2005
Ice riverboarding through the upper part of RigorMortis
IceMan in the middle of The Narrows
The fun slide in The Narrows
Jan 1, 1900
Rigor Mortis on Clear Creek during the winter, at an extremely low water level of 28 cfs. I was visiting the area to ski at Breckenridge, and took a detour along the way in order to see this class 5.3 rapid at lower water levels then I had ever heard of before. It was absolutely amazing to see a rapid like this at this low level, and get a chance to take a good look at the riverbed that forms those two massive holes at higher levels!
Jan 1, 1900
Rigor Mortis on Clear Creek during the winter, at an extremely low water level of 28 cfs. I was visiting the area to ski at Breckenridge, and took a detour along the way in order to see this class 5.3 rapid at lower water levels then I had ever heard of before. It was absolutely amazing to see a rapid like this at this low level, and get a chance to take a good look at the riverbed that forms those two massive holes at higher levels!
Jan 1, 1900
The top of the Clear Creek Narrows at an extremely low water level. Gives you a decent idea of the character of the riverbed.
Jan 1, 1900
Rigor Mortis on Clear Creek during the winter, at an extremely low water level of 28 cfs. I was visiting the area to ski at Breckenridge, and took a detour along the way in order to see this class 5.3 rapid at lower water levels then I had ever heard of before. It was absolutely amazing to see a rapid like this at this low level, and get a chance to take a good look at the riverbed that forms those two massive holes at higher levels!
Jan 1, 1900
Behold the true horror of what lies just under the water of the Rigor Mortis rapid. This would not be a fun rapid to run upside down...
Jan 1, 1900
Rigor Mortis on Clear Creek during the winter, at an extremely low water level of 28 cfs. I was visiting the area to ski at Breckenridge, and took a detour along the way in order to see this class 5.3 rapid at lower water levels then I had ever heard of before. It was absolutely amazing to see a rapid like this at this low level, and get a chance to take a good look at the riverbed that forms those two massive holes at higher levels!
Jan 1, 1900
Rigor Mortis on Clear Creek during the winter, at an extremely low water level of 28 cfs. I was visiting the area to ski at Breckenridge, and took a detour along the way in order to see this class 5.3 rapid at lower water levels then I had ever heard of before. It was absolutely amazing to see a rapid like this at this low level, and get a chance to take a good look at the riverbed that forms those two massive holes at higher levels!
Jan 1, 1900
The top of the Clear Creek Narrows at an extremely low water level. Gives you a decent idea of the character of the riverbed.
Jan 1, 1900
A nasty sieve directly to the river left of the second pour-over that forms the major hole towards the bottom of Rigor Mortis. This feature would not be a hazard unless somebody managed to swim into the undercut left bank and go deep, but I figured I would share the picture anyway.
