Oh Be Joyful Creek
01. Ankle Breaker to Beaver Ponds(OBJ)
| Difficulty | V |
| Length | 0.9 mi |
| Avg Gradient | 400 fpm |
| Gauge | Slate R Ab Baxter Gl @hwy 135 Nr Crested Butte, Co |
| Flow Rate as of 1 hour | 295 cfsbelow recommended |
| Reach Info Last Updated | June 22, 2021 |
Projects
Forest Planning in Colorado American Whitewater is closely involved with Colorado’s National Forest Planning efforts. Nearly 68% of Colorado’s forests are Federally owned and managed as public land by the Forest Service (USFS) (47%), Bureau of Land Management (BLM) (17%), and the National Park Service (NPS) (2%) (CSU, 2018) [...]Read More
River Description
Over the past few years Oh Be Joyful Creek has become the most popular Class V creek run in all of Colorado. The sickening gradient slides down generally smooth flat slate resulting in surprisingly easy lines. Don't take it too lightly though, the swims are few but there is potential for epic carnage. The creek has taken on the nickname 'Oh Be Careful'. This run gets dramatically easier the more times you've run it. After the 2nd or 3rd time down most competent Class V boaters can bomb it in less than 10 minutes without breaking a sweat.
The upper and lower halves of the creek are very different, even though the gradient is about the same. The upper 1/2 has the big waterfalls, a 25' fall and two 18' falls. Most boaters put in below the first one, Ankle Breaker, it has rocks in the landing zone. Don't bother boofing either of the 2 big waterfalls below, a hole thrashing at the bottom is a lot less painful than a two story drop landed flat. This section is generally a little less frantic than the lower half, as it is much easier to eddy hop your way down. There is very little wood in the upper half, so some boaters take out just above the huge avalanche path that crosses over the creek, the start of the lower half.
The lower half is characterized by a big string of amazing long and steep slides interspersed with river-wide logjams climaxing in a shotgun blast over a 12' sliding-waterfall at the very end. The eddies are there, but you get going so fast it is like a gravity beam pulling you into the big drops. It is generally possible to 'wheel-chair' your way over and off the backside of the worst logjams, although some do chose to portage. Don't boat down to the confluence with the Slate, Take out river left at the end of the large pool just below the last slide/waterfall.
Check out the pics at Mountainbuzz.com, and
...River Features
Ankle Breaker
Heart Attack
1st big slide on upper OBJ
Dead Zone
Last big slide on upper OBJ
Avalanche
Pick-Up Sticks
Ode to Joy
Oh Be Grateful
Trip Reports
Log in to add a reportEntrance WaterFall
This is probably well known, but seems like a lot of injuries happen every year on the 25 footer when people go too far right. If you run this falls you want to be left of center. A big ledge lays just beneath the surface on the right side. Be careful and have fun!
Open canoe firing up the big drop on OBJ
Colorado Camping
point n shoot
This is the 80 footer at the bottom fo the avalanche chute. This is at really low water; it makes a great place to play around on a hot day. There was a porcupine just out of frame on lower right here.
Nice entry angle
Well, Ed Hansen wanted a name for the rapid in the picture above ('Shotgunblast, photo # 1508). I asked the crowds at rec.boats.paddle and at Boater Talk to 'Name that Rapid!' Everyone's got an opinion. Read on!
From RBP:
Last Shot
Flush lever
Thundering Tower
Amen
Last Dance
Oh Be Grateful
Had to Go
Chiropractor Falls
from BT (http://boatertalk.com/forum/BoaterTalk/147717):
Hallelujah
Praise God
Rise up
Gonna Fly Now
Nirvana
Hey you get off of my cloud
Come Down
Last Drop
ER
Don't Worry, Be Happy
Ode to Joy
Hands to Heaven
White Angel
Angel Falls
Smirk
Angel Hair
Angel Hair Pasta
White Chocolate Crunch
Orgasm--especially since it's the *last* rapid and the *climax* of Oh, Be Joyful Creek
Cosmic Debris or
Zero The Hero and if I'd been on the run with them maybe:
I Walk Alone
Got Cajones? or
BYOB (Bring Your Own Balls)
Men or Mice
Gummy Bear or
Cupcake or
Pansy or
Mary Poppins....or
Scared as Hell
Maybe Next Time
Mangled Human Remains
Drift and Die
Poseidon's Revenge
Kraken's Spatula
welcome climax
Steve
Reap the Rocket
Cleanin' House
Homo-destructus.
But 'BigHelmet' sez:
'It has a name many already know, 'The last rapid on Oh-Be.''
Me, I kinda like the ones like Ode to Joy and Amen. And I like 'Cosmic Debris' for the wood-choked rapid (# 1506); Jesse Kodadek suggests 'dumber 'n shit' or 'big stiff woody' for that one.
The decision on the rapids' names will doubtless be up to those who run the crick.
Probably the most scenic takeout in the US.
Some of the bigger drops and a little carnage.