Rio Brazos

We had a diurnal of 400-600cfs on the Brazos gauge for our trip which I think is a medium flow. I'd like to go back with flows a little higher. In the 500-700cfs range. Any higher and you'd be getting your stomp on because the run is continuous. We did it in 2 days giving us plenty of time to safely navigate and not get rushed into camp. The rock is brutal on your kayak and we had 2 broken boats. Bring your welding/repair kit for sure. Trying to send SPOT messages out of the canyon was pointless due to the gorge and massive walls. Rescue here is dubious at best and trying to escape the canyon vertically would be extreme. Escape downstream without a boat would be extremely difficult. We camped about 1.5 miles downstream of Bird's Nest in a wooded area. Not the best camp yet the only one we could find. We found evidence of other camps yet the shoreline has changed making them no bueno. Bring a solid crew who's comfortable boat scouting through complex grade IV/V.

A few notes.

2 very gnarly rapids that are generally portaged. First is about a mile into action, second is a little ways after birds nest, usually at the start of the second day.

The 30 footer was run on 5/13/2012 by Craig Phillips, and then run a second time by Tom Janney.

It is a nice run to take your time and do in two days, but an allstar crew with a shuttle bunny could do it in one.

There is a lot of water that flows in the canyon, you could tell by the giant trees 30 feet up the banks, the rapids are changing from moving boulders. All in all though most things can be seen from upstream, when in doubt get out! When it looks like a big horizon you are generally at the portages. Only two log portages but who knows what can lurk in this run (its done rarely). I it was 3 years between runs, now that the 30 footer goes I would say it will get much more popular!

EDIT:Gauge info- Take 1/2 of what is in the Rio Chama at La Puente. Possibly a little lower than half, you want something in the 300-500 range for less bumpy and good class V.

Getting out at the 1st portage

Waterfall Gorge.

One of the signature rapids, Bird's Nest, midway through day 1.

After the 1st portage you get to run a sweet rapid with a great boof at the end.

High above the river looking downstream at the boatable runout to the first portage. You can also portage on the left which I hear is much safer and better.

Typical Brazos Boogie. Miles of this :)

Staring at the bottom of the 2nd portage. There's an eddie with easy access that allows you to enter the rapid and boof above the big boulder river left. Beware the boulder is severely undercut and most of the flow goes there.