Conejos

We ran this in 4 hardshell kayaks. It was fun with swift moving wave trains most of the way. There were many strainers and downed trees in the run, including one mandatory log boof. Approach with caution due to the trees- many are after blind corners and don't offer tons of time to pick your line or eddy out. I personally would not do this in a raft.

One barbed wire fence after you hit the marshy section maybe 10 miles downstream. We were able to see it and eddy out without issue.

Paddled from the bridge crossing on rd. 105. down to the upper south fork trailhead parking area. This put in is just downstream of the lake fork campground. I flagged the take out and hiked uphill to the parking area at my take out. This allowed for an app. 5 mile run. There is a.road that follows the run, but it is so far above river level that it does not interfere with the solitude. The canyon is beautiful and the whitewater was mostly class 2/3. I did not see any rapids that I would call class 4, but there were a couple times it probably pushed to 3+. The gradient is continuous and there was some wood in the river, but nothing impassable. The most technical rapid has wood blocking the main current, but there was a nice sneak on river river. The area has beautiful camping (trail creek dispersed area was nice).

The barbed wire is usualy stretched across the river at various places mid to late June. The ranchers do this to contain cattle and horses and will not put the fencing up until the water levels drop from the snow melt. I highly doubt that the USFS can or will do anything about this because it is a necessity for the local ranchers, and I believe that alot of it may be controlled by the BLM (Bureau of Land Management). You shouldn't have to worry about the fencing around the pinnacles, yet below there, it will be encountered occasionaly, just keep your eyes open and it's no big deal. Beautiful stretch of river from Platoro to just a few miles from Antonito. You may encounter a few fly fishermen who are very reluctant to share the river but it is an amazing float.

Flow gauge listed does not work.

Use http://dwr.state.co.us/Hydrology/Sessions/CONPLACO\_DISCHRG\_Hour.jpeg

Also is minimum from correct for this section -700cfs?

Is there still barbwire?

Above the Pinnacles looking up river.
Above the Pinnacles looking down river
Looking down on to the biggest rapid of this run. Probably a class IV at higher levels.
It doesn't look too threatening at this level (205 cfs) but could have some bite at higher levels.
River slams into this cliff.
A series of nice surf waves
Just another rapid

There's been a recent discussion in Mountainbuzz (http://www.mountainbuzz.com ) about the barbed wire on this reach. One paddler got entangled in some barbed wire which had been hard to see ahead of time. He was under water for too long, and got his hands all bloodied getting free.

Those who want to pressure the USFS to remove this potentially lethal hazard are encouraged to write:

Pete Clark - Supt

USFS - Rio Grande National Forest

1803 West Highway 160

Monte Vista, CO 81144

(719) 852-5941

Watch those fences!!!