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Doc Holliday

Doc Holliday 199

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On ‎6‎/‎13‎/‎2018 at 11:25 AM, UnivTex34 said:

So somewhat related to the thread, but I saw the potential rain forecast from this possible storm next week, and it looks like a bomb may be dropping upriver on the Guad. I ran over to the USGS waterdata site to check the flow on the upper Guad, and its at 7. 7cfs. Holy shit, we need some rain. I think we ran it year before last and it was 400, and it was a fucking blast, huge standing waves, and I've run it under 200 before, and we were walking a bit, but 7. Damn. Might as well not be a river.

 

Probably not a good idea this weekend due to forecast, but may be looking at a float weekend after next.

Give me a tube, a life jacket, a helmet, and a bottle of rum and I'll show you how to river pirate.

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Doc Holliday

Doc Holliday 199

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1 minute ago, PatrickMcHorn said:
9 minutes ago, Doc Holliday said:
Give me a tube, a life jacket, a helmet, and a bottle of rum and I'll show you how to river pirate.

No parrot? Psh, amateur.

My parrot is with the barnacles in the sea because she bit me ear.  Polly can go fuck herself and get eaten by shamu's 2nd cousin removed.

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UnivTex34

UnivTex34 1763

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So I've done 183 to 973, and that is not anywhere on that stretch. I've done Little Webberville Park to Big Webberville park, and it is also not on that stretch.

 

I'd actually find it hard to believe that something like that is in that area. Maybe its on Onion Creek?

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Patricio Swayze

Patricio Swayze 17058

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I think it's gorman falls in Colorado bend state park. I haven't been there in years though, and it wasn't following like that when I was there.


No, pretty sure that is not Gorman.

So I've done 183 to 973, and that is not anywhere on that stretch. I've done Little Webberville Park to Big Webberville park, and it is also not on that stretch.
 
I'd actually find it hard to believe that something like that is in that area. Maybe its on Onion Creek?


So a little back story. I don’t really know the guy that took the picture, but he insists it’s along the Colorado. He doesn’t really want to give the exact location, but said it’s very small and on the Colorado. I also thought maybe Onion Creek, but he said no, the Colorado.
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UnivTex34

UnivTex34 1763

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So I've done 183 to the Weir (30.255195, -97.625864) multiple times when there was an outfitter that ran a shuttle. I'm nearly positive its not on that stretch.

From the Weir to 973, I've only done once, but once again, the topography just really didn't make for something like that.

If I had to guess, I'd say it is on the stretch from 130 to Austin's colony. I think there is a ridge there, that might make for something like that. It would probably be around where Onion Creek meets the Colorado, but I'm completely spitballing.

 

It's definitely not on the Webberville Stretch. Done that tons of times, and once again, topography just isn't there.

 

You can try asking over on TexasKayakFisherman.com. There are guys that are much more experienced, but that site doesn't get a ton of Traffic anymore. A lot of guys have moved to Facebook Groups, but there are definitely tons of guys with Colorado experience.

Edited by UnivTex34
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PatrickMcHorn

PatrickMcHorn 376

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Yeah, I've done the dam to halfway between smithville and la Grange, most of it multiple times, and never seen anything like that.

There are springs that come out of the side of cliffs, but nothing close to that. With a heavy rain, maybe, but the water would look more like chocolate milk on the Colorado.

The Colorado on the west side of the Rockies, lol?

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Patricio Swayze

Patricio Swayze 17058

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Hahaha. I asked him for more details. Hopefully he will help. Definitely looks like a brick structure on the top left and even where the waterfall is like there are stones. Makes me think it is a very old bridge or drainage system. Perhaps an old business along the river. If it is in fact where he says it is.

 

 

What’s at 30.255055, -97.626179? Looks like an older dam/spillway. Maybe along the edges of that structure?

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UnivTex34

UnivTex34 1763

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3 minutes ago, Patricio Swayze said:

 


I am guessing the water is from a recent rain and doesn’t typically flow?

 

If that were the case, the water in the pic wouldn't be green/blue. The Colorado runs muddy brown anytime there is rain.

 

Edit: And once again, I'm looking at Topo maps now, and there just really isn't any area I'm seeing with a drop-off like that.

Edited by UnivTex34
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UnivTex34

UnivTex34 1763

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2 minutes ago, PatrickMcHorn said:

There are a couple islands just upstream from 973 if I'm remembering right. You could drag up past those though. Its probably only 5 or 6 miles from 183 down to there, but I hate that put in.

I don’t think 183 is accessible right now due to construction.

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PatrickMcHorn

PatrickMcHorn 376

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Just found out that I work with a guy who has a little brother with a Hell of a Devil's River kayaking story.  Apparently he had a buddy die while they were kayaking down the river and they had to carry his body for a couple of days.  I think he said that it was a drowning.
Can be nuts out there. I'm 2 for 2 on good trips despite one of those killing my boat. Flash floods out of if nowhere though ..
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UnivTex34

UnivTex34 1763

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1 hour ago, AnonymousInternetPoster said:

Just found out that I work with a guy who has a little brother with a Hell of a Devil's River kayaking story.  Apparently he had a buddy die while they were kayaking down the river and they had to carry his body for a couple of days.  I think he said that it was a drowning.

Yeah, need as full of a story as you can provide.

 

/someone who is planning a devils trip

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stupidgringo

stupidgringo 66

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There is a creek that runs just west of Terry Ln and north of Ellon Rd and into the river. If your buddy's not pulling your leg, I bet that's where that creek enters the Colorado.

CSB: When I was in high school in the mid 80's, there was a swimming hole on that creek. I only went there a few times, but it was pretty striking. You walked down a short trail off of Terry Ln into the woods, and there it was. Pretty water fall (not the one in the picture) flowing into a nice-sized swimming hole. The water was green, not brown like most of the others on that side of town. One of the things that made it so remarkable was that it was a beautiful spot hidden in such a poor and run-down area. It was an oasis for that neighborhood.

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stupidgringo

stupidgringo 66

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On 6/26/2018 at 9:52 PM, AnonymousInternetPoster said:

Just found out that I work with a guy who has a little brother with a Hell of a Devil's River kayaking story.  Apparently he had a buddy die while they were kayaking down the river and they had to carry his body for a couple of days.  I think he said that it was a drowning.

Is he talking about this?

http://delrionewsherald.com/news/article_f33cc656-3930-11e8-8755-0b7aa905f354.html

We definitely need more details.

 

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AnonymousInternetPoster

AnonymousInternetPoster 163

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Is he talking about this?
http://delrionewsherald.com/news/article_f33cc656-3930-11e8-8755-0b7aa905f354.html
We definitely need more details.
 

No, this was someone on the trip with them that died. I’ll see him next week and ask for more details.

The last time I paddled down, we were in a deep spot and I stopped because I saw something on the bottom. It was between 10-15 feet deep, but I rolled out of my kayak and dove down to the bottom to see what it was. Turns out that it was a tackle box full of lures/gear. I almost drowned trying to get it back up to the surface. I couldn’t believe my luck! Then I was so fucking tired and dinging from lack of quality sleep that I forgot about it and left it in Gerald Bailey’s shuttle van.


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Al_4_ISU

Al_4_ISU 12447

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Ran a new stretch for the first time on Saturday.  The Yellow River in Allamakee County, Iowa.  Pretty remote and rugged area about 45 miles from my home.  We usually always do the Upper Iowa because it's so close to home and has relatively spectacular scenery.  The Yellow was a real nice change up though.  Beautiful greenish clear water, lots of riffles/little rapids, and plenty of tight corners.  Canoeing this one would be a messy affair.

It was hot (92 or so) and humid to start, and a nasty-ass storm rolled in right as we were getting off the river.  Got the yaks loaded right before the heavy stuff started coming down, and we were able to make it back to a brewery in Decorah, IA for tasty cold ones.  Good day, all in all.

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Notice how still the water is.  In 30 seconds, that front creeping in would slam a 40+ MPH wind gust across the water and almost flip my wife's kayak.

image_50422273.jpg

Beer!

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UnivTex34

UnivTex34 1763

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5 minutes ago, Hank_Hill said:

Friends invited me to do Devils river over Labor Day weekend.....the first weekend of Texas football. Never been before....is this a no brainer that I should go?

Abso-fucking-lutely 

 

fucking bucket list trip for me.

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PatrickMcHorn

PatrickMcHorn 376

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I would have a hard time on opening football weekend, but that's just me. I've been twice, and it is definitely something that everyone should do before they die. It is also something that, I'm not entirely confident will still exist in its current form in 5, 10, or 20 years. I would like to think that it will remain protected, and access very guarded, but honestly, who knows.

If it were me, I think I would take a look at the friends who were inviting me, and decide if they are the kind of people I would want to spend for tough but beautiful days with. People who complain, are assholes, or who would have issues at the first sign of trouble, are not someone that I would want to go to with. Maybe you have better friends than me, but if it's weren't three or four specific friends of mine, I would tell them I'll catch you next time, and then actually plan my own trip that wasn't the opening weekend of football.

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PatrickMcHorn

PatrickMcHorn 376

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Yeah, it would be really tough for me. You only get one opening weekend a year. The other thing about Labor Day is, you might have some water flow issues. That's true of any day, but I would think that historically towards the end of summer, the flow is going to be on the lower side. Do you know if you would put in at Baker's, or at the first Park? At the park, the Springs there make the flow much more consistent, from baker's, it might be a really tough paddle that first day.

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Hank_Hill

Hank_Hill 18787

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Just found out today so no idea about any of that yet. Another factor is I’ve never really yaked outside of casual Lake Travis cove fishing. If there’s possible flow issues doesn’t sound like there is anything crazy to worry about though?

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PatrickMcHorn

PatrickMcHorn 376

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If I remember correctly from the San Marcos thread of infamy, you are young, and I imagine in shape. Given that, I would say no there's not really anything to worry about as long as you're properly prepared. If you've backpacked before, that's a huge Plus. Just know you'll need to go as light as possible, which I assume you're already used to. Make sure you have a reliable way to get water, purifying river water is really easy there. Other than that, they're stolen Falls which you can't kayak over. The only other thing to be aware of in my opinion, is three tiers Falls, which if the water flow is slow, you'll really just kind of bounce your boat off of rocks until you get to the bottom. The other thing to be concerned about is flash floods, it's truly an undammed River for the part that you will be on. Rain 300 miles away, could mean an immediate unforeseen Danger. The other thing is really just understanding that help is hours away with a satellite phone, and days away without one. Be careful, and you will be fine.

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Ollie Slatt

Ollie Slatt 289

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Do the Devil's.  There are portions of the river already lined with vacation homes but still a lot of parts that feel really wild.  I have to think the whole thing will be less wild in the future.  As someone mentioned up thread, if you put this off another 5 years the river may not be the same.

If flows are really low that time of year, you can do a float starting out at Del Norte, which cuts out a lot of the areas where you would have to drag the kayak.     

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Spaulding Smails

Spaulding Smails 1552

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40 minutes ago, Hank_Hill said:

Friends invited me to do Devils river over Labor Day weekend.....the first weekend of Texas football. Never been before....is this a no brainer that I should go?

@Hank_Hill You need to find out which stretch you're doing, who your outfitter is, what size the group is, etc.  As mentioned above, water flow is always relatively low during late summer, but it will be especially low this year.  I went in June and the flow was way slow.  If you do Baker's you'll be dragging a ton.

It's definitely a bucket list trip if you haven't done it.  But, choose wisely on where, when and who you go with.  It can make or break the trip.  PM me if you want more info.  I've been down the river 12 times over the last seven years, so I'm pretty familiar with it.

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Spaulding Smails

Spaulding Smails 1552

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16 hours ago, Hank_Hill said:

Looks like Del Norte to Dan A. Hughes

Flow will be slow, and you'll have to drag quite a bit, but much better than starting at Baker's.  I'm assuming that you're going through Amistad Expeditions.

Do you have your own kayak?  Even if you do, I'd consider renting one of their Coosas.  I'd do it if I were in your situation.  If you're even mildly into paddling or fishing, it will be a great experience.  Fall out there is so awesome, that I've foregone many football weekends for the sake of the Devils.  I've even tried to bring an old school radio to listen to the Horns game (didn't work for shit).  My advice is to pack super light, and invest in good water shoes, a good self-inflating sleeping pad and pillow if you don't have them.

Have the others that you're going with done the Devils before?

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