River Runners Revel in Runoff - Laserfiche WebLink

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SATURDAY, MAY 7, 2005 C afeVs going to be an issue Continued from 4A weeks," said Erik Weiseth, 21, of Lakewood, who was with Eich at the' Union' Chutes. "It was cold when it was still snowing." The deep snowpack will allow commercial rafting to return to the Dolores River for the first time since 2001, said Alex Mickel, owner of RAM's Mild to Wild Rafting Inc. in Durango. The company is one of about 18 per- mitted to operate on the.river, he said. - Flows are expected to be 2,000 cubic feet per second, compared with under 100 in recent drought years, Mickel said. He said his company plans to operate four trips, most of them three days in length, later,- this month and into mid -June. "The season (here) just doesn't correspond with sum- mer vacations for most families," j who typically sign up for other whitewatertrips, he said. Exploring the canyons of the Dolores "probably will have more of a following with private kayak - ers, "Mickel said. "We're set for a very good sea - son and expect to raft right through September, "_ said Ramo- na Hensley, owner of Cotton - wood- Cove Lodge on the Rio Grande River between South Fork and Creede. Open since 1997,, she said it is the most snow she's seen since she bought the business. Runoff projections decrease farther north, but there is still a great deal of anticipation about more normal flows. The Arkansas River is expect- ed to have average flow at Salida, and the Colorado River west of Glenwood Springs at Dotsero is expected to flow at 76 percent of average. Eegnomic ripples "We're as excited as we can be. The snowpack is 100 percent of normal, the conditions are great, our early bookings are up and if it warms up.slowly, we're going to ,get a nice, slow runoff, " - said • Kevin Schneider, owner of Rock Garden Rafting in Glenwood Springs. Schneider said the river peak visually is around June 8 to 10, �;gwto 10,000 cfs ' 16,000 cfs in 1998; Colorado water . basin snoWpack As of May 6. 1 2005 Data in inches: 1 2004 - ... 1 Average - - - -- ................................................. Yampa & White basins Arkansas basin 73% of avg.; 179% of 2004 snowpack. 112% of avg.; 131% of 2004 snowpack; 63% of avg. seasonal peak accumulation 92% of avg. seasonal peak accumulation 25 .._.. _.. 20 ............ .... .:::" 15 ....... 5 -.... _..... 00 N D J F M A M J J A Laramie &N. Platte basins 82% of avg.;149% of 2004 snowpack 79% of avg. seasonal peak accumulation 30 :_ . __:.... _ .. __ -_ - _ ....... _... 20 - - _ .............. _- .............. 16 .._ ....... _ .......:......... 12 ................ . . _ .:... -..... 0 0 N D J F M A M J J A Gunnison basin 136% of avg.; 202% of 2004 snowpack; 112% of avg. seasonal peak accumulation 30 . , ........ __ ................... 20 ------ 10 ..._........- 0 N D J F M A M J J A South Platte basin 92% of avg.; 132% of 2004 snowpack; 86% of avg. seasonal peak accumulation 20 __ ....... 8.. ......... ....:..: ,.. 4 __.:.. 00 N D J F M A M J J A Colorado basin 96% of avg.;199%of 2004 snowpack, 83% of avg. seasonal peak accumulation 20 - ........ .. ...... ..... ..... ........_ 16 .......... . ........ ......... 1._ ........ .... a - 4 0 O N D J F M A M J J A 20 ___ 10 0 0 N D J F M A M J J A San Juan basin* 148%o avg.; 180%of2004snowpack; 118% of avg. seasonal peak accumulation 25 15 ............. .... ..... . 5 _ 00 N D J F M A M J J A Rio Grande basin 162% of avg.; 173% of 2004 snowpack; 130% of avg. seasonal peak accumulation 30 ; ...... .. _ ... _ ... ..................... 20 . ._......... :.. 10. _ 00 N D J F M A M J J A Source: NRCS *Includes Animas, Dolores & San Miguel basins ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS around 3,500 cfs for good, safe rafting," he said. The worst year was 2002. Not only was it a drought year, but the Coal Seam fire in Glenwood Springs cost them three or four weeks of business. River rafting and kayakers aren't the only ones who benefit from good water. a manager at z>p � said, "When river runs low, we lose about a quarter of our profits. "We were really hurt in 2002 when the Arkansas River was down." She said the restaurant can seat 133 people, and many of the rafting companies have their cli- ents come in for Mexican food af- ter a day on the river. The- saute can be said for Nan- cy. Bruce, a Texas nurse who, with her husband, a social work- er ork - er and minister, bought the' ti watch Vista Bed and.Breim in Buena Vistain 1999. . `iai )'- "Two years afterwe opened, i got hit by 9/11 and the next yE there was.the drought, t464j1 was down, and all they talk about was the forest fires, *hl kept people away, she said. . "We really rely on the rafters keep our five rooms filled in t summer, and if the river is dove we're down." Danger also rising The Arkansas River in the cei tral Rockies accounts for at lea. 50 percent of Colorado's conimpi cialrafting.. Flows there "will be speetaci lar, well over 3,000 cfs, and I'm i the opinion ' we may see flovi over4,000," said AndyNeinas.1i owns two companies that opei ate commercial trips on the rive: Echo Carryon River Expedition at the Royal Gorge and Four Coi ners Expeditions at Buena,�R#i In the past few: years,. have briefly peaked at 3,00 c higher, Neinas said, but, thig mer, flows will be sustalv9d a that level. ? stn R� He called this summer., ", turn to normal," which will rw out Front Range residents can word to be particular (I when they go rafting." on The prospect of high flows means that river runners. have learned their sport IM past few years will be goin . ilt$ waters that are deeper and SW erthanthey have known before. "Safety's going to be an issue, said Jonathan Kahn, owner f Confluence Kayaks. "Water is a its coldest and its highest at pea flows." Statistics showa direct correh tion between water' flows and ac cidents, said Stew Pappenfort, se nior ranger at Arkansas Headws ters Recreation Area in Salida. Pappenfort has had safety ani rescue classes underwayin antic ipation runoff beginning late this month peaking in mid June. "The private kayakers ;'any rafters may not have seen cond9 tions like we're going to have thi 'summer," Pappenfort sad " stretches they found ?easy yearwill be difficult this year."