Filter Plant on the Poudre
Steve Luttmann paddling his Genesis through Mad Dog Rapid
Directions: Meet at Gateway Park. This is the put-in. (See the map below) To get to Gateway Park take 287 to Highway 14 and go west on 14 for 5 miles.
The intersection of Highway 14 and 287 is called Ted's Place. In the Poudre Canyon, you will be driving up a hill and can see a big water tank to the right. At the top of the hill you will exit to the right and drive down a winding road near the water tank to Gateway Park. Gateway Park is at mile marker 116.4.
Gateway is a City of Fort Collins fee area, but you are allowed to unload your boat and then park outside the park at the top of the hill, or drive the shuttle to Picnic Rock. Or, you can purchase a day pass or season pass if you end up leaving a car at Gateway. I have a season pass. Picnic Rock is at mile marker 119.
Flow Rate: The flow through Filter Plant can be found at this link:
http://www.dwr.state.co.us/SurfaceWater/data/detail_graph.aspx?ID=CLAFTCCO
If water is present in the ditch as you drive into the canyon, then Filter Plant may have as much as 200 cfs more flow than the gauge shows. Anything under 400 cfs is getting boney and too low. A good level for beginners is 600-800 cfs. Above 1000 cfs, swims can become long.
Rating: Class II. Mad Dog is class III, but it can easily be portaged.
Rapids:
Rock Slide
Screaming left Hand Turn
Sluice Box
Mad Dog
PFD, helmet, and canoe flotation required. The water is very cold, so you may want to dress accordingly.
Description: Filter plant has many fun play spots. You should have experience with runs like the Town Run before floating Filter Plant. The lower Filter Plant below Mad Dog is without major rapids and is an excellent introduction to class II water. Arrangements can be made to meet the Filter Plant group at the start of this section. The take-out is at Lower Picnic Rock.
Possible Hosts:
Andrea Faudel, ashara1@aol.com
Roger Faaborg, roger@rff.com, (970) 669 4182
Mike O'Brien, obrienm@prpa.org
The intersection of Highway 14 and 287 is called Ted's Place. In the Poudre Canyon, you will be driving up a hill and can see a big water tank to the right. At the top of the hill you will exit to the right and drive down a winding road near the water tank to Gateway Park. Gateway Park is at mile marker 116.4.
Gateway is a City of Fort Collins fee area, but you are allowed to unload your boat and then park outside the park at the top of the hill, or drive the shuttle to Picnic Rock. Or, you can purchase a day pass or season pass if you end up leaving a car at Gateway. I have a season pass. Picnic Rock is at mile marker 119.
Flow Rate: The flow through Filter Plant can be found at this link:
http://www.dwr.state.co.us/SurfaceWater/data/detail_graph.aspx?ID=CLAFTCCO
If water is present in the ditch as you drive into the canyon, then Filter Plant may have as much as 200 cfs more flow than the gauge shows. Anything under 400 cfs is getting boney and too low. A good level for beginners is 600-800 cfs. Above 1000 cfs, swims can become long.
Rating: Class II. Mad Dog is class III, but it can easily be portaged.
Rapids:
Rock Slide
Screaming left Hand Turn
Sluice Box
Mad Dog
PFD, helmet, and canoe flotation required. The water is very cold, so you may want to dress accordingly.
Description: Filter plant has many fun play spots. You should have experience with runs like the Town Run before floating Filter Plant. The lower Filter Plant below Mad Dog is without major rapids and is an excellent introduction to class II water. Arrangements can be made to meet the Filter Plant group at the start of this section. The take-out is at Lower Picnic Rock.
Possible Hosts:
Andrea Faudel, ashara1@aol.com
Roger Faaborg, roger@rff.com, (970) 669 4182
Mike O'Brien, obrienm@prpa.org
