Big South is in. Level is 2.8903. The gate is locked but the hike-in through Barnes Meadow is a great early season option. Still cold up there, some good snow left and it was intermittently snowing light flakes and sunny all day yesterday (Thurs).  Not a ton of new wood in the lower half but a new significant size tree blocks most of the river a couple turns above Slideways that may require portaging at lower flows and there is a new large downed tree in the flatwater above the Rush. There is still plenty of wood to avoid that was there last year but nothing blacking the whole channel except the new one above the Rush I just mentioned. Joe Wright looked too low to paddle but might be scrapable. Spencer Heights looked low but prime. Woohoo Upper Canyon!

 

Heads up for wood: As of yesterday, Bryan Maddox is reporting a riverwide tree strainer a half-mile above Grandpa’s Bridge on the Lower Rustic section.

Currently 57˚ F clear and windy

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Wood Alert

Beware of moving wood in the canyon!!

As of 5pm tonight there’s is a new riverwide log blocking the entrance of White Line rapid (Upper Narrows):

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Upper Canyon Report

Joe Wright: Bone dry
Big South: 2.5 (Medium’ish)
Spencer Heights: 1.5 (Too low)

Pine View solid 3.0 this morning. Currently 66˚F, sunny and calm. Today’s expected Wx for Poudre Park: Mostly sunny, with a high near 81. Southwest wind 6 to 9 mph becoming south southeast in the morning. Winds could gust as high as 15 mph.
Tonight Partly cloudy, with a low around 47. South wind 5 to 11 mph becoming west northwest after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 18 mph.

Today’s SNOTEL for Joe Wright:
50″ snow with water equivalence of 19.2″.

That cottonwood on Filter Plant between the bridge and Mad Dog has become even more of an entrapment strainer- especially for tubers. With Grad this weekend and temps rising… I fear problems there.

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Upper Canyon Report

Joe Wright: Bone Dry
Big South: 6 marks on the rock gauge (High)
Spencer Heights: 2 marks on the rock gauge (Low but doable)

Big South gauge

Currently 49.8˚F and overcast. Got out on the Paddle Cat with Michael Kirkpatrick yesterday- First float for me!! Floated Steven’s to BTO and only found one hazard (thus far).

WARNING- we found two significant issues yesterday. In Tunnel Rapid, at the very top, river left- right in the line for most boaters- there is a log jammed in the rocks pointing straight up. It ‘s about 3″ diameter and looks like a ripper.

the other is on the Filter Plant and reported earlier. The branches at the top of Mad Dog are gone. But the cottonwood tree river right between the bridge and Mad Dog has become more of a hazard.

Enjoy. Today’s expected Wx: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after noon. Mostly sunny, with a high near 77. West wind 5 to 7 mph becoming south southwest in the afternoon.
Tonight A 10 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 9pm. Partly cloudy, with a low around 46. Light and variable wind becoming west 5 to 9 mph after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 15 mph.