In The Shadow of Longs Peak
North Platte River, Sanger to I-80
08 June 2013 - 09 June 2013
With Janet driving, we left Lyons around 1:30 going the back way thru Berthoud and Loveland and to Laramie then over the Snowy Range, arriving in Saratoga around 5:15 PM and headed to the hot springs. They have re-done the bath-house and put in another smaller, more temperate pool.
There was still quite a bit of snow across the Snowy Range especially on the west side, not surprising given the cool spring and considerable late snows. In addition, many of the smaller lakes were still frozen. Met up with the rest of the group at the local diner by Hack’s Fish and Tackle (food there is so-so but not expensive) then we headed down to the Sanger Wildlife Area. Across the river from our camping spot is a very cool out-cropping of rock, reminiscent of Ruby-Horsethief but our side is lush with a grove of cottonwoods and grass and lots of Wild Irises on the road in. Swallows abound.
Seems like there was not much time to relax but I did get some writing and drawing in. The air temperature was pleasant, not chilly at all, though the chamois shirt was a welcome addition.
On the down side, the battery in my camera is dead…oh well. The wind came out during the night but not nearly as bad as other outings and slept remarkably well.
We were all up around 7 AM, everyone getting packed up and ready. The shuttle left on-time at 8:30 AM. Not being a driver, I wait with the boats and spend the time writing. It’s a bit breezy this morning, intermittent clouds and sun, just a bit on the cool side. But warm enough for paddling.
I don’t think the river is quite as high as the time we did this 5 or so years ago but it is definitely moving along. This should be a nice trip. But I need to get time in my canoe so I can do this trip in a solo.
The drivers return and we prepare to launch and are headed downriver by 10:30 AM. Our launch spot is not quite an eddy and I struggle to turn my boat upstream. The other end is caught by the river and pulled downstream but it gets reeled back in and get setup tight along the bank. Soon I am in and ferrying. The current pulls me across. I change heading and am pulled back again. This is good.
The first place we go by is Frazier site, the next camp down. It looks like an excellent put in , a bit more remote, but with a restroom. Something to keep in mind for next year.
As with the previous outing, I am astounded with the lushness of the vegetation.
As we go along, we approach a drop but decide to avoid it, going left. Big mistake and soon we are paddling upstream and back down the center branch…should have gone right, down the drop as that is where the water is. But I think our issue was the limited vision.
Down we go and put over for lunch. Janet harvests some purple grass and soon we are back on the river. Before I realize it, we are past the spot where the Overland Trail crosses, too late to get out. Oh well, a destination for next year.
We cover mile after mile, the river pushing us along and us helping with a paddle stroke now and then.
The landscape has turned into cliffs, again reminiscint of ruby Horsethief but more verdant and somewhere along here we see an eagle.
We are approaching Eagle’s Nest and stop to check out a campsite but decide to mosey on. At this point, we are halfway but we would like out overnight spot to be more than halfway and have convinced ourselves that there will be wonderful, tree-studded sites just around the bend so we continue on. So on we go and as we enter the oxbow and spy a perfect beach and tree lined camp. I think this was where we stayed last time. But, alas it is already occupied by a group of rafters, the same partiers who spent the first night near us at the put-in. There is a second site further downstream but we decide it’s too close to the first.
We continue down and at this point are separated. We join up, spy a treed site but decide it’s on private property. Janet points out a flock of pelicans. We continue on, find another, but there is not much shade. Continue on again. We are now definitely in Eagles Nest, pull off at the first boat ramp and decide it is home for the evening. The parking area is grassed over and flat so that is our tent area. Our kitchen and social area is down by the river.
Whew! 20 miles!
We are across from a steep wall cluttered with cliff swallow nests. The cliff is also echoing with the sound of water and we go down to investigate. I am surprised to see the diversion dam we lined with the kayaks. We discuss the various options: Go straight thru looks dicey—are those waves or hidden rocks? Janet suggests go way right but I am skeptical about taking a route I cannot quite see clear, There is still that left hand route that looks doable but the sea kayak guys insisted was doom for sure and I don’t say anything for now.
In the morning we wake up and go down to check it out again. Greg mentions the left side, just left of what looks like a pipe…I wonder why not the right side of the pipe since that seems to be where the stronger flow is.
We walk down further and it appears that the far right is doable. There are rocks toward the end on the left and a sharp curve but that is where the flow of water is and it will pull you around. But we cannot see above that so there is a large blind spot.
We head back for breakfast. In the meantime, 2 sea kayaks and a canoe pass by and we high-tail down to watch them and I observe 2 things: They pass just to the right of the pipe and their rate of paddling really increases on the approach. Our way is set!
We continue down and it’s a bit windier today. Maris is a good mentor for pagdlling: as he approaches the shore, he used that cross-over technique not the panicky paddle on both sides.
Another note on the sound of water: here it is nearly silent with just a whisper as it moves around rocks – thus it moves soundlessly along.