​​In The Shadow of Longs Peak

Colorado River, Two Bridges to Catamount

 06 August 2022 with additional photos from 05 August 2023

I am not sure what time we woke up, but we had breakfast (1 egg omelets, compliments of Gary) and were ready at the 9 AM meeting time.  Gary did the Pumphouse Run, I did Two Bridges to Catamount, a long shuttle and long run, but mostly easy class 1 with a few interesting riffles along the way.

I borrowed Gary’s truck for this since it did not seem that anyone else was prepared to carry a sea kayak.  Out we went, back to county road 1, then west to State Bridge and west a few miles more to the Two Bridges River Access.  Boats and gear were unloaded.

Then off to Catamount with a stop at Landing Strip.  And back to the put in, where we put in and launched.  I am surprised by how calm I am, none of the ‘why am I doing this’.  Yes, a challenge but doable.  Going thru the first rapid:  Find the ‘V’;  keep your distance; back paddle; keep your paddle in the water. 

We could see a riffle or two from the road, including the bend in the river right after the put-in that I successfully negotiated in my canoe (the rendezvous) 7 years ago. 

It was 12:10 by the time we started paddling. 

There is a bend just beyond put-in, more than a riffle but not quite a class 2.  There were more riffles as we moved along.  The most challenging was about 2 miles before the take-out, it seemed to go on for a while with twists and turns.  There is one last rapid just above the take-out which turned out to be the most bouncy rapid but also the shortest. 

The scenery along here is very different from the area of the river going thru Glenwood Springs or in the Grand Junction area.

A good day out and I feel my river legs coming back.  I just need to keep doing this.