Scouting Trip on the Colorado River
May 21, 2016
by Christy Long

FM969 and Colorado River to Fisherman's Park in Bastrop (14 miles)
USGS-08159200 Bastrop-7,000 cfs, 10 feet

 

Cool to warm and cloudy

Harmon Everett, Tommy Britt, and I met at the Utley Bridge around 9:30. We ran shuttle and launch before 10:30.

We chose to enter from the natural bank rather than from the boat launch because the launch was very slippery for about fifteen feet from the water's edge up the concrete boat launch.

The bank was muddy but offered a makeshift stairway that had better traction than the boat launch. The water was moving fast but we were able to launch from an eddy. 

My GPS clocked the river moving from 2 to 6 miles per hour, the times we decided to float rather than paddle. At this level all rapids were covered and all large downed trees were pushed to the banks. We did note strong eddy lines where the creeks flowed into the river and big whirlpool type eddies. Also in places along the way, we noticed big one-foot diameter bubbles breaking the surface. We wondered what kind of riverbed formation caused the bubbles.

 

Bubbles:

Around noon, we stopped on one of the few low, sandy banks and had lunch. The clouds were dark and heavy most of the day but it never rained on us.

We came upon the big island about 8 miles into the trip. The top was exposed and could accommodate several tents. At 2000 cfs the island will hold many tents. The vegetation was knocked down by the 20,000 cfs of water that had come through on Friday. But the poison ivy was thriving and looked thick in places.

 

The island:

The boat launch at the take-out had a gentle slope and was not muddy. It is blocked from parking and we might have to carry our gear fifty yards to the parking lot.

I want to thank Harmon and Tommy for going with me to scout the route. They were a great help. Carl Kuhnen, Mary Z, and Terri Morgan offered camping advice and river information. I want to thank them also.

 

The author, Christy Long