Northgate Canyon
Great wilderness run that is better known for the fishing than whitewater. The upper run, Routt Access to Sixmile Gap, has only 5 named rapids in 10 miles. However the rapids are good, and can get very big at the highest levels. Below Sixmile Gap frequent Class II rapids and many camping opportunities allow the option of overnight trips. Other than the occasional riffle, the rapids are done below Prospect/Pickaroon, but the river remains quite scenic through Bennett Peak. Below Bennett the river will be Class I braided channels.
Suggested river levels for paddling this section of the North Platte River are between a bare minimum of 500cfs and a high of 3,000cfs.
River conditions sourced from USGS 06620000, the North Platte River Near Northgate
Remember only watercraft are permitted
at Northgate Canyon.
Run Stats
| Status | Too Low |
| Class Level | III- to III+ |
| Elevation | 7,823 ft |
| Run Length | 9.8 Mi |
| Gradient | 20 FPM |
| Streamflow Discharge | 142 cfs |
| Gage Height | 3.0 ft |
| Air Temperature | 33° |
| River | North Platte River |
| Reporting Streamgage |
North Platte River Near Northgate
USGS 06620000 |
|
Windy Hole
Class III |
|
Cowpie
Class III |
|
Narrows
Class III+ to IV+ |
|
Tootsie Roll
Class III |
|
Stovepipe
Class III |
| Gauge | Streamflow | Stage |
|---|---|---|
|
Rock Creek Ab King Canyon Canal
USGS 06632400 |
16 cfs | 0.9 ft |
|
Muddy Creek Above Antelope Creek Nr. Kremmling
USGS 09041090 |
8 cfs | 2.3 ft |
|
Jack Creek Above Coyote Draw
USGS 06627800 |
133 cfs | 4.7 ft |
|
Medicine Bow R Ab Seminoe Reservoir
USGS 06635000 |
61 cfs | 2.3 ft |
|
Yampa River Above Stagecoach Reservoir
USGS 09237450 |
33 cfs | 3.1 ft |
|
Illinois Creek Near Rand
USGS 06617500 |
4 cfs | 1.1 ft |
|
Colorado R Below Baker Gulch
USGS 09010500 |
22 cfs | 4.3 ft |
|
Yampa River At Steamboat Springs
USGS 09239500 |
59 cfs | 1.4 ft |
|
Grand River Ditch At La Poudre Pass
USGS 09010000 |
-999 cfs | 0.3 ft |
|
Grand Lake Outlet Blw Chipmunk Ln At Grand Lk
USGS 09014050 |
7 cfs | 8.3 ft |
| Snotel Site | Snowpack | 24hr Change |
|---|---|---|
|
fairplay 2.7 wnw, co
SNOTEL CO-PK-15 |
4.81" | -0.43" |
|
Stillwater Creek
SNOTEL 793 |
21" | 0" |
|
Columbine
SNOTEL 408 |
50" | 0" |
|
Chapman Tunnel
SNOTEL 1101 |
35" | 0" |
|
Hoosier Pass
SNOTEL 531 |
32" | -1" |
|
Lynx Pass
SNOTEL 607 |
22" | -1" |
|
Phantom Valley
SNOTEL 688 |
26" | 0" |
|
Elk River
SNOTEL 467 |
42" | -1" |
|
Mccoy Park
SNOTEL 1040 |
30" | 0" |
|
vail 3.5 e, co
SNOTEL CO-EG-53 |
23.33" | -0.36" |
|
North French Creek
SNOTEL 668 |
58" | -1" |
|
Zirkel
SNOTEL 1033 |
56" | -1" |
|
Laprele Creek
SNOTEL 571 |
16" | 0" |
|
Rabbit Ears
SNOTEL 709 |
50" | -1" |
|
Brooklyn Lake
SNOTEL 367 |
49" | -1" |
|
Dry Lake
SNOTEL 457 |
45" | 0" |
|
Jones Pass
SNOTEL 970 |
35" | 0" |
|
Long Draw Resv
SNOTEL 1123 |
46" | -1" |
|
Arapaho Ridge
SNOTEL 1030 |
55" | 0" |
|
dillon,co
SNOTEL DLLC2 |
11.29" | -0.28" |
|
steamboat springs 0.7 ese, co
SNOTEL CO-RT-53 |
22.87" | -0.35" |
|
co st forest st park
SNOTEL CSFC2 |
21.01" | -0.47" |
|
Berthoud Summit
SNOTEL 335 |
36" | -1" |
|
Roach
SNOTEL 718 |
41" | -2" |
|
Casper Mtn.
SNOTEL 389 |
14" | 0" |
|
Ivanhoe
SNOTEL 547 |
40" | 0" |
|
Tower
SNOTEL 825 |
83" | -1" |
|
Webber Springs
SNOTEL 852 |
53" | 0" |
|
tabernash 2.7 nw, co
SNOTEL CO-GR-68 |
16.22" | -0.26" |
|
frisco 0.5 n, co
SNOTEL CO-SU-4 |
17.17" | -0.37" |
|
Vail Mountain
SNOTEL 842 |
36" | 0" |
|
Cinnabar Park
SNOTEL 1046 |
44" | -1" |
|
yampa 5.1 s, co
SNOTEL CO-RT-26 |
16.07" | -0.27" |
|
Summit Ranch
SNOTEL 802 |
25" | 1" |
|
vail 2.6 e, co
SNOTEL CO-EG-19 |
21.4" | -0.35" |
|
Grizzly Peak
SNOTEL 505 |
42" | -1" |
|
Med Bow
SNOTEL 1196 |
72" | -1" |
|
Blackhall Mtn
SNOTEL 1119 |
70" | 0" |
|
Bear River
SNOTEL 1061 |
22" | 0" |
|
basalt 5.8 e, co
SNOTEL CO-EG-6 |
12.6" | -0.23" |
|
Little Snake River
SNOTEL 1047 |
53" | -2" |
|
Fremont Pass
SNOTEL 485 |
39" | -3" |
|
Joe Wright
SNOTEL 551 |
52" | -2" |
|
Deadman Hill
SNOTEL 438 |
47" | -2" |
|
Sand Lake
SNOTEL 731 |
59" | -1" |
|
silverthorne 21 nw, co
SNOTEL CO-SU-35 |
12.9" | -0.12" |
|
dillon 2.3 se, co
SNOTEL CO-SU-16 |
15.1" | -0.36" |
|
Lost Dog
SNOTEL 940 |
47" | -1" |
|
climax coop
SNOTEL CLXC2 |
17.17" | -0.37" |
|
Whiskey Park
SNOTEL 859 |
60" | -2" |
|
Old Battle
SNOTEL 673 |
67" | -1" |
|
Loveland Basin
SNOTEL 602 |
42" | -1" |
|
Reno Hill
SNOTEL 716 |
23" | -1" |
|
silverthorne 2.1 wsw, co
SNOTEL CO-SU-6 |
24.93" | -0.51" |
|
Middle Fork Camp
SNOTEL 1014 |
26" | 1" |
|
Rawah
SNOTEL 1032 |
26" | 0" |
|
Elliot Ridge
SNOTEL 1120 |
48" | 0" |
|
South Brush Creek
SNOTEL 772 |
24" | 0" |
|
Willow Creek Pass
SNOTEL 869 |
35" | 0" |
|
Nast Lake
SNOTEL 658 |
25" | 0" |
|
wolcott 2.3 n, co
SNOTEL CO-EG-8 |
17.33" | -0.18" |
|
Buffalo Park
SNOTEL 913 |
37" | 1" |
|
Kiln
SNOTEL 556 |
32" | 0" |
|
Fool Creek
SNOTEL 1186 |
42" | 0" |
| Campground | Campsites | Reservations | Toilets | Showers | Elevation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Holmes | 13 | 9,598 ft | |||
| Pelton Creek | 16 | 8,240 ft | |||
| Bow River | 13 | 8,596 ft | |||
| Six Mile | 9 | 7,890 ft | |||
| Silver Lake | 17 | 10,464 ft | |||
| Ryan Park | 49 | 8,438 ft | |||
| Sugarloaf | 16 | 10,764 ft | |||
| South Brush Creek | 20 | 8,355 ft | |||
| Pike Pole | 6 | 7,565 ft | |||
| Deep Creek | 12 | 10,069 ft | |||
| Pickaroon | 8 | 7,420 ft | |||
| Bobbie Thomson | 16 | 8,721 ft | |||
| Lincoln Park | 12 | 8,102 ft |
| Ski Area | Snowpack | Air Temperature | 5 Day Forecast |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snowy Range | 49" | 28° | 3.01" |
| River Run | Streamflow | Length | Class |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northgate Canyon | 142.0cfs | 9.8 Mi | III- to III+ |