Numbers
The Numbers is a classic stretch of class IV whitewater on the Arkansas River upstream of Buena Vista. When the water is high and the sun is out, this is about as good as class IV boating gets in Colorado. At low and medium flows expect to see a lot of kayakers and rafters playing their way down the river. At higher flows, you may have the run all to yourself, even on a weekend.
Suggested river levels for paddling this section of the Arkansas River are between a bare minimum of 200cfs and a high of 5,000cfs.
River conditions sourced from USGS 07087050, the Arkansas River Below Granite
Remember only watercraft are permitted
at Numbers.
Run Stats
| Status | Too Low |
| Class Level | III+ to IV+ |
| Elevation | 8,629 ft |
| Run Length | 4.9 Mi |
| Gradient | 70 FPM |
| Streamflow Discharge | 148 cfs |
| Gage Height | 11.1 ft |
| Air Temperature | 55° |
| River | Arkansas River |
| Reporting Streamgage |
Arkansas River Below Granite
USGS 07087050 |
|
Number 1
Class IV- to IV+ |
|
Number 1 1/2
Class III+ to IV+ |
|
Number 2
Class III+ to IV+ |
|
Number 3
Class III+ to IV+ |
|
Top Number 4
Class III+ to IV+ |
|
Number 4 1/2
Class III+ to IV+ |
|
Number 5
Class IV- to IV+ |
|
Number 5 1/2
Class III+ to IV |
|
Number 6
Class IV to V |
|
Number 7
Class IV to V |
| Gauge | Streamflow | Stage |
|---|---|---|
|
Arkansas River At Salida
USGS 07091500 |
352 cfs | 2.8 ft |
|
Williams Fork Near Leal
USGS 09036000 |
18 cfs | 1.4 ft |
|
Blue River At Blue River
USGS 09046490 |
4 cfs | 0.4 ft |
|
Fryingpan River Near Ruedi
USGS 09080400 |
45 cfs | 1.0 ft |
|
Taylor River At Taylor Park
USGS 09107000 |
31 cfs | 1.3 ft |
|
Ranch Creek Blw Meadow Cr Nr Tabernash Co
USGS 09033100 |
17 cfs | 6.9 ft |
|
Fraser River At Upper Sta
USGS 09022000 |
2 cfs | 0.5 ft |
|
Williams Fork Above Darling Creek
USGS 09035700 |
14 cfs | 4.7 ft |
|
Eagle R Bl Wastewater Treatment Plant At Avon
USGS 09067020 |
66 cfs | 2.6 ft |
|
Fraser River At Winter Park
USGS 09024000 |
4 cfs | 0.6 ft |
| Snotel Site | Snowpack | 24hr Change |
|---|---|---|
|
climax coop
SNOTEL CLXC2 |
19.16" | 1" |
|
bonanza 6.6 s, co
SNOTEL CO-SA-61 |
0.1" | -0.23" |
|
Chapman Tunnel
SNOTEL 1101 |
40" | 5" |
|
Independence Pass
SNOTEL 542 |
39" | 3" |
|
Upper Taylor
SNOTEL 1141 |
40" | 5" |
|
Rawah
SNOTEL 1032 |
28" | 3" |
|
Loveland Basin
SNOTEL 602 |
43" | 2" |
|
crestone,co
SNOTEL CSTC2 |
0.11" | 0" |
|
steamboat springs 0.7 ese, co
SNOTEL CO-RT-53 |
24.45" | 0.85" |
|
vail 3.5 e, co
SNOTEL CO-EG-53 |
25.87" | 0.89" |
|
Buffalo Park
SNOTEL 913 |
38" | 2" |
|
Saint Elmo
SNOTEL 1100 |
32" | 4" |
|
south platte river
SNOTEL ANTC2 |
0.21" | 0" |
|
Ivanhoe
SNOTEL 547 |
41" | 4" |
|
tabernash 2.7 nw, co
SNOTEL CO-GR-68 |
18.64" | 0.25" |
|
Elliot Ridge
SNOTEL 1120 |
48" | 2" |
|
Bear Lake
SNOTEL 322 |
38" | 3" |
|
Middle Fork Camp
SNOTEL 1014 |
25" | 1" |
|
vail 2.6 e, co
SNOTEL CO-EG-19 |
23.25" | 0.75" |
|
dillon 2.3 se, co
SNOTEL CO-SU-16 |
16.37" | 0.29" |
|
frisco 0.5 n, co
SNOTEL CO-SU-4 |
18.46" | 0.28" |
|
grant
SNOTEL GRTC2 |
2.46" | 0.06" |
|
Park Cone
SNOTEL 680 |
32" | 0" |
|
Hoosier Pass
SNOTEL 531 |
35" | 3" |
|
Mccoy Park
SNOTEL 1040 |
30" | 1" |
|
Vail Mountain
SNOTEL 842 |
37" | 3" |
|
nathrop 3.3 wsw, co
SNOTEL CO-CF-19 |
0.3" | 0" |
|
Nast Lake
SNOTEL 658 |
25" | 1" |
|
wolcott 2.3 n, co
SNOTEL CO-EG-8 |
17.47" | -0.14" |
|
nathrop 1.9 wsw, co
SNOTEL CO-CF-54 |
0.2" | 0" |
|
Upper San Juan
SNOTEL 840 |
56" | -1" |
|
Hourglass Lake
SNOTEL 1122 |
30" | 4" |
|
Wolf Creek Summit
SNOTEL 874 |
73" | 2" |
|
pitkin 1.1 sw, co
SNOTEL CO-GN-59 |
21.85" | -0.25" |
|
Summit Ranch
SNOTEL 802 |
25" | 2" |
|
High Lonesome
SNOTEL 1187 |
50" | 2" |
|
Brumley
SNOTEL 369 |
30" | 1" |
|
Sargents Mesa
SNOTEL 1128 |
19" | 5" |
|
dillon,co
SNOTEL DLLC2 |
12.5" | 0.36" |
|
silverthorne 2.1 wsw, co
SNOTEL CO-SU-6 |
25.47" | 0.25" |
|
Grayback
SNOTEL 1058 |
3" | -1" |
|
georgetown
SNOTEL GEOC2 |
3.7" | 0.73" |
|
Fremont Pass
SNOTEL 485 |
41" | 0" |
|
Hayden Pass
SNOTEL 1102 |
11" | 5" |
|
Arapaho Ridge
SNOTEL 1030 |
54" | 1" |
|
Tower
SNOTEL 825 |
88" | 3" |
|
Phantom Valley
SNOTEL 688 |
26" | 1" |
|
cabin creek
SNOTEL GCRC2 |
12.95" | 1.67" |
|
Moon Pass
SNOTEL 1124 |
7" | 3" |
|
Columbine
SNOTEL 408 |
49" | 0" |
|
Cochetopa Pass
SNOTEL 1059 |
9" | 3" |
|
Lynx Pass
SNOTEL 607 |
23" | 1" |
|
Jones Pass
SNOTEL 970 |
38" | 0" |
|
Lily Pond
SNOTEL 580 |
29" | 2" |
|
Zirkel
SNOTEL 1033 |
55" | 0" |
|
Dry Lake
SNOTEL 457 |
46" | 1" |
|
co st forest st park
SNOTEL CSFC2 |
20.08" | 0.08" |
|
Lost Dog
SNOTEL 940 |
52" | 2" |
|
buena vista,co
SNOTEL BNVC2 |
0.91" | 0" |
|
Porphyry Creek
SNOTEL 701 |
43" | 6" |
|
fairplay 2.7 wnw, co
SNOTEL CO-PK-15 |
7.63" | 0.95" |
|
crestone 5.3 sse, co
SNOTEL CO-SA-66 |
0.12" | 0" |
|
Rough And Tumble
SNOTEL 939 |
12" | 6" |
|
Copper Mountain
SNOTEL 415 |
36" | 0" |
|
silverthorne 21 nw, co
SNOTEL CO-SU-35 |
15.49" | 0.11" |
|
Berthoud Summit
SNOTEL 335 |
39" | 5" |
|
Grizzly Peak
SNOTEL 505 |
44" | 4" |
| Campground | Campsites | Reservations | Toilets | Showers | Elevation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Molly Brown | 49 | 9,897 ft | |||
| Dexter | 24 | 9,271 ft | |||
| Belle of Colorado | 19 | 9,924 ft | |||
| Kite Lake | 5 | 12,043 ft | |||
| Cascade | 22 | 9,033 ft | |||
| Chalk Lake | 19 | 8,743 ft | |||
| North Fork Reservoir | 9 | 11,459 ft | |||
| Collegiate Peaks | 56 | 9,837 ft | |||
| Tabor | 44 | 9,897 ft | |||
| Iron City | 15 | 9,928 ft | |||
| Angel of Shavano | 20 | 9,147 ft | |||
| Camp Hale Memorial | 21 | 9,318 ft | |||
| Silver Dollar | 43 | 9,905 ft | |||
| Horseshoe | 19 | 10,538 ft | |||
| Garfield | 8 | 9,912 ft | |||
| Cottonwood Lake | 24 | 9,586 ft | |||
| Matchless | 17 | 9,903 ft | |||
| Mount Princeton | 19 | 8,618 ft | |||
| Weston Pass | 14 | 10,277 ft | |||
| Fourmile | 14 | 10,824 ft | |||
| Father Dyer | 26 | 9,953 ft | |||
| Railroad Bridge - Arkansas Headwaters State Rec Area | None | 8,039 ft | |||
| Baby Doe | 50 | 9,913 ft | |||
| Monarch Park | 37 | 10,478 ft |
| Ski Area | Snowpack | Air Temperature | 5 Day Forecast |
|---|---|---|---|
| Copper Mountain Resort | 36" | 28° | 1.32" |
| Ski Cooper | 1" | 19° | 1.33" |
| Vail | 37" | 25° | 1.54" |
| Breckenridge Ski Resort | 36" | 28° | 1.32" |
| Keystone Resort | 8" | 22° | 2.44" |
| Beaver Creek Resort | 30" | 32° | 1.29" |
| Loveland | 43" | 18° | 1.92" |
| Monarch Ski & Snowboard Area | 43" | 19° | 0.28" |
| River Run | Streamflow | Length | Class |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salida Town Run (Stone Bridge to Salida WW Park) | 148.0cfs | 12.0 Mi | II to III |
| Salida to Rincon | 148.0cfs | 10.0 Mi | II+ to III |
| Dowd Chute | 53.0cfs | 1.0 Mi | III+ to IV+ |
| Upper Gore Creek | 15.7cfs | 4.0 Mi | II+ to III |
| Buena Vista Whitewater Park | 148.0cfs | 1.0 Mi | II+ to III+ |
| The Upper | 121.0cfs | 8.0 Mi | V to V+ |
| Pine Creek (Granite to Numbers) | 148.0cfs | 6.0 Mi | III+ to V- |
| Silverthorne Town Run | 24.8cfs | 0.5 Mi | II to III- |
| Browns Canyon (Fisherman's Bridge to Stone Bridge) | 148.0cfs | 13.0 Mi | III to IV- |
| Lower Ten Mile | 31.9cfs | 3.0 Mi | II to III |
| Milk Run | 148.0cfs | 4.0 Mi | II+ to III- |
| Fractions | 148.0cfs | 7.0 Mi | III to III+ |
| Lower (Bottom Four) | 121.0cfs | 1.0 Mi | V to V+ |
| Middle Ten Mile | 31.9cfs | 3.0 Mi | III+ to IV |
| Lower Snake | 24.4cfs | 4.0 Mi | III to III+ |
| Salida Whitewater Park | 148.0cfs | None Mi | III- to III+ |
| Upper Blue (Blue River CG to Columbine Landing) | 228.0cfs | 3.0 Mi | III to IV- |
| Numbers | 148.0cfs | 4.9 Mi | III+ to IV+ |
| Upper Gore Creek | 15.7cfs | 4.0 Mi | II+ to III |
| Upper Ten Mile | 31.9cfs | 2.0 Mi | IV+ to V |
| Clear Creek of the Arkansas | 12.9cfs | 2.5 Mi | IV+ to V- |
| Breckenridge Whitewater Park (Town Run) | 81.4cfs | 0.25 Mi | II+ to III |
| Upper-Upper Ten Mile | 31.9cfs | 3.0 Mi | III+ to IV- |