The Upper
The upper section of Lake Creek is around 8 miles long. Since Highway 82 parallels Lake Creek you can choose how much you want to run. Since this is class V to V+ you can make this an all day hair fest or do some park and drops.
Suggested river levels for paddling this section of the Lake Creek are between a bare minimum of 150cfs and a high of 700cfs.
River conditions sourced from USGS 07084500, the Lake Creek Above Twin Lakes Reservoir
Remember only watercraft are permitted
at The Upper.
Run Stats
| Status | Too Low |
| Class Level | V to V+ |
| Elevation | 9,315 ft |
| Run Length | 8.0 Mi |
| Gradient | 125 FPM |
| Streamflow Discharge | 36.4 cfs |
| Gage Height | 2.3 ft |
| Air Temperature | 32° |
| River | Lake Creek |
| Reporting Streamgage |
Lake Creek Above Twin Lakes Reservoir
USGS 07084500 |
|
Tombstone Drop
Class V to V+ |
|
Not In My Back Yard (NIMBY)
Class V to V+ |
| Gauge | Streamflow | Stage |
|---|---|---|
|
Arkansas River At Salida
USGS 07091500 |
291 cfs | 2.7 ft |
|
Williams Fork Above Darling Creek
USGS 09035700 |
16 cfs | 4.9 ft |
|
Snake River Near Montezuma
USGS 09047500 |
10 cfs | 1.0 ft |
|
Blue River Below Dillon
USGS 09050700 |
56 cfs | 0.9 ft |
|
Gore Creek Abv Red Sandstone Creek At Vail
USGS 09066325 |
43 cfs | 5.0 ft |
|
Cross Creek Near Minturn
USGS 09065100 |
6 cfs | 2.8 ft |
|
Tenmile Creek Bl North Tenmile C
USGS 09050100 |
42 cfs | 2.0 ft |
|
Fryingpan River At Meredith
USGS 09080100 |
457 cfs | 3.3 ft |
|
Blue River Below Green Mountain Reservoir
USGS 09057500 |
322 cfs | 4.1 ft |
|
Middle Creek Near Minturn
USGS 09066300 |
0 cfs | 2.2 ft |
| Snotel Site | Snowpack | 24hr Change |
|---|---|---|
|
yampa 5.1 s, co
SNOTEL CO-RT-26 |
5.42" | 2.55" |
|
Upper Taylor
SNOTEL 1141 |
25" | 0" |
|
Bear River
SNOTEL 1061 |
29" | 4" |
|
silverthorne 2.1 wsw, co
SNOTEL CO-SU-6 |
13.4" | 0.36" |
|
gothic
SNOTEL GTHC2 |
36.32" | -0.38" |
|
co st forest st park
SNOTEL CSFC2 |
2.29" | 2.25" |
|
Upper San Juan
SNOTEL 840 |
56" | 1" |
|
Dry Lake
SNOTEL 457 |
31" | 9" |
|
Chapman Tunnel
SNOTEL 1101 |
30" | 1" |
|
Rawah
SNOTEL 1032 |
23" | 6" |
|
Crosho
SNOTEL 426 |
20" | 5" |
|
Wolf Creek Summit
SNOTEL 874 |
70" | 0" |
|
climax coop
SNOTEL CLXC2 |
36.92" | 0.39" |
|
Buckskin Joe
SNOTEL 938 |
33" | -1" |
|
Hoosier Pass
SNOTEL 531 |
46" | 1" |
|
Vail Mountain
SNOTEL 842 |
28" | 1" |
|
Ivanhoe
SNOTEL 547 |
48" | 4" |
|
fairplay 2.7 wnw, co
SNOTEL CO-PK-15 |
26.53" | 1.43" |
|
vail 3.5 e, co
SNOTEL CO-EG-53 |
16.4" | 0.01" |
|
Summit Ranch
SNOTEL 802 |
17" | 2" |
|
Buffalo Park
SNOTEL 913 |
38" | 4" |
|
Park Cone
SNOTEL 680 |
24" | 0" |
|
nathrop 3.3 wsw, co
SNOTEL CO-CF-19 |
1.31" | -0.06" |
|
Arapaho Ridge
SNOTEL 1030 |
57" | 6" |
|
Fremont Pass
SNOTEL 485 |
48" | 2" |
|
Middle Creek
SNOTEL 624 |
44" | 0" |
|
Beaver Ck Village
SNOTEL 1041 |
17" | 2" |
|
Kiln
SNOTEL 556 |
24" | 3" |
|
Brumley
SNOTEL 369 |
33" | 2" |
|
silverthorne 21 nw, co
SNOTEL CO-SU-35 |
0.37" | 0" |
|
Lily Pond
SNOTEL 580 |
23" | 0" |
|
Never Summer
SNOTEL 1031 |
49" | 7" |
|
Butte
SNOTEL 380 |
23" | 1" |
|
Rabbit Ears
SNOTEL 709 |
40" | 8" |
|
North Lost Trail
SNOTEL 669 |
29" | 5" |
|
Lynx Pass
SNOTEL 607 |
14" | 1" |
|
Independence Pass
SNOTEL 542 |
40" | 4" |
|
Moon Pass
SNOTEL 1124 |
15" | 0" |
|
Saint Elmo
SNOTEL 1100 |
26" | 0" |
|
Grayback
SNOTEL 1058 |
8" | 0" |
|
Sargents Mesa
SNOTEL 1128 |
35" | 0" |
|
crested butte 6.2 n, co
SNOTEL CO-GN-18 |
29.46" | -0.07" |
|
Elliot Ridge
SNOTEL 1120 |
49" | 4" |
|
nathrop 1.9 wsw, co
SNOTEL CO-CF-54 |
1.28" | -0.1" |
|
buena vista,co
SNOTEL BNVC2 |
1.88" | -0.11" |
|
Tower
SNOTEL 825 |
91" | 12" |
| Campground | Campsites | Reservations | Toilets | Showers | Elevation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Halfmoon West | 16 | 9,932 ft | |||
| Cold Spring | 6 | 8,954 ft | |||
| Halfmoon | 7 | 10,294 ft | |||
| Pitkin | 22 | 9,362 ft | |||
| Dinner Station | 22 | 9,613 ft | |||
| Chapman | 84 | 8,598 ft | |||
| Tigiwon | 9 | 9,994 ft | |||
| Mirror Lake - Almont | 10 | 11,007 ft | |||
| Rivers End | 15 | 9,356 ft | |||
| Quartz | 10 | 9,849 ft | |||
| Twin Peaks | 37 | 9,615 ft | |||
| Parry Peak | 26 | 9,430 ft | |||
| Portal | 5 | 10,576 ft | |||
| Lost Man | 10 | 10,513 ft | |||
| Lodgepole - Almont | 16 | 8,905 ft | |||
| Elbert Creek | 17 | 10,095 ft | |||
| Dorchester | 10 | 9,925 ft | |||
| Yeoman Park | 24 | 9,062 ft | |||
| Comanche | 4 | 8,962 ft | |||
| Mayqueen | 27 | 9,884 ft | |||
| Middle Quartz | 7 | 10,230 ft | |||
| Gold Creek | 6 | 10,005 ft | |||
| Elk Wallow | 7 | 8,829 ft | |||
| Lottis Creek | 27 | 9,068 ft | |||
| Lakeview - Almont | 35 | 9,556 ft | |||
| Fulford Cave | 7 | 9,422 ft | |||
| Gold Park | 11 | 9,246 ft |
| Ski Area | Snowpack | Air Temperature | 5 Day Forecast |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monarch Ski & Snowboard Area | 32" | 27° | 8" |
| Beaver Creek Resort | 18" | 42° | 6.58" |
| Buttermilk Mountain | 25" | 35° | 4.78" |
| Vail | 28" | 31° | 7.52" |
| Aspen Highlands | 25" | 35° | 4.78" |
| Ski Cooper | 33" | 27° | 10.52" |
| Aspen Mountain | 40" | 34° | 5.84" |
| River Run | Streamflow | Length | Class |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Upper | 16.9cfs | 8.0 Mi | V to V+ |
| Dowd Chute | 65.5cfs | 1.0 Mi | III+ to IV+ |
| Lower Eagle (Edwards Water Plant to Eagle) | 134.0cfs | 17.0 Mi | III- to III+ |
| Lower Blue (Green Mountain to Spring Creek) | 322.0cfs | 3.8 Mi | II+ to III |
| Lower Blue (Green Mountain to Spring Creek) | 322.0cfs | 3.8 Mi | II+ to III |
| Castle Creek | 135.0cfs | 2.0 Mi | IV+ to V- |
| Numbers | 233.0cfs | 4.9 Mi | III+ to IV+ |
| Upper Gore Creek | 57.6cfs | 4.0 Mi | II+ to III |
| State Bridge to Burns | 739.0cfs | 20.0 Mi | I to II+ |
| Lower Blue (Green Mountain to Spring Creek) | 322.0cfs | 3.8 Mi | II+ to III |
| Upper Gore Creek | 57.6cfs | 4.0 Mi | II+ to III |
| Pine Creek (Granite to Numbers) | 233.0cfs | 6.0 Mi | III+ to V- |
| Lower Blue (Green Mountain to Spring Creek) | 322.0cfs | 3.8 Mi | II+ to III |
| Lower Eagle (Edwards Water Plant to Eagle) | 134.0cfs | 17.0 Mi | III- to III+ |
| Clear Creek of the Arkansas | 12.2cfs | 2.5 Mi | IV+ to V- |
| Lower (Bottom Four) | 36.4cfs | 1.0 Mi | V to V+ |