Upper Blue (Blue River Cg To Columbine Landing)
Because of the many streams and rivers flowing in between the start of this section and Breckonridge (as well as Dillon Reservoir controlling flows), this part of the Blue can be run more reliably. This is a short technical section where the Blue drops through a small gorge. The gorge is where the actual harder whitewater is (class III/IV). The rest of the run is mainly a class II fishing stream (especially if you put in above the Blue River Campground).
Suggested river levels for paddling this section of the Blue River are between a bare minimum of 250cfs and a high of 2,200cfs.
River conditions sourced from USGS 07086000, the Arkansas River At Granite
Remember only watercraft are permitted
at Upper Blue (Blue River CG to Columbine Landing).
Run Stats
| Status | Too Low |
| Class Level | III to IV- |
| Elevation | 8,929 ft |
| Run Length | 3.0 Mi |
| Gradient | 35 FPM |
| Streamflow Discharge | 119 cfs |
| Gage Height | 2.4 ft |
| Air Temperature | 57° |
| River | Blue River |
| Reporting Streamgage |
Arkansas River At Granite
USGS 07086000 |
|
1st Canyon
Class I |
|
2nd Canyon
Class I |
|
All Day Wave
Class I |
| Gauge | Streamflow | Stage |
|---|---|---|
|
Colorado River Below Lake Granby
USGS 09019000 |
21 cfs | 3.2 ft |
|
Williams Fork Below Steelman Creek
USGS 09035500 |
7 cfs | 3.0 ft |
|
Clear Creek Above Clear Creek Reservoir
USGS 07086500 |
10 cfs | 2.9 ft |
|
Elk Creek At Upper Station
USGS 09025300 |
0 cfs | 5.0 ft |
|
Colorado River At Windy Gap
USGS 09034250 |
97 cfs | 3.6 ft |
|
Eagle River Near Minturn
USGS 09064600 |
32 cfs | 2.9 ft |
|
Piney River Below Piney Lake
USGS 09058500 |
2 cfs | 3.1 ft |
|
Eagle R Bl Wastewater Treatment Plant At Avon
USGS 09067020 |
65 cfs | 2.6 ft |
|
Cross Creek Near Minturn
USGS 09065100 |
48 cfs | 4.3 ft |
|
South St. Vrain Creek Near Ward
USGS 06722500 |
4 cfs | 1.5 ft |
| Snotel Site | Snowpack | 24hr Change |
|---|---|---|
|
Grizzly Peak
SNOTEL 505 |
4" | -1" |
|
Roach
SNOTEL 718 |
4" | 1" |
|
Berthoud Summit
SNOTEL 335 |
1" | -1" |
|
Jackwhacker Gulch
SNOTEL 935 |
3" | 0" |
|
Willow Creek Pass
SNOTEL 869 |
2" | 1" |
|
Columbine
SNOTEL 408 |
1" | 1" |
|
High Lonesome
SNOTEL 1187 |
3" | 1" |
|
South Colony
SNOTEL 773 |
3" | 0" |
|
Ivanhoe
SNOTEL 547 |
15" | 0" |
|
South Brush Creek
SNOTEL 772 |
5" | 0" |
|
Park Cone
SNOTEL 680 |
2" | 0" |
|
Echo Lake
SNOTEL 936 |
1" | 0" |
|
Deadman Hill
SNOTEL 438 |
3" | 1" |
|
Med Bow
SNOTEL 1196 |
12" | -2" |
|
Fremont Pass
SNOTEL 485 |
6" | 1" |
|
laramie 7sse
SNOTEL CMBW4 |
0.23" | -1.1" |
|
Buffalo Park
SNOTEL 913 |
2" | 0" |
|
Sawtooth
SNOTEL 1251 |
3" | -1" |
|
laramie 1se
SNOTEL ADFW4 |
0.34" | -1.21" |
|
Tower
SNOTEL 825 |
6" | 1" |
|
Brumley
SNOTEL 369 |
1" | 1" |
|
Fool Creek
SNOTEL 1186 |
3" | 0" |
|
Wild Basin
SNOTEL 1042 |
1" | -1" |
|
Rawah
SNOTEL 1032 |
2" | -1" |
|
Cochetopa Pass
SNOTEL 1059 |
1" | 0" |
|
Kiln
SNOTEL 556 |
10" | -1" |
|
Brooklyn Lake
SNOTEL 367 |
3" | -1" |
|
Lake Irene
SNOTEL 565 |
4" | 0" |
|
Never Summer
SNOTEL 1031 |
5" | 1" |
|
Phantom Valley
SNOTEL 688 |
1" | 0" |
|
Vail Mountain
SNOTEL 842 |
1" | 2" |
|
Lost Dog
SNOTEL 940 |
1" | 2" |
|
Long Draw Resv
SNOTEL 1123 |
4" | 1" |
|
Rabbit Ears
SNOTEL 709 |
1" | -1" |
|
Sand Lake
SNOTEL 731 |
14" | 1" |
|
climax coop
SNOTEL CLXC2 |
1.39" | -0.33" |
|
Saint Elmo
SNOTEL 1100 |
2" | 0" |
|
Arapaho Ridge
SNOTEL 1030 |
7" | 0" |
|
Loveland Basin
SNOTEL 602 |
8" | -1" |
|
Summit Ranch
SNOTEL 802 |
1" | 1" |
|
Hoosier Pass
SNOTEL 531 |
3" | 0" |
|
Hayden Pass
SNOTEL 1102 |
1" | -1" |
|
Blackhall Mtn
SNOTEL 1119 |
8" | -1" |
|
Hourglass Lake
SNOTEL 1122 |
1" | 0" |
|
Black Mountain
SNOTEL 1161 |
5" | 3" |
|
Cinnabar Park
SNOTEL 1046 |
1" | 0" |
|
University Camp
SNOTEL 838 |
11" | 10" |
|
Independence Pass
SNOTEL 542 |
2" | -1" |
|
Chapman Tunnel
SNOTEL 1101 |
1" | 0" |
| Campground | Campsites | Reservations | Toilets | Showers | Elevation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gore Creek | 25 | 8,720 ft | |||
| Peak One | 74 | 9,030 ft | |||
| Kite Lake | 5 | 12,043 ft | |||
| Prairie Point | 33 | 8,002 ft | |||
| Mcdonald Flats | 13 | 7,955 ft | |||
| Sugar Loaf | 11 | 8,989 ft | |||
| Davis Springs | 7 | 7,984 ft | |||
| Heaton Bay | 81 | 9,072 ft | |||
| Blue River | 24 | 8,472 ft | |||
| Williams Fork Reservoir - SWA | 24 | 7,848 ft | |||
| Sawmill Gulch | 5 | 8,482 ft | |||
| Lowry | 24 | 9,068 ft | |||
| Fourmile | 14 | 10,824 ft | |||
| Pine Cove | 56 | 9,022 ft | |||
| Prospector | 107 | 9,105 ft | |||
| Beaver Creek Unti - Hot Sulphur State Wildlife Area | 10 | 7,592 ft |
| Ski Area | Snowpack | Air Temperature | 5 Day Forecast |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ski Cooper | -182" | 44° | 0.22" |
| Vail | 1" | 46° | 1.2" |
| Arapahoe Basin | 8" | 35° | 0.59" |
| Keystone Resort | 3" | 45° | 0.25" |
| Copper Mountain Resort | -1" | 51° | 0.67" |
| Breckenridge Ski Resort | -1" | 51° | 0.67" |
| Loveland | 8" | 35° | 0.59" |
| SolVista Basin at Granby Ranch | 3" | 44° | 1.44" |
| River Run | Streamflow | Length | Class |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dowd Chute | 31.6cfs | 1.0 Mi | III+ to IV+ |
| Upper Gore Creek | 13.7cfs | 4.0 Mi | II+ to III |
| Middle Ten Mile | 26.3cfs | 3.0 Mi | III+ to IV |
| Lower Blue (Green Mountain to Spring Creek) | 394.0cfs | 3.8 Mi | II+ to III |
| Upper Blue (Blue River CG to Columbine Landing) | 119.0cfs | 3.0 Mi | III to IV- |
| Breckenridge Whitewater Park (Town Run) | 130.0cfs | 0.25 Mi | II+ to III |
| Lower (Bottom Four) | 41.3cfs | 1.0 Mi | V to V+ |
| Gore Canyon | 716.0cfs | 9.0 Mi | IV to V+ |
| Upper Ten Mile | 26.3cfs | 2.0 Mi | IV+ to V |
| Lower Snake | 21.1cfs | 4.0 Mi | III to III+ |
| Clear Creek of the Arkansas | 9.8cfs | 2.5 Mi | IV+ to V- |
| Lower Blue (Green Mountain to Spring Creek) | 394.0cfs | 3.8 Mi | II+ to III |
| Lower Blue (Green Mountain to Spring Creek) | 394.0cfs | 3.8 Mi | II+ to III |
| Upper Gore Creek | 13.7cfs | 4.0 Mi | II+ to III |
| Lower Blue (Green Mountain to Spring Creek) | 394.0cfs | 3.8 Mi | II+ to III |
| Upper-Upper Ten Mile | 26.3cfs | 3.0 Mi | III+ to IV- |
| Fractions | 148.0cfs | 7.0 Mi | III to III+ |
| Silverthorne Town Run | 57.1cfs | 0.5 Mi | II to III- |
| Lower Ten Mile | 26.3cfs | 3.0 Mi | II to III |
| Pine Creek (Granite to Numbers) | 148.0cfs | 6.0 Mi | III+ to V- |
| Numbers | 148.0cfs | 4.9 Mi | III+ to IV+ |