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 | 238 cfs |
| Gage Height | 2.8 ft |
| Air Temperature | 38° |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|
|
Monte Cristo Diversion Near Hoosier Pass
USGS 09041900 |
0 cfs | 0.0 ft |
|
Colorado R Below Baker Gulch
USGS 09010500 |
107 cfs | 3.5 ft |
|
Blue River Below Dillon
USGS 09050700 |
56 cfs | 0.9 ft |
|
Missouri Creek Near Gold Park
USGS 09063900 |
1 cfs | 1.4 ft |
|
Keystone Gulch Near Dillon
USGS 09047700 |
2 cfs | 2.0 ft |
|
Gore Creek Abv Red Sandstone Creek At Vail
USGS 09066325 |
43 cfs | 5.0 ft |
|
Colorado River Near Granby
USGS 09019500 |
30 cfs | 1.1 ft |
|
Colorado River Bl Shadow Mountain Reservoir
USGS 09015000 |
20 cfs | 1.4 ft |
|
North Fork Fryingpan River Near Norrie
USGS 09078500 |
6 cfs | 2.3 ft |
|
Eagle River At Red Cliff
USGS 09063000 |
4 cfs | 2.7 ft |
| Snotel Site | Snowpack | 24hr Change |
|---|---|---|
|
estes park 1.8 sse, co
SNOTEL CO-LR-987 |
6.43" | 3.25" |
|
Hayden Pass
SNOTEL 1102 |
33" | -3" |
|
South Colony
SNOTEL 773 |
51" | -4" |
|
allens park 1.5 ese, co
SNOTEL CO-BO-22 |
12.21" | 7.12" |
|
estes park,co
SNOTEL ETSC2 |
5.8" | 2.92" |
|
Independence Pass
SNOTEL 542 |
40" | 4" |
|
Blackhall Mtn
SNOTEL 1119 |
71" | 4" |
|
Hourglass Lake
SNOTEL 1122 |
41" | 6" |
|
Brooklyn Lake
SNOTEL 367 |
66" | 1" |
|
Willow Park
SNOTEL 870 |
58" | 3" |
|
Hoosier Pass
SNOTEL 531 |
46" | 1" |
|
Wild Basin
SNOTEL 1042 |
43" | 0" |
|
red feather 5.9 ne, co
SNOTEL CO-LR-329 |
5.57" | 3.71" |
|
Fremont Pass
SNOTEL 485 |
48" | 2" |
|
Saint Elmo
SNOTEL 1100 |
26" | 0" |
|
estes park 1.7 w, co
SNOTEL CO-LR-1115 |
6.41" | 2.99" |
|
nederland 0.4 wnw, co
SNOTEL CO-BO-322 |
5.74" | 3.27" |
|
Sawtooth
SNOTEL 1251 |
63" | 4" |
|
Loveland Basin
SNOTEL 602 |
60" | 5" |
|
silverthorne 21 nw, co
SNOTEL CO-SU-35 |
0.37" | 0" |
|
Tower
SNOTEL 825 |
91" | 12" |
|
estes park 1.8 s, co
SNOTEL CO-LR-767 |
6.5" | 3.31" |
|
cabin creek
SNOTEL GCRC2 |
20.91" | 4.1" |
|
Berthoud Summit
SNOTEL 335 |
59" | 6" |
|
University Camp
SNOTEL 838 |
55" | 4" |
|
laramie 1se
SNOTEL ADFW4 |
0.79" | 0.21" |
|
Buckskin Joe
SNOTEL 938 |
33" | -1" |
|
georgetown
SNOTEL GEOC2 |
4.14" | 2.84" |
|
rollinsville 1.1 ssw, co
SNOTEL CO-GL-17 |
12.99" | 2.67" |
|
co st forest st park
SNOTEL CSFC2 |
2.29" | 2.25" |
|
buena vista,co
SNOTEL BNVC2 |
1.88" | -0.11" |
|
fairplay 2.7 wnw, co
SNOTEL CO-PK-15 |
26.53" | 1.43" |
|
silverthorne 2.1 wsw, co
SNOTEL CO-SU-6 |
13.4" | 0.36" |
|
Sargents Mesa
SNOTEL 1128 |
35" | 0" |
|
Elliot Ridge
SNOTEL 1120 |
49" | 4" |
|
Jackwhacker Gulch
SNOTEL 935 |
39" | 3" |
|
Kiln
SNOTEL 556 |
24" | 3" |
|
Lynx Pass
SNOTEL 607 |
14" | 1" |
|
Vail Mountain
SNOTEL 842 |
28" | 1" |
|
tabernash 2.7 nw, co
SNOTEL CO-GR-68 |
0.36" | 0" |
|
Brumley
SNOTEL 369 |
33" | 2" |
|
nathrop 3.3 wsw, co
SNOTEL CO-CF-19 |
1.31" | -0.06" |
|
Park Cone
SNOTEL 680 |
24" | 0" |
|
Summit Ranch
SNOTEL 802 |
17" | 2" |
|
Phantom Valley
SNOTEL 688 |
20" | 3" |
|
grant
SNOTEL GRTC2 |
7.58" | 2.98" |
|
climax coop
SNOTEL CLXC2 |
36.92" | 0.39" |
|
Rawah
SNOTEL 1032 |
23" | 6" |
|
Beaver Ck Village
SNOTEL 1041 |
17" | 2" |
|
Upper Taylor
SNOTEL 1141 |
25" | 0" |
|
nathrop 1.9 wsw, co
SNOTEL CO-CF-54 |
1.28" | -0.1" |
|
Bear Lake
SNOTEL 322 |
57" | 8" |
|
Arapaho Ridge
SNOTEL 1030 |
57" | 6" |
|
Chapman Tunnel
SNOTEL 1101 |
30" | 1" |
|
Moon Pass
SNOTEL 1124 |
15" | 0" |
|
Ivanhoe
SNOTEL 547 |
48" | 4" |
|
laramie 7sse
SNOTEL CMBW4 |
0.93" | 0.33" |
|
Rabbit Ears
SNOTEL 709 |
40" | 8" |
|
Never Summer
SNOTEL 1031 |
49" | 7" |
|
estes park 3.3 ssw, co
SNOTEL CO-LR-247 |
7.49" | 3.73" |
|
vail 3.5 e, co
SNOTEL CO-EG-53 |
16.4" | 0.01" |
|
North French Creek
SNOTEL 668 |
68" | 0" |
|
Copeland Lake
SNOTEL 412 |
10" | 4" |
|
Michigan Creek
SNOTEL 937 |
36" | 0" |
|
Buffalo Park
SNOTEL 913 |
38" | 4" |
|
Med Bow
SNOTEL 1196 |
94" | 4" |
|
south platte river
SNOTEL ANTC2 |
2.42" | -0.32" |
|
Jones Pass
SNOTEL 970 |
39" | 6" |
| Campground | Campsites | Reservations | Toilets | Showers | Elevation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kite Lake | 5 | 12,043 ft | |||
| Williams Fork Reservoir - SWA | 24 | 7,848 ft | |||
| Prairie Point | 33 | 8,002 ft | |||
| Sawmill Gulch | 5 | 8,482 ft | |||
| Heaton Bay | 81 | 9,072 ft | |||
| Mcdonald Flats | 13 | 7,955 ft | |||
| Gore Creek | 25 | 8,720 ft | |||
| Peak One | 74 | 9,030 ft | |||
| Beaver Creek Unti - Hot Sulphur State Wildlife Area | 10 | 7,592 ft | |||
| Pine Cove | 56 | 9,022 ft | |||
| Davis Springs | 7 | 7,984 ft | |||
| Prospector | 107 | 9,105 ft | |||
| Blue River | 24 | 8,472 ft | |||
| Fourmile | 14 | 10,824 ft | |||
| Sugar Loaf | 11 | 8,989 ft | |||
| Lowry | 24 | 9,068 ft |
| Ski Area | Snowpack | Air Temperature | 5 Day Forecast |
|---|---|---|---|
| Keystone Resort | 39" | 27° | 12.48" |
| Ski Cooper | 33" | 27° | 10.52" |
| Breckenridge Ski Resort | 29" | 34° | 10.28" |
| Arapahoe Basin | 60" | 18° | 10.29" |
| SolVista Basin at Granby Ranch | 42" | 26° | 11.52" |
| Vail | 28" | 31° | 7.52" |
| Copper Mountain Resort | 29" | 34° | 10.28" |
| Loveland | 60" | 18° | 10.29" |
| River Run | Streamflow | Length | Class |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upper Ten Mile | 42.9cfs | 2.0 Mi | IV+ to V |
| Lower Blue (Green Mountain to Spring Creek) | 322.0cfs | 3.8 Mi | II+ to III |
| Breckenridge Whitewater Park (Town Run) | 55.7cfs | 0.25 Mi | II+ to III |
| Upper-Upper Ten Mile | 42.9cfs | 3.0 Mi | III+ to IV- |
| Middle Ten Mile | 42.9cfs | 3.0 Mi | III+ to IV |
| Silverthorne Town Run | 37.5cfs | 0.5 Mi | II to III- |
| 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 |
| Numbers | 233.0cfs | 4.9 Mi | III+ to IV+ |
| Lower Ten Mile | 41.7cfs | 3.0 Mi | II to III |
| Lower Blue (Green Mountain to Spring Creek) | 322.0cfs | 3.8 Mi | II+ to III |
| Gore Canyon | 853.0cfs | 9.0 Mi | IV to V+ |
| 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 Snake | 9.91cfs | 4.0 Mi | III to III+ |
| Fractions | 221.0cfs | 7.0 Mi | III to III+ |
| Dowd Chute | 65.5cfs | 1.0 Mi | III+ to IV+ |
| Upper Blue (Blue River CG to Columbine Landing) | 246.0cfs | 3.0 Mi | III to IV- |
| Lower (Bottom Four) | 36.4cfs | 1.0 Mi | V to V+ |
| Clear Creek of the Arkansas | 12.2cfs | 2.5 Mi | IV+ to V- |