Laps, Laughs, and Great Friends

A little edit from a run down Vallecito Creek north of Durango. It's "The best mile of kayaking in Colorado" according to the early CO guidebook. And you know what...that's not so far off from true.

Vallecito Edit from David Farkas on Vimeo.

Vallecito...the best mile of kayaking in Colorado

The original guide book to Colorado paddling was created by Gordon Banks and Dave Eckart and in the Durango section it claims that Vallecito is the best 1 mile of kayaking in Colorado.  I'm not sure if this is correct or not but every time I paddle it, I think of that statement.  And you know what...it seems to make sense.

My first trip down Vallecito was in 1996 while passing through and every time I'm in there I'm always blown away at how beautiful it is, how wonderful the crew I'm with is, and how lucky we are to have this gem near Durango.

From the Vallecito campground you hike up about a mile and a half to the usual put in above Entrance Falls and the short warm up rapids.

Warm up boof 

A long hallway and a few fun boofs puts you above Entrance Falls and the real crux of the run. A tricky 20 footer, Entrance has definitely handed out it's share of beaterings over the past few years. The key is to set up a little right of center and plant a slow and delayed lefty.  At medium/low flows, the pool below entrance has current and a small boil but not too much to worry about.  As flows increase, the boil becomes bigger and the current off it pushes into the undercut walls and the log jammed cave behind the falls.  Also...Trash Can which is the next rapid and right below Entrance Falls come into play as flows increase.

Entrance Falls...a sweet lefty

Entrance lays down some sweet treats and the feeling land in the pool is something special.

The start to Trash Can

Trash Can comes up next and it's name describe the line...a mess of boulders with the move bouncing through. This puts you into to a short pool and 2 boofs to freedom.  The last boof is really sweet. 

Final boof in Trash Can

Flying off Fuzzy

After Trash Can the next moves are fun boofs and sweet lines through a variety of rapids until you get to Fuzzy Bunny.  This drop is as sweet as the name depicts...an awesome slanting 10ft boof into a slot not much wider than a boat width that pushes you into a pool above the bottom 3 most difficult rapids. Until now, getting out of your boat isn't impossible yet the places upstream of Fuzzy where you can get out are really small.  Here you finally get a chance to pull into a cobble stone eddie, get outta your boat and stand on a giant boulder that forms the left side of the drop.  

The start of Paddle Bitch. 

The next 3 rapids come at you real quick.  Bouffant Blast and Paddle Bitch form on long difficult rapid and the higher the water, the harder it gets.  When you make the moves through Bouffant, you catch an eddie on the right wall that's big enough for 2-3 boats.  It's also place to hike out of the run if things are going wrong and/or you need rescue.  The hike's not easy but it's doable.  These 2 drops are steep, boulder choked and the final move requires you to make 2 boofs and cross-grain a lateral hole that feeds you directly into the "Dick" rock.  The "Dick" is a granite boulder shaped like the name sticking out of the water upstream at an awkward angle.  I've seen a lot of guys get launched via the lateral feeding straight into the Dick and pinned in there.  Upright, upside down...all of it.  I've seen shoulder dislocated in there as well and worse.  So you really wanna miss this thing.  

Bottom move of No Way Out

The final rapid called No Way Out is awesome. You can go right of left at the top.  Going left is the Rib Ripper line named for the move you make through a tight slot.  The right line requires 3 boofs into an eddie on the left and each boof has a ledge hole to boof over.  Both lines end up in the same final current setting you up to make one final boof over a hole to the finish pool.  It's a great finale to the rapid.  

Vallecito is one of my favorite all time runs.  It's short so most folks end up lapping it.  The hike in is not the best yet the more you do it, the easier it gets...or at least the more you get used to it.  It's the quintessential Grade V/V+ run in the state and although only a mile...it's packed with goods.  

The crew: Tony, Shawn, and Drew

Spring Time Around the Hood

Here we go folks....spring has sprung in southern Colorado and the rivers and creeks are going off. Not only Colorado but New Mexico as well.

As the temps rise and things begin to flow, my eyes usually move to the gauges of the Rio Grande river flowing through the Taos, NM valley.  An amazing run with miles of siphons, the "Upper Taos Box" is not too difficult as far as moves go, but the consequences are high. Subterranean siphons are everywhere...literally every rapid...so staying on line and more importantly staying in your boat, are key.  It's a deep basalt rift valley so the rock's grey to black, sharp, and angular.  To get there you head across the north western corner of NM through incredibly beautiful high mountains and desert.  I love the drive and when you're loaded up with your buds and everyone's psyched to go boating...well...the drive gets even better.

The "Professor" Shawn Fullmer and his candle-light driving :)

We left late in the afternoon and got into Taos around 9:30pm.  Our usual taco spot was still serving so we stopped in for a bite and a few beers.  Then we were off to set up camp at the campground located on the canyon rim.  It's a great spot because to get out of the canyon and back to camp you have to climb 250m up and cruise along a nice 1 km long trail which deposits you right at camp and cold beers.

Camp and night photography

Like I was saying above, this run is really fun but has potential for carnage because of the siphon nature of it.  It's drop pool for the most part and at our flows, it wasn't pushy at all.  There's hardly anyone up there which gives it a wilderness feel.  

Typical UTB goods

Lots of moves and slots

Love the face shots !!!!

Fun and sun

If you're in the 4 Corners area and are looking for a great run with sweet camping and beautiful scenery, make sure you check out the Upper Taos Box.