Ruby/Anthracite/Dark Canyon TR.

Stills, vid, and words here:

Cheers,

MC

Beautiful! All the components of a great packrafting trip.

Great video, pics, and report MC! I’m anxious to attempt a Dark Canyon/Anthracite creek trip next year and have some questions.

I am curious as to when you did this trip? Do you happen to have any more information on this particular route? A map perhaps? GPS coordinates? I’m curious where you guys actually put in? Did you float trout creek down to confluence with (what is shown on google maps as) Ruby-Anthracite creek and then down to the confluence with Anthracite creek? Or did you guys start your float somewhere on Ruby-Anthracite creek?

Thanks

J


And here were MC’s answers to my questions



Managed to hike in and run Dark Canyon twice in 2015. Once at 1000 and once at 500. 1000 was doable but at the far limit of my comfort zone. The paddling was doable but spotting eddies was difficult it was moving so fast.

500 was doable but low–lots of scraping and bashing. 600 to 700 feels like the sweet spot to me.

MikeC I’d love to do this trip this year if you plan on hitting it again. PM me if interested…

Full-on firehose right now – I’d guess 2 more weeks yet.

This is the gauge: http://waterdata.usgs.gov/co/nwis/uv/?site_no=09132095&PARAmeter_cd=00065,00060

We’ll want 700 to 800 at most. 600 is pretty thin.

When it approaches that range drop a line: mike dot curiak at gmail.

Sweet looking zone MC!

I’m selling my hardshell to generate some $ for an alpackalypse!

Dark Canyon came and went unceremoniously last week. I couldn’t find any packrafters to join me, but was graciously adopted by a hard-boat bunch.

Here’s the trip report, complete with stills and video:

Check it when you get a minute or three.