Packrafted Rio Grande through White Rock Canyon, NM near Santa Fe at 650 cfs, 2 Alpaca packrafts, 11-13 August 2014. Carry your water as water may contaminated from Los Alamos National Lab (Radioactive materials and heavy metals). Put in at end of Old Buckman Rd (Otowi Bridge is closed to boaters). Arrange a car shuttle as not deemed a safe place to leave your vehicle.
1 or 2 nights, some 24 kms of Class I with a Class II at Ancho Rapids at this flow.
Embankments are very muddy due to 2006 forest fires and resultant erosion. Canyons are badly damaged and many trails washed out in a very little used area. May be hard to find trails. Try to head out to Painted Cave and Yapashi loop in Bandalier NAtional PArk (bring Topo maps and GPS). There was water in Capulin Canyon which we purified.
Last 4-5kms are flat water on the lake so get going early to avoid the possible strong winds.
Take out on Cochiti Lake at the Boat ramp on the east side of reservoir.
Overall it’s a nice float with 1 rapid which can be portaged if needed. Beautiful cliffs and scenery and plenty of solitude.