Comanche Creek - Return to My Roots

The hot, dry summer air trembled slightly. I stopped my cast and looked about.

Nothing moved except the flies buzzing about my head, crawling upon my bare legs, tickling me.

I cocked my head back and looked up.

I could see tool marks on the belly of the B-1 bomber as it silently passed overhead.

It was flying just off the deck, hugging the contours of the earth, just below the radar.

The engines’ great roar followed and left me screaming at the top of my lungs.

What a rush!

And then it was gone.

I anxiously looked around hoping to find someone, anyone, else who’d seen it too.

But I was alone, as I had been all day.

The flies continued their endless assault, a fish slowly rose and I returned to my pursuit.

Hunched over, knees bent, casting long loops of line, upstream, into the narrow current flowing between the brushy banks.

The fly settled quietly and gently floated back downstream. I steadily picked up the slack line between my rolling fingers.

The fish came out from under the cover and sanctuary of the bank and rose to lazily sip the fly off the water.

I gently raised my arm and the hook was set.

She splashed and ran with a hearty pull as she attempted to break free. I brought her in quickly, rolled her on her back and slipped the hook out.

I had a camera that day and captured the native cutthroat in all its glory, resting in the palm of my hand. A brilliant red slash under the jaw, a blaze of orange tanned the belly, deep green across the top of its back.

It had been years since I’d seen that photo or thought of that day.

That was until recently when I sat down to write a story for the local paper about opening day on the Valle Vidal.

This was where I learned to fish, fooling naïve, little cutthroats with rudimentary, hand-tied Caddis flies.

Knee-deep in Comanche Creek wearing shorts and sneakers, warm beers in the back of my vest. Over on the Rio Costilla, catching brookies below the dam, running all the way back to the truck in a thunderstorm, the crack of lighting spurring me on.

Camping at McCrystal before they improved the road to bring in more campers and started charging a fee.

Back when opening day meant you shared the river with people you might know, the New Mexico license plates far outnumbering the others.

It’s since gotten crowded on the Valle Vidal and I have stayed away as this beautiful mountain oasis has grown more popular. No crime in that, it’s what saved her in the end. She's protected now from oil and gas drilling, thanks to a great public outpouring and our representatives in Washington D.C.

So this year I went back. I returned to my roots and found the grand old lady still as sparkling and refreshing as a twenty-year old.

She just has a lot more suitors these days.

I slipped under the "exclosure" fencing installed along Comanche creek. They were put in to keep the cows and elk away, to encourage willows and other vegetation to grow and provide cover and shade for the fish.

There were other signs of work along the banks where it looked like they’d driven small-diameter cedar posts into the streambed to protect them and willow shoots had been planted.

This was some serious restoration work and done in preparation of a much bigger plan to restore native Rio Grande cutthroats back into this, their historic habitat. (see related article on the Valle Vidal)

The flies were still there as where the cutthroats, eager and willing to take my fly and still as beautiful as that day years ago when I captured the picture.

I craned my head back and looked up. There were no more military jets. Only big, billowing white clouds building against a remarkable blue sky.

I looked around at the surrounding hilltops dotted with trees, the steep slopes covered in grass and shale, a cathedral-like spire of tall rocks seemed to beckon me.

A truck roared by in a cloud of dust and fading music.

Hell, I thought, even on a busy day the Valle Vidal still has its magical touch.

Car-Camping 101 - A How To Guide

On a recent long weekend fishing trip in Northern New Mexico, Wiley the trout hound sits atop the author’s camping gear, stowed inside the trunk area of a 1996 Geo Tracker. Photo by Karl F. Moffatt/For The New Mexican

By KARL F. MOFFATT | The New Mexican
July 11, 2007

Has the high price of gas forced you to park the pickup and pack the commuter car just to go camping this summer?

Maybe you’re new to the West and raring to get out there and do some camping for the first time?

Whatever your situation, here is a road-trip tested, no-nonsense guide to economical, car-camping that’ll have you bound for the boonies in no time at all.

First, keep in mind that there are very few recreation areas in the West, including those deep within the national forests, that can’t be reached by passenger car.

You simply have to learn to drive low and slow.

Second, visit a store like the Coleman factory outlet in Santa Fe, where they have everything you could possibly need for camping in one place.

Their equipment is legendary, affordable and it works.

You can also pick up most of the following recommended items by shopping around at discount department, hardware and sporting-goods stores.

Just remember, we’re car camping here. We don’t need a lot of high-dollar, top of the line, lighter-than-air backpacking gear.

We just want reliable, affordable equipment that’ll get us comfortably through a typical three-day weekend camping trip.

Shelter and Sleeping

A good night’s sleep is essential, so grab one of those nice big, rectangular cut, flannel lined, cotton-duck covered sleeping bags. They’re roomy, cushy and really cheap.

The nylon-covered bags are just too noisy and slippery; and the mummy bags are too confining. Consider buying a bag rated for cooler temperatures, because it’s easier to cool off in a heavier bag than to try and warm up in a lighter one, although wearing a pair of thick wool socks and a knit watch cap solves that problem, too.

You’ll also need some kind of a ground mat for cushioning and warmth. Those thin, blue foam mats work fine if you’re a kid, but the self-inflating ground mats are so much better.

And while that soft bed of pine needles may be tempting, don’t camp under trees. There’s always the possibility of a limb coming down, a lightning strike or noisy raindrops dripping on your tent long after the storm has passed.

Instead, take two sleeping bags along, one for emergencies and to be used as a mattress on top of the ground mat for a really comfy night’s sleep.

For your tent, consider a freestanding, mid-size dome. They’re quick and simple to set up, require minimal staking and work just fine.

Make sure you check the tent out in the store first. Lie down, sit up and move around in it and make sure it’s a good fit. The floor should be made of a heavier material than the tent walls and extend upward to keep out any flooding. Dragging your heel in the dirt around your tent can also help do the same.

And make sure the tent’s rain fly stands out from the tent walls and is big enough to actually shed rain. Is there plenty of mosquito netting inside for ventilation and does it have little pockets on the tent walls to stash your eyeglasses?

And two doors are always better than one.

Remember to pick up a piece of thick plastic from your local hardware store to fit under your tent floor to protect it from sharp objects, crawly pests and ground moisture.

It’ll protect your investment, but carry some duct tape just in case.

Include a couple of pillows, your slippers, a good book and a battery-powered reading light in your bedroll. Bring extra batteries and a spare bulb — because you will inevitably fall asleep and leave the light on all night.

And if you have trouble getting to sleep outdoors, a good-sized can of pepper spray and a pair of those soft earplugs should help.

Camp Cooking

Buy a good jackknife and carry it; you will use it.

Get some of that old-fashioned blue and white speckled enamelware like the cowboys use. A big coffee cup, a plate and a metal spoon and fork are all you need for each person. This stuff cleans up easily with a water-filled spray bottle and paper towels.

There’s nothing better for your face and body on a hot, dry summer’s day than a blast of fine mist from that spray bottle, too.

For general cooking, buy yourself a good mid-sized, cast-iron skillet and a medium-sized, heavy-bottomed, stainless-steel pot with a tight lid. Both will provide the service, durability and ease of cleanup that camp use requires.

Do not opt instead for cheap, thin, non-stick coated aluminum pots and pans. You will regret it for too many reasons to list here.

And don’t forget the cowboy coffee pot. Add grounds, water and boil for a bit. Let the coffee settle before pouring carefully through a paper towel to filter out loose grounds.

For cooking, try a single or double burner propane or liquid gas stove. They work great and are essential when fire restrictions are in effect. A portable propane barbecue grill is fantastic for grilling steaks, chicken and fish and eliminates the need to tend a campfire and clean up pots and pans.

Bring along a roll of heavy-duty tinfoil to wrap and cook fish, steam fresh vegetables or bake potatoes. Carry a big, plastic trash bag to wrap up your greasy grill before you pack it up in the car.

Bring a five-gallon water jug with a spigot and a couple of kilo-sized plastic water bottles. Haul a water purifier for emergencies. Never pass up a chance to top off your water jugs.

Lastly, pack a chuck box full of dry goods like sugar, coffee or tea, nondairy creamer, hot chocolate, marshmallows, instant soup, soda crackers and all those other items you’ll need.

Then there’s your cooler. Make sure it has handles, a drain and recessed space in the lid for ease of packing.

Always use block ice. It’ll last three or four times longer than cube ice. Wrap your sleeping bags around the cooler and it’ll last even longer! Don’t drain the all the water out; it’s what’s keeping the food cold! Use plastic bags that can be zipped tight to store meats, dairy and other perishables. Double bag them, squeeze out as much of the air as you can to create a seal and sit them up to reduce the chance of water seeping in.

Remember to bring along condiments like butter, mayonnaise, mustard, ketchup, salsa, steak sauce etc.

Clothing

Most people arrive home from camping wearing the same clothes they left in. Just bring a pair of jeans and shorts, a couple of changes of good socks, some underwear, your boots and sandals, a couple of T-shirts and a button-down shirt for when you go to town. A wool or fleece sweater, raincoat, wide-brimmed hat and a baseball cap, bandanna and a pair of leather gloves should cover it.

First-Aide and Personal Kit
Have at the very least isopropyl alcohol, antibiotic cream, cloth Band-Aids, athletic tape, an Ace bandage, a needle and thread, Exacto-knife or razor blade, Pepto-Bismol, pain reliever, sunscreen and Solarcaine, toothpaste and brush, prescription medications, soap and a towel, toilet paper and more importantly, baby wipes and insect repellent.

Other Essentials

Maps.Binoculars.
A plastic tarp, 8x10 minimum, and at least 100-feet of rope cut into four equal lengths for rigging a shade or rain shelter.
A folding camp chair or stool and a TV dinner tray or other small folding table.
A deck of cards and a battery powered, AM/FM radio to help pass the time when forced under the shelter. AM radio really kicks in at night and can pick up some far out stations.
Bring your comfort blanket from home to snuggle in.
Use plenty of bags and boxes to arrange your stuff for easier packing.
Roll tarps, ground mats and sleeping bags on the hood of the car.
Carry jumper cables, a tow strap, a can of tire inflator, some basic tools, although you can get away with a Leatherman in a pinch.
Bring a small bow saw for cutting firewood and a collapsible bucket for hauling water.
Bring a folding shovel for snuffing out fires, digging cat holes and fighting off bears.
Always bring chocolate; you will die for it if you don’t have it.
And never pass up a good swimming hole or real roadside diner.

Also see this article at the Santa Fe New Mexican's web site

NM News - Valle Vidal Trout Restoration Project

The Valle Vidal at the confluence of Comanche Creek and the Rio Costilla.

There’s a lot of activity scheduled on the Valle Vidal this summer including new fishing regulations, stream closures and a planned celebration of the pristine mountain areas’ new protected status.

The Valle Vidal opens for fishing on July 1st and this year anglers will be allowed to catch and keep two cutthroat trout a day from the upper reaches of Comanche Creek and all of its tributaries, said Eric Frey, Northeast Area Fisheries Manager for the state Department of Game and Fish.

The streams in this area are in the final phases of being cleared of all fish in preparation of restocking with pure, native, Rio Grande cutthroat trout, Frey said.

The special bag limit on Comanche Creek and its tributaries is in effect upstream of the confluence of the Little Costilla Creek and ends July 22nd, Frey said.

There will be no bag limit at all on these waters from August 4th to Aug. 7th to allow anglers to harvest any fish remaining in these streams, Frey said.

Frey stressed that catch and release regulations including the use of single, barbless flies and lures remains in effect on the upper Rio Costilla and all other creeks and streams within the Valle Vidal.

An exception to that rule is at Shuree ponds where the bag limit is set at two fish per day over 15-inches in length, Frey said. Shuree ponds were recently stocked with brood-stock sized fish, he added.

Recent restoration work on Comanche Creek watershed has included the removal of about 1,000 cutthroat trout, many of which were transplanted into the nearby Rio Costilla, Frey said.

“So there should be some good fishing up there this opening day,” he said.
Visitors to the Valle Vidal will find some other changes this year as cutthroat trout restoration work continues.

Comanche creek is slated for closure to anglers and all others starting August 8th through August 26th to accommodate continued work on the stream including the application of a chemical treatment to eliminate any remaining fish, said Donna Storch, fish biologist with the Carson National Forest.

Comanche Creek’s closure commences from it’s confluence with the Rio Costilla at Comanche Point upstream to the Clayton Corrals area, about five miles.

Vehicle traffic will be allowed on the main route, Forest Road 1950, that runs parallel to Comanche Creek and up to high country and Shuree Ponds but stopping and exiting of vehicles is prohibited, Storch said.

Motorists will also find a new in stream barrier installed on Forest Road 1950 where it passes under the roadway near the Little Costilla Corrals to prohibit the migration of fish into the upper reaches of Comanche Creek.

The barrier is part of the overall cutthroat restoration project to remove non-native fish from waters throughout the region and reintroduce the native Rio Grande cutthroat trout to its native habitat.

Restoration work will greatly reduce threats to the Rio Grande cutthroat trout’s survival and eliminate the need for protection under the endangered species act. Such a listing usually results in severe restrictions on forest use and sport fishing.

The success of those reintroduction efforts has been greatly enhanced by habitat work done on Comanche Creek and the surrounding countryside, said George Long, Wildlife Biologist for the Carson National Forest.

Years of overgrazing, placer mining, road building, timber harvesting and past fish stocking practices have all contributed to the degradation of Comanche creek and its tributaries thus threatening the Rio Grande cutthroat’s existence, Long said.

But much work has been done to close off and in some cases, eliminate roads that cause excessive runoff and erosion that fouls waters.

Stream banks have been rebuilt and restored with native vegetation to create a healthier environment for fish to thrive. And non-native fish such as rainbow trout and white suckers have been eliminated to allow the Rio Grande cutthroats a clean start in their restored home waters, Long said.

Much of that work has involved volunteer groups such as the Truchas Chapter of Trout Unlimited, New Mexico Trout, the Quivera Coalition and the Albuquerque Chapter of the New Mexico Wildlife Federation, Long said.

“We couldn’t have done it without them,” he said.

To celebrate the many efforts made by these groups and others to protect the Valle Vidal a Youth and Appreciation Day has been scheduled for July 21st at Shuree Ponds, said, Jeremy Vesbach, Executive Director of New Mexico Wildlife Federation.

“There’s a lot of celebrate and everybody’s invited,” he said.

The Valle Vidal waters now have state oversight and protection from water pollution and the forest lands have been granted federal legal protection from proposed gas and oil drilling, Vesbach said.

New Mexico’s congressional delegation and a great deal of public support led to passage of Rep.Tom Udall D-NM bill, the Valle Vidal Protection Act, this past winter.
Many organizations will be involved in the celebration including Amigos Bravos, Sierra Club, New Mexico Wilderness Alliance, Trout Unlimited and the state Dept. of Game and Fish. Activities such as a stream restoration workshop, a fly-casting clinic, a birding hike and other festivities are scheduled and many organizations will have informational booths in place.

“Everybody’s invited,” Vesbach said.

And privately owned Costilla Park is also slated to open the same weekend as its neighbor, the Valle Vidal, said Billie Norsworthy of the Rio Costilla Cooperative Livestock Association’s office in Costilla.

The park offers camping at $20 a night and fishing along the lower stretch of the Rio Costilla where regular fishing regulations and bag limits apply.

Latir lakes and area streams in the high country hold plenty of cutthroat trout and will open for fishing and camping on June 29th. A four-wheel drive vehicle is required to climb to Latir Lakes and fishing is $7 a day and camping $20 a night. A state issued license is also required.

“If you’re going to come camping this is the time to do it,” Norsworthy said. “Conditions are great.”

The San Juan River - Habitat Improvement Project

Tim McCarty, 56, of Albuquerque shows off a trout caught in the renovated area below Simon Canyon during a recent fishing trip.

By KARL F. MOFFATT | For The Santa Fe New Mexican/Outdoors
June 7, 2007

Anglers looking for some good fishing and a little breathing room on New Mexico’s popular San Juan River need only look downstream to a stretch of recently improved trout habitat.

“Looks like money well spent,” said Tim McCarthy, 56, of Albuquerque, as he released a good-sized rainbow trout caught in the project area during a recent fishing trip. “It’s nice and fishy down here.”

That’s the response state and federal officials were hoping for when they finished the second stage of the three-phase project designed to entice fish and anglers to the lower reaches of the state’s premier trout stream.

Over the last two winters about 500 tons of strategically placed boulders have been installed in a three-quarter-of-a-mile stretch of previously barren and featureless water below Simon Canyon and just above the area known as The Gravel Pit.

The rock work will help directs water to the center of the river where it will create a deeper channel which will carry off sediment and provide trout with good cover. Boulders placed in the channel itself will churn up the water to add oxygen and provide protective areas where fish can hold, said Marc Wethington, state Game and Fish biologist for the San Juan River.

And the work is apparently beginning to pay off.

“We had hoped to see some results this fishing season,” Wethington said. “It should get even better with time.”

Wethington said too many anglers crowd into the Texas Hole area below Navajo Dam and neglect to use the rest of the estimated 4.25 miles of public access to the river.

“We wanted to relieve some of that congestion, spread out the anglers and make fishing here more enjoyable for everyone,” Wethington said.

A plan was hatched — spurred, in part, after offers from private energy firms operating in the area to contribute to such projects, Wethington said.

“We like to fish down there, too,” said Steve Zink, a production supervisor for Devon Energy which employs 32 people and operates about 500 oil and gas wells in the Navajo Dam area. “This is just Devon’s part in giving something back to the community, and the fish, too.”

Public agencies such as Game and Fish, the Bureau of Land Management, the Bureau of Reclamation, the Army Corp of Engineers and Navajo Lake State Park worked together on the project along with the San Juan Fly Fishing Federation and several energy firms including Devon Energy, Williams and ConocoPhillips. Adobe Construction of Bloomfield provided the heavy lifting for the job.

Wethington said his peer at the BLM, wildlife biologist John Hansen, was instrumental in the project, particularly in securing the use of federal Sikes Act funds to get the project off the ground.

Those who hunt, fish or trap on public lands pay an additional $5 for a Sikes Act “habitat stamp” when they purchase a license.

Those funds are typically used on projects such as providing water for wildlife through the installation of wells, rain- catchment systems and holding tanks or earthen ponds. Sikes funds might also be used for range management or wildlife reintroduction programs, Hansen said.

“But this is one of those cases where you can actually see that Sikes Act money put to work,” Hansen said. “It’s been one of the best projects I’ve worked on in my career considering how well everyone came together, the results and the public response.”

Fishing guides who ply the San Juan’s waters welcomed the project that aimed to improve conditions on the last stretch of water that many drift boats pass through before they reach the Gravel Pit takeout.

“This gives us a place to fish that we didn’t have before,” said Greg Faught of the Float and Fish fly shop and guide service of Navajo Dam. “During high water, it’ll do wonders to move sand and silt out of there. I give it a big thumbs-up.”

During high water season on the San Juan River, water flows from the dam are increased from 500 to 5,000 cubic-feet-per-second, or cfs, for several weeks to mimic spring runoff and deliver water downstream.

The higher flows serve to clear the riverbed of silt and sand as well as other debris that has built up during the year and can smother insect production, the primary food source for trout.

The high-water season ended the last week of May, and water has since scoured deep holes behind the boulders installed in the project area which will not give trout a new place to live.

It also moved out plenty of built-up sand and sediment which should improve the insect population in that area, Faught said.

“I think this is going to be great wading and dry-fly water,” Faught said.

Anglers wanting to test these waters should consider fishing the area in the mornings and early afternoons before the drift boats start coming through, Faught said.

The project represented several major engineering obstacles but proceeded smoothly nonetheless, Wethington said.

Boulders had to be trucked in about 50 miles from a quarry near Ignacio, Colo., with each weighing an estimated 11/2 to 2 tons and “about as big and round as the hood of a pickup,” Wethington said.

Heavy equipment couldn’t be driven along the riverbanks due to environmental restrictions, so workers had the water flow lowered to 250 cfs and brought in a high-clearance, all-wheel-drive dump truck to haul the boulders upstream through the river itself. A tractor, with a movable arm fitted with a pincher claw, worked out of the riverbed, picking up and positioning the boulders.

The project area represents the last mile of the San Juan’s quality waters which are home to an estimated 75,000 trout.

The first quarter-mile of the river is strictly catch and release, and the remaining four miles have a bag limit of one trout over 20 inches with the angler required to stop fishing once they have taken a fish that day. Single, barbless lures are required on the quality waters.

Below the quality waters, anglers can use bait, and the normal bag limit is in effect

on public access to another 3.5 miles of river.

The third and final phase of the project will target the Cottonwood Campground area in the bait water section of the river.

The design is expected to be functional as well as aesthetically pleasing as the state park campground serves as a highly visible centerpiece for the entire Navajo Lake State Park which encompasses the quality waters of the San Juan River.

The third phase will make use of downed cottonwood trees to provide structure as well as more boulders and excavations which will create suitable habitat for holding fish as well as reduce silt and sediment buildup.

Fish-holding areas created by the structure work will be particularly useful in this part of the river as it is regularly stocked with up to 60,000, 9- to 12-inch trout for anglers to catch and eat.

The fish habitat project has cost about $85,000 to date. According to Wethington, anglers spend about 250,000 hours a year fishing on San Juan River below Navajo Dam and contribute an estimated $20 million to $30 million to the state’s economy every year.

Also see this article at the Santa Fe New Mexican's web site)

NM News - 2007 Rafting Season Saved

(Photo courtesy of N.M. Dept. of Tourism)

Recent wet weather, cooler temperatures and good snow pack at Wolf Creek Pass in Southern Colorado have apparently saved the Rio Grande’s high water rafting season from what some feared would be an early end.

“We thought we were doomed in March,” said Mike Boren, a river raft guide for New Wave Rafting of Santa Fe.

That’s when a spell of warm, dry weather began quickly melting mountain snow pack and brought on peak water flows of about 2000 cubic-feet-per-second (cfs). Then the water began to come down, leading some to believe the high water season had already come and gone.

Instead the runoff season has picked up again and is fueling the high-water flows that allow rafting companies to offer their most exciting and lucrative trips through the Taos Box.

“To be profitable we really need a Box season,” said Boren’s boss, Steve Miller. “We have a lot of locals who come when there’s exciting water and right now the flows are fabulous.”

The Box was running at 950 cfs on Wednesday (May 30, 2007) and the higher flows could continue for a few more weeks to come if the weather cooperates, said Richard Armijo, a snow surveyor with the USDA’s Natural Resource Conservation Service in Albuquerque.

“There’s still pretty good snow pack in place at Wolf Creek Pass,” he said.
The 11,000-foot pass in Southern Colorado which feeds into the Rio Grande watershed is still holding 83-percent of its snow pack which accounts for almost 25 inches of water, Armijo said.

“That should be good for two or three more weeks,” he said.

That and good rains last summer and fall increased soil moisture content throughout the region to allow melting snow and recent rains to fill the creeks, streams and springs feeding the big river.

“We’re looking pretty good this year,” he said.

More information regarding snow pack and reservoir levels and other water information can be found at their website .

“That’s great news. We were hoping to have a Box season through the end of June,” said Miller. For more info about trips check their website .

The Taos Box provides rafting enthusiasts with a 17-mile Rio Grande gorge trip from the John Dunn Bridge north of Taos near the village of Arroyo Hondo downstream to the Taos Junction bridge near Pilar.

Bill Blackstock of Far-Flung Adventures of Taos said the Taos Box trip is a big draw for his customers as it provides a full day’s adventure on the water with plenty of majestic gorge scenery, wildlife viewing and whitewater thrills.

“It starts out mellow,” Blackstock said. “But by the last four miles it’s nothing but rapids. If you love the water this is the place to be.”

Blackstone said he too hopes to stretch out the Taos Box season as long as possible. Check their website for trip details.

Rio Grande water flows from Colorado are dependent upon how much water is pulled from the river for irrigation and ground water recharge in southern Colorado.

If rains keeps farmers fields wet like they have recently and wind and temperatures remain moderate, the high water could keep coming.

But those flows could also begin to wane if the region begins to dry out.

“That’s why if you want to get in on some high water, your best bet is probably going to be the next couple of weeks,” said Rico Salazar of the Pilar Yacht Club Café, a retired rafting guide who books river trips and shuttles vehicles back and forth between the put-in and take-outs for rafting outfits such as Far Flung Adventures.

Most rafting companies will cease to offer the Taos Box trips once water flows get down around four to five hundred CFS and there’s no saying when that may occur as that’s entirely dependent upon the weather.

But even once the high water ends, the five-mile Race Course section of the Rio Grande will still continue to provide rafting enthusiasts with plenty of white water thrills from Pilar down to the Taos/Rio Arriba County line just north of the Dixon turn-off.

“We can always run the Race Course,” he said.

Bill Bailey, Recreation Manager for the Taos Field Office of the Bureau of Land Management which oversees rafting on the Rio Grande in northern New Mexico, said snow pack in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains was normal for this year and has helped keep water flows in the Rio Grande high.

Bailey noted that water flows on the Rio Grande on May 29 registered close to 400 cfs at the Colorado state line but had more than doubled to 950 cfs when measured at the mouth of the Taos Box the same day.

Bailey said natural springs along the Rio Grande in the Wild Rivers area north of Taos and streams such as the Red River and the Rio Pueblo de Taos feed into the Rio Grande and help boost its flows.

Bailey was guardedly optimistic that the river would continue to see good flows throughout the summer.

“A lot of us are feeling we’ll be running at 300 to 400 cfs,” he said. “And that would be good for recreation.”

Bailey noted that climatic change in recent years has forced river runners to adapt to lower water flows on the river and that has helped them alter their services and extend the rafting season.

“Back in the late 1980’s everybody would be disappointed it (the Rio Grande) wasn’t flowing at 2000 cfs this time of year,” Bailey said. “It was no fun unless it was roaring.”

During those days customers hung on for dear life while an oarsman piloted a big raft downstream. Those kinds of trips were dependent on big water and produced big thrills.

“It could be scary,” he said.

But now companies have smaller, more easily maneuverable rafts which can negotiate the river better during low water conditions. Customers can now also participate in helping paddle the raft or pilot their own inflatable kayak trip during a guided trip, Bailey said.

“It’s a different kind of river experience, there’s time to enjoy the scenery,” Bailey said. “I think people have responded to that well.”

But the Rio Grande isn’t the only game in town for river rafters.

The Rio Chama is also flowing well right now and has the added benefit of controlled flows out of upstream dams on weekends during the summer months, said Mary Scofield, President of Adobe Whitewater.