Related to my other post: How far up the Brazos have you taken a boat? How close can you get to the dam at Whitney? Any parts that are particularly beautiful?
Post Reply
1 of 1
The Brazos
4,194 Views |
23 Replies |
Last: 4 yr ago by BealBear
It completely depends on how much water they are letting out of Whitney. I have kayaked the full stretch from the dam down to Cameron Park (about 32 miles), and its a blast when they are releasing water. If not...its brutal. It can get real shallow, definitely have had to get out of my kayak and portage over sand/gravel bars and whatnot. So, its a total crapshoot.
Check this and it'll give you a good idea of the conditions and flow rate.
Usually somewhere in the 3-5,000 CFS range is best to avoid hitting gravel bars. At this second, its flowing at 566. Not great for doing the whole stretch, you'd definitely be bottoming out plenty the further north you go.
Check this and it'll give you a good idea of the conditions and flow rate.
Usually somewhere in the 3-5,000 CFS range is best to avoid hitting gravel bars. At this second, its flowing at 566. Not great for doing the whole stretch, you'd definitely be bottoming out plenty the further north you go.
Joined:
Aug 23, 2016
Posts:
69,414
User Profile
Private Message
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Staff
I had never done this and wanted to before I'm dead. After a good rain you want to avoid the mounds of fire ants and moccasins floating by, but there are some great tree lined areas of the river as well as limestone cliffs.TrapIt4Life said:
It completely depends on how much water they are letting out of Whitney. I have kayaked the full stretch from the dam down to Cameron Park (about 32 miles), and its a blast when they are releasing water. If not...its brutal. It can get real shallow, definitely have had to get out of my kayak and portage over sand/gravel bars and whatnot. So, its a total crapshoot.
Check this and it'll give you a good idea of the conditions and flow rate.
Usually somewhere in the 3-5,000 CFS range is best to avoid hitting gravel bars. At this second, its flowing at 566. Not great for doing the whole stretch, you'd definitely be bottoming out plenty the further north you go.
This sounds like a SicEm365 Trip!Brian Ethridge said:I had never done this and wanted to before I'm dead. After a good rain you want to avoid the mounds of fire ants and moccasins floating by, but there are some great tree lined areas of the river as well as limestone cliffs.TrapIt4Life said:
It completely depends on how much water they are letting out of Whitney. I have kayaked the full stretch from the dam down to Cameron Park (about 32 miles), and its a blast when they are releasing water. If not...its brutal. It can get real shallow, definitely have had to get out of my kayak and portage over sand/gravel bars and whatnot. So, its a total crapshoot.
Check this and it'll give you a good idea of the conditions and flow rate.
Usually somewhere in the 3-5,000 CFS range is best to avoid hitting gravel bars. At this second, its flowing at 566. Not great for doing the whole stretch, you'd definitely be bottoming out plenty the further north you go.
Joined:
Aug 23, 2016
Posts:
69,414
User Profile
Private Message
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Staff
It'll be a Spring or late Fall event as I'm not getting torched by the sun in a kayak.OsoCoreyell said:This sounds like a SicEm365 Trip!Brian Ethridge said:I had never done this and wanted to before I'm dead. After a good rain you want to avoid the mounds of fire ants and moccasins floating by, but there are some great tree lined areas of the river as well as limestone cliffs.TrapIt4Life said:
It completely depends on how much water they are letting out of Whitney. I have kayaked the full stretch from the dam down to Cameron Park (about 32 miles), and its a blast when they are releasing water. If not...its brutal. It can get real shallow, definitely have had to get out of my kayak and portage over sand/gravel bars and whatnot. So, its a total crapshoot.
Check this and it'll give you a good idea of the conditions and flow rate.
Usually somewhere in the 3-5,000 CFS range is best to avoid hitting gravel bars. At this second, its flowing at 566. Not great for doing the whole stretch, you'd definitely be bottoming out plenty the further north you go.
In my Baylor experience ('88-'92), I don't remember much to do with the Brazos. It was just there but you wouldn't really want to get on it.
Today, my daughter who is a Baylor student but home for the summer is excited about getting back to Waco to hang with her friends and do stuff before school starts. One of the big things she mentioned was kayaking, sailing, skiing, etc on the Brazos.
Not sure why it left such a big impression on me but I was really amazed how much the Brazos is getting incorporated into the Baylor experience.
I look forward to a time when restaurants and more activities line the Brazos up University Parks and downtown.
I'd be down.
This would be all kinds of funBrian Ethridge said:It'll be a Spring or late Fall event as I'm not getting torched by the sun in a kayak.OsoCoreyell said:This sounds like a SicEm365 Trip!Brian Ethridge said:I had never done this and wanted to before I'm dead. After a good rain you want to avoid the mounds of fire ants and moccasins floating by, but there are some great tree lined areas of the river as well as limestone cliffs.TrapIt4Life said:
It completely depends on how much water they are letting out of Whitney. I have kayaked the full stretch from the dam down to Cameron Park (about 32 miles), and its a blast when they are releasing water. If not...its brutal. It can get real shallow, definitely have had to get out of my kayak and portage over sand/gravel bars and whatnot. So, its a total crapshoot.
Check this and it'll give you a good idea of the conditions and flow rate.
Usually somewhere in the 3-5,000 CFS range is best to avoid hitting gravel bars. At this second, its flowing at 566. Not great for doing the whole stretch, you'd definitely be bottoming out plenty the further north you go.
Joined:
Aug 23, 2016
Posts:
69,414
User Profile
Private Message
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Staff
Whitney down to Waco?
Sounds like a Lonesome Dove river crossingBrian Ethridge said:I had never done this and wanted to before I'm dead. After a good rain you want to avoid the mounds of fire ants and moccasins floating by, but there are some great tree lined areas of the river as well as limestone cliffs.TrapIt4Life said:
It completely depends on how much water they are letting out of Whitney. I have kayaked the full stretch from the dam down to Cameron Park (about 32 miles), and its a blast when they are releasing water. If not...its brutal. It can get real shallow, definitely have had to get out of my kayak and portage over sand/gravel bars and whatnot. So, its a total crapshoot.
Check this and it'll give you a good idea of the conditions and flow rate.
Usually somewhere in the 3-5,000 CFS range is best to avoid hitting gravel bars. At this second, its flowing at 566. Not great for doing the whole stretch, you'd definitely be bottoming out plenty the further north you go.
The great sicem365 flotilla 2019 sponsored by ___?Brian Ethridge said:
Whitney down to Waco?
BUbearinARK said:The great sicem365 flotilla 2019 sponsored by ___?Brian Ethridge said:
Whitney down to Waco?
I'm sure something could be worked out
Joined:
Aug 23, 2016
Posts:
69,414
User Profile
Private Message
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Staff
I'm sure 3Nations would be down.Funky Town Bear said:BUbearinARK said:The great sicem365 flotilla 2019 sponsored by ___?Brian Ethridge said:
Whitney down to Waco?
I'm sure something could be worked out
In late 90's / early 2000's there was a slalom course up past the houses. That's where we stopped as it got fairly shallow. However, never really tested it, so so what likely you can get as far as you want.
Joined:
Aug 23, 2016
Posts:
69,414
User Profile
Private Message
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Staff
Ok, if we do this are we renting kayaks or do some already own? Sort of want one.
I have boated about 20-25 miles-up from campus but then it got to shallow, with a kayak you could probably make it the whole way. Got a new boat this year with a shallow draft so going to take a trip up the Brazos the Friday before first football game.
Either way. I've got one. Honestly, for a group, I wouldn't try to cover more than 15 miles. That's actually a long way to kayak. Water doesn't move fast enough to do the full run from Whitney in one day comfortably.Brian Ethridge said:
Ok, if we do this are we renting kayaks or do some already own? Sort of want one.
Joined:
Aug 23, 2016
Posts:
69,414
User Profile
Private Message
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Staff
OsoCoreyell said:Either way. I've got one. Honestly, for a group, I wouldn't try to cover more than 15 miles. That's actually a long way to kayak. Water doesn't move fast enough to do the full run from Whitney in one day comfortably.Brian Ethridge said:
Ok, if we do this are we renting kayaks or do some already own? Sort of want one.
Yeah, 6-8 miles is all I can find an outfitter will to do.
Chiming in on this just to add that if you've never read John Graves's memoir "Goodbye to a River," about canoeing the Brazos before the dams went in, you oughta rectify that right quick.
AmenEnglishBear said:
Chiming in on this just to add that if you've never read John Graves's memoir "Goodbye to a River," about canoeing the Brazos before the dams went in, you oughta rectify that right quick.
Not sure, The Oldsmobile never seems to make it past Cameron Park...
I will be expecting a call that afternoon.BealBear said:
I have boated about 20-25 miles-up from campus but then it got to shallow, with a kayak you could probably make it the whole way. Got a new boat this year with a shallow draft so going to take a trip up the Brazos the Friday before first football game.
Mr. Treehorn treats objects like women, man.
I commend this to everyone. A true literary classic:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/107202.Goodbye_to_a_River?ac=1&from_search=true
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/107202.Goodbye_to_a_River?ac=1&from_search=true
A few years ago, a group of guys I hang with got together and canoed from the bottom of Possum Kingdom to the Boy Scout Camp down-river. We camped there and then took another full day to get to the "Sta-Sto-Gro" site from the book, getting out about 10 times along the way to walk up to sites that Graves talked about. We did this in late October when the dam was open, so the flow was great.curtpenn said:
I commend this to everyone. A true literary classic:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/107202.Goodbye_to_a_River?ac=1&from_search=true
We had all read the book before we went. It was one of the best things I've ever done in my life. Truly. Fall is a magical time on the Brazos, and it was like paddling back 50 years. Every self-respecting Texas man owes himself a canoe trip down any part of the Brazos. Its our heritage.
trey3216 said:I will be expecting a call that afternoon.BealBear said:
I have boated about 20-25 miles-up from campus but then it got to shallow, with a kayak you could probably make it the whole way. Got a new boat this year with a shallow draft so going to take a trip up the Brazos the Friday before first football game.
Of course, already booked room for the Friday before.