Colorado | East River / Gunnison County
East RiverCrested Butte South to Almont
A guarded approximately 12-mile Lower East River run from the Crested Butte South wastewater-treatment-plant access to the Almont access area, paired with the direct USGS 09112200 East River below Cement Creek gauge.
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Need to know
Why this call
Route overview
Trip details
Access rules, camping, seasonal conditions and trip length.
Distance, difficulty, rules and camping
Plan ahead
Tomorrow and the weekend
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Plan
Plan your trip
Launch points, shuttle details, distance, and access notes.
Route logistics
Access and shuttle
A guarded Lower East Class I–III run with direct 09112200 discharge, 800 cfs minimum-only planning, optional Roaring Judy exit, increasing wood toward Almont, sensitive CB South access, and a mandatory Almont exit.
Access map
Put-in
Crested Butte South wastewater-treatment-plant accessAmerican Whitewater identifies the CB South wastewater-treatment plant as the put-in but says access has been sensitive. Confirm current permission, signage, parking, landing, and operator restrictions before launching.
Take-out
Almont River Access AreaThe Roaring Judy fish hatchery is an optional exit around 7.5 miles; the selected endpoint is the Almont access area near the Taylor/East confluence. Verify the landing and exit in person.
Road shuttle
Access notes and hazards
Access caveats
- American Whitewater identifies the CB South wastewater-treatment plant as the put-in but says access has been sensitive. Confirm current permission, signage, parking, landing, and operator restrictions before launching.
- The Roaring Judy fish hatchery is an optional exit around 7.5 miles; the selected endpoint is the Almont access area near the Taylor/East confluence. Verify the landing and exit in person.
- The entire run is surrounded by private property according to American Whitewater. Do not use unverified shorelines, cross fences, or continue downstream without a separate lawful access plan.
- If wood, barbed wire, low bridges, closure signs, unsafe landing, or unclear permission blocks either endpoint, the route is unavailable. Use a separately verified campground or lodging reservation.
Watch for
- USGS 09112200 below 800 cfs, rapidly changing, unavailable, or inconsistent with the physical river; 800–3000 cfs is planning context, not a safe-runnable certification
- wood increasing toward Almont, strainers, barbed wire, low bridges, wave trains, cold water, private banks, and limited recovery
- CB South treatment-plant permission, optional Roaring Judy exit, Taylor/East confluence, and failure to exit at Almont
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Conditions
Water levels, gauge history, and hourly forecast
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USGS measurements
More about this gauge
These measurements come from the gauge station. Water depth and current can differ along your trip.
River camera · USGS
View at the gauge
East River below Cement Creek near Crested Butte, CO. This view may be outside your paddling reach. Images are periodic and do not establish safe conditions.
Gauge detail
Water-level history and forecastDetailed view
Gauge
Recent trend
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Route gallery
Photos
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Score & sources
Why this score
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Why this scoreData reliability: checking
This rating reflects whether the gauge measures this part of the river, whether published water-level guidance is available, and how recently the data was updated.
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Data behind the scoreWater levels, published guidance and update times
These readings and published water-level limits help explain today’s score.
| Gauge site | East River below Cement Creek near Crested Butte, CO |
| Discharge | Checking |
| Gauge height | Checking |
| 24h trend | Checking |
| 24h change | Checking |
| Current band | Checking |
| Rain last 24h | Checking |
| Rain last 72h | Checking |
| Air temp | Checking |
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| Wind | Checking |
| Gusts | Checking |
| Rain timing | Checking |
| Preferred range | Needs paddler reports |
| Known low-water floor | 800 cfs |
| High threshold | Water-level guidance unavailable |
| Evidence strength behind the range | Official and local sources |
| Gauge observed | Checking |
| Paddle Today updated | Checking |
| Main source behind this score | American Whitewater Lower East 800–3000 cfs planning band, with 1350 cfs local run context and low-bridge caution above approximately 1800 cfs |
| Gauge source | Checking |
| Weather source | Checking |
| Rainfall source | Checking |
NotesWhat to know before you go
These notes cover the access details, route quirks, and source caveats most likely to matter once you get there.
- Named Lower East corridorCrested Butte South to Almont; approximately 11.6–12 miles; Class I–III
American Whitewater names the Lower East run, the endpoints, the optional Roaring Judy exit, and the Class I–III character.
- Direct live gauge and flow gateUSGS 09112200; 800 cfs minimum-only planning floor and 800–3000 cfs preferred context
USGS provides direct discharge telemetry below Cement Creek. American Whitewater embeds the 800–3000 cfs planning band; use bridge and wood observations to override any numeric plan.
- Endpoint accessCB South treatment-plant access to Almont River Access Area, with optional Roaring Judy exit
American Whitewater provides the named access records and local reporting documents conditional CB South watercraft access. Reconfirm current permission, parking, landing, signage, and fish-hatchery/private-property restrictions.
- Safety boundaryWood, barbed wire, low bridges, private banks, and mandatory Almont exit
American Whitewater reports increasing wood toward Almont, historical barbed-wire concerns, low bridges at higher water, sensitive access, and private property along the run.
- Camping and logisticsNearby developed campground/basecamp only; no on-route camping
No route-specific riverside camping is established. Use a separately verified lawful basecamp or lodging and obey current landowner, Forest Service, and facility restrictions.
- Duplicate separationDistinct East River 09112200 corridor, separate from Taylor River 09109000/09110000 routes
This route follows East River from CB South to Almont and uses the East River gauge; it is not a duplicate of either Taylor River route despite the shared final confluence area.
Verify it yourselfCheck the source links
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Paddler reports
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Reports
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Quick answers
East River paddling FAQ
What water level is best for the Crested Butte South to Almont route on the East River?
Paddle Today watches East River below Cement Creek near Crested Butte, CO and uses 800 cfs as the conservative low-water floor for this route. The ideal range still needs more paddler reports.
Where does the Crested Butte South to Almont route on the East River start and end?
This route starts at Crested Butte South wastewater-treatment-plant access and ends at Almont River Access Area, Approximately 12 river miles from CB South to Almont, with an optional Roaring Judy exit around 7.5 miles on the water.
Is the Crested Butte South to Almont route on the East River suitable for beginners?
This is listed as a moderate route. Expect more planning than an easy float, and use the live score, route notes, and source links before committing.
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