Colorado River

Evidence strength mostly comes down to three things: how direct the active gauge is, how clear the range is, and how fresh the data is.

These are the live readings and threshold notes behind today's score.

These notes cover the access details, route quirks, and source caveats most likely to matter once you get there.

• Named public corridorState Bridge to Catamount; approximately 16 miles; Class II/II+

  American Whitewater lists the State Bridge-to-Catamount section, the Upper Colorado guide documents the State Bridge/Two Bridges/Catamount sequence, and a current route guide describes the corridor as a mellow Class I–II float with BLM pullouts.

  Source

• Direct live gauge and flow gateUSGS 09060799; 700–9,000 cfs bounds; 1,200–7,000 cfs preferred band

  USGS provides direct Catamount Bridge discharge and gage-height telemetry. BoaterBeta ties the 700/1,200–7,000/9,000 cfs planning cues to this gauge; the product must present them as conservative mixed-source guidance rather than a safety guarantee.

  Source

• Lawful endpoint accessBLM State Bridge Recreation Site to BLM Catamount Bridge Boat Launch

  BLM documents a public launch at State Bridge and a concrete ramp, parking context, toilets, and campsites at Catamount. The endpoints are distinct from the existing Pumphouse-to-State-Bridge route.

  Source

• Safety boundaryMoving Class II/II+ water; cold-water/PFD/rescue readiness; mandatory Catamount take-out

  Keep this route separate from the downstream Catamount-to-Dotsero/Burns Canyon reach, which has harder Class II–IV context. Current scouting, debris review, and a conservative stop at Catamount are required.

  Source

• Camping and logisticsDesignated Catamount endpoint camping; State Bridge and Catamount access/parking rules apply

  The current BLM Catamount page lists five campsites and seasonal parking/visitor limits. No dispersed, sandbar, or private-bank camping is inferred.

  Source

• Rights-clean image decisionApproved Wikimedia Commons CC BY 2.0 Upper Colorado context image

  The selected Bob Wick / Bureau of Land Management image is licensed CC BY 2.0 on Wikimedia Commons. It is route-corridor context rather than a claim that the frame depicts either endpoint; attribution and license link are retained.

  Source

• Duplicate separationDistinct downstream State Bridge-to-Catamount reach

  This route begins at the existing Pumphouse-to-State-Bridge take-out and ends at Catamount, uses direct USGS 09060799, and is explicitly bounded before the separate Catamount-to-Dotsero/Burns Canyon reach.

  Source

Use these links to double-check the gauge, route details, and access notes before you head out.

• BLM State Bridge Recreation Site
• BLM Catamount Bridge Boat Launch
• BLM Upper Colorado River SRMA business plan
• American Whitewater State Bridge River Access
• BoaterBeta State Bridge to Catamount flow guidance
• Upper Colorado River Guide
• USGS 09060799 monitoring location
• USGS 09060799 current conditions
• Wikimedia Commons CC BY 2.0 Upper Colorado image