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Access Site CO

Put In

Clear Creek • West Fork Clear Creek

Source: american_whitewater Updated 3 months ago

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City: CO
County: Clear Creek
Type: Whitewater Put In
Location: 39.76000000, -105.64900000
Air Temp: --
Location
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Nearby Gauge Conditions
West Fork Clear Creek above Mouth near Empire, CO Same River 0.6 mi away
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Clear Creek above West Fork Clear Creek near Empire CO Same River 0.9 mi away
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Clear Creek near Lawson, CO Same River 1.3 mi away
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Real-time data from USGS Water Services
Whitewater Run
III-IV Put-in Clear Creek - 03. Lawson to Idaho Springs
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Current Conditions
-- • 200.00-1500.00 cfs
Clear Creek near Lawson, CO
Whitewater Runs on Clear Creek
9 runs (8 nearby)
Difficulty Classes
I Easy II Novice III Intermediate IV Advanced V Expert/Extreme VI Unrunnable
Position relative to this access site: Put-in at this location This location is on the run Take-out at this location
Downstream from here Upstream from here
III-IV Put-in at this location 03. Lawson to Idaho Springs
7.7 mi
III Downstream from here (9.8 mi to put-in) 04. Idaho Springs Town Run
4.7 mi
IV Downstream from here (14.7 mi to put-in) 05. Upper Clear Creek ("Kermits")
5.4 mi 110 ft/mi
III Downstream from here (17.8 mi to put-in) 06. Middle Clear Creek
1.9 mi
IV-V(V+) Downstream from here (22.1 mi to put-in) 07. Black Rock - Green Bay Rock (MM 262.9) to Rigor Mortis (MM 267.2)
3.1 mi 114 ft/mi
IV Downstream from here (24.3 mi to put-in) 08. Lower - Rigor Mortis (MM 267.2) to the diversion Dam
2.9 mi 85 ft/mi
IV(V+) Upstream from here (6.7 mi from take-out) 01. Loveland Ski Area to Silverplume
11.1 mi
V+ Upstream from here (5.7 mi from take-out) 02. Silverplume to Georgetown
0.9 mi 390 ft/mi
These whitewater runs are on the same river but located more than 50 miles from this access site.
V 70 mi away 01. Missouri Creek TH to Dirt Road
7.7 mi 163 ft/mi
Whitewater data from American Whitewater
About This Access Site
Put In is a whitewater put-in access point on Clear Creek in Clear Clear County, Colorado. Clear Creek is a significant waterway with a total length of nearly 94 miles, dropping over 3,000 feet in elevation as it flows through the Colorado mountains. This section of the creek maintains an average gradient of 34.1 feet per mile, which indicates moderate to challenging whitewater conditions typical of mountain streams in the region.

The creek supports a substantial volume of water with an average flow of approximately 188 cubic feet per second and maintains an average current velocity of 2.56 feet per second. As a Stream Order 7 river with a drainage area exceeding 1,000 square miles, Clear Creek drains a significant portion of the central Colorado mountains. The elevation at this access point is approximately 5,250 feet, placing it in the foothills region where recreational boating and paddling activities are popular.

Boaters and paddlers using this put-in should be prepared for mountain stream conditions with variable water levels dependent on seasonal snowmelt and precipitation patterns. The location provides access to a well-established whitewater corridor that attracts kayakers and rafters throughout the paddling season. Water temperature will be cold year-round due to the high elevation and mountain snowmelt source.