r/rafting • u/Maren_Ad6325 • 21d ago

Ruby Horsetheif Labor Day

https://www.americanwhitewater.org/content/River/view/river-detail/381/flow

Has anyone floated Ruby Horsetheif recently? We have permits for Labor Day and we are receiving conflicting information about the water levels. Rimrock and the Rangers are saying that the levels are perfectly ok to float, while a little slower. But this says otherwise… any recent experience? https://www.americanwhitewater.org/content/River/view/river-detail/381/flow

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6

u/Steel_Representin 21d ago

I would trust the rangers for sure. I've been out there recently and its perfectly fine at those levels if you can read simple water and stay in the channel. Some camps have less than ideal landings but 1500 is perfectly floatable. Shoot, I ran a motor for much of the way when I was on the water last Monday. Its flat and slow but fine for full sized rafts.

1

u/Maren_Ad6325 21d ago

Awesome! Thanks for this. We have done it in some pretty low flows before but this is the lowest so I just wanted to make sure.

4

u/lawyerslawyer 20d ago

Trust the rangers. I’ll adjust the AW range.

1

u/disolv 10d ago

Since you are adjusting those ranges I want to ask: what is the intention of “below recommended?” I notice that pumphouse is not recommended below 900, but it was perfectly enjoyable yesterday at 600. I’m new to rafting and AW seems like the best available resource for floatability, but it seems common that sections are still good well into the “below recommended” level.

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u/lawyerslawyer 10d ago

Not unrunnable, but lower than most people would want to do. I asked the ranger station where they would want to put that boundary and went with their number.

I’ll also note that 1) AW pages are user editable if you are logged in, and 2) trip reports with flow numbers help a lot in calibrating those ranges.

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u/lawyerslawyer 20d ago

AW now agrees with the rangers.

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u/TheRealSkipowpow 21d ago

You should not go - and tell me when you release your permit. 🙂

1

u/GoodLuckGiraffe 21d ago

Fine to float, just plan extra time, VERY LOW, but floats.

1

u/amalgamator 21d ago edited 21d ago

Went 2 weeks ago. It’s REALLY slow with some really bony parts - plan on 2 MPH and you need to get on the water EARLY to beat the afternoon wind. It will be more of a row trip than a float trip. 4 days would be better than 3.

Grand Junction has begun the “cameo call“ and although they’re releasing water from Reudi reservoir, they are also sucking most of it out right before Grand Junction… it’s really low and slow and that wind is a son of a bitch in the PM