For most, the term “manmade whitewater” conjures up images of places like Water World in Denver and family innertube rides like the Ragin’ Colorado. But, for kayakers in Glenwood Springs, manmade whitewater and the ragin’ Colorado now have a whole different meaning…epic surf wave.
Last winter, following the lead of places like Golden, Reno and Vail, the city of Glenwood Springs agreed to build a whitewater park on the Colorado river after years of lobbying from local boaters. The $800,000 whitewater park, designed by Glenwood resident Jason Carey and his company RiverRestoration.org, was intended to be optimal at average river summer flows, anywhere from 3,000-1,500 c.f.s.
Of course, after a near-record snowfall this winter, the spring run-off has begun and the Colorado River has been rapidly rising. Rather than washing out at high flows, the wave at the new Glenwood Springs Whitewater Park just keeps getting bigger, much to the surprise and delight of local kayakers. At flows of 10,000 c.f.s and higher, the hole becomes a spectacular river-wide wave that has attracted boaters from across the state, and even some hardy geographically-challenged surfers.
The run-off has just begun and so far, as the water goes up, the wave just keeps getting better. What’ll it look like at 25,000 c.f.s? 30,000? We can hardly wait.