RMSKC official trips are planned by Trip Leaders, cleared by the Trip Coordinator(s), published in the RMSKC Newsletter and then posted on the website calendar (this page). While anyone may post an informal paddles on the forum message board, those are not RMSKC official trips.
Day paddle events organized by RMSKC at Colorado lakes and reservoirs are open to RMSKC members and guests. We invite non-RMSKC members to attend these events in order to find out about our club --- contact the trip leader through the forums or seen the membership information page for details on the benefits of club membership. Multi-day trips organized by RMSKC are open to RMSKC members only.
Participants are always responsible for their own safety. Joining a group does not relieve you of your personal responsibilities. Group trips are not for everyone. Is an RMSKC official trip is right for you?
When you paddle with a group you get a trip planned by the Trip Leader, the opportunity to meet new paddlers, and safety in numbers. For group trips to be successful, all participants must look after the welfare of the group and align their personal paddling goals and expectations with those of the group. Choose your trips accordingly!
Trip guidelines:
- Educate yourself about the trip: Is it right for you and your skill level?
- Be ready at the put-in at the posted time with the correct equipment.
- Show your current ACA/RMSKC membership card (guests must complete the ACA-RMSKC waiver form and pay the $6 ACA fee)
- Stay with the group as directed by the Trip Leader: even if it means going slow. Never leave without permission.
- Cooperate: The Trip Leader may alter the plan due to the needs of one paddler or the group as a whole.
- Communicate: Tell the Trip Leader if you are having problems: blisters, fatigue, sickness, equipment, trouble handling the conditions, anxiety, fear, etc.
- Follow instructions: The Trip Leader may consult with participants but ultimately has decision-making authority over all aspects of the trip: how close to stay together, launching/landing, etc.
Trip leader and trip planning guidelines can be downloaded by clicking here
Open meeting of the Rocky Mountain Sea Kayak Club, 7 pm to 9 pm. Portions of the club library will be available for checkout by RMSKC members. Prospective members are encouraged to attend to learn more about the club and to meet club members. Contact Larry Kline if you'd like to give a slide show or make a presentation, or to get more details.
The trip is a go ---
Join the Rocky Mountain Canoe Club and the Poudre Paddlers on this 3nd Annual Joint South Platte River Paddle. Paddle the nine miles of flatwater from Evans to Kersey. It's an easy river, Class I, with two short portages. It's a great trip for all ages and paddling abilities. The biggest obstacle is
avoiding the sandbars! We usually have a great turnout (over 20 boats) and welcome all of you.
We will meet at the Evans, Colorado Riverside Park at 9:00 a.m. We'll unload boats, sign waivers and coordinate the shuttle. The traditional run is 9 miles from Evans to Kersey. You will also have the
option of shorter and longer trips with take-outs at Mitani-Tokuyasu Wildlife Area (7 miles) and Kuner Bridge (14 miles)(we're verifying we can still take out at Kuner; there may be new fences).
Meeting time 9:00 am at the southeast end of the parking lot at Evans Riverside Park (ballfields), 1/2 mile east of hwy 85 on 37th Street, then take Riverside Parkway south. Unload boats and gear quickly please. Drivers please meet in the parking lot at 9:30 am to begin car shuttles.
Contact Brian Curtiss and visit the forums to get more details and to register your interest in this trip. Here are some pictures from the 2003 trip.
Pool Training Session --- April 4th --- trip info Forum
A pool training class for novice skills is planned at the Utah Park pool in Aurora on April 4th. Contact Gary Greeno or visit the forums to ask questions, get more information and to register your interest in this event.
The trip is a go ---
Meet at the Veterans Park in Brighton at 10 am to put-in and arrange shuttles. You'll find directions to the put-in, take outs, links to flow both on the South Platte River paddling places page. Contact Brian Curtiss and visit the forums to get more details.
This trip has been canceled for lack of water
Meet at the Evans Riverside Ballfields Park at 10 am to put-in and arrange shuttles. Two distance options: takeout at either Kersey bridge (9 miles) or Kuner bridge (14.8 miles). Expected conditions: class I, two short dam portages, enough flow to paddle, cold water. This is the same trip we are doing with the Rocky Mtn. Canoe Club and the Poudre Paddlers in March --- you can read about it HERE and see pictures HERE. You'll find directions to the put-in, take outs, links to flow both on the South Platte River paddling places page. Contact Brian Curtiss and visit the forums to get more details and to register your interest in this trip. Anyone who wants to go on this trip must contact Brian and provide a phone number or email address so that I can let everyone know the day before if the trip is a go or will be post-poned due to low water or weather.
Come paddle Nebraska's Merritt Reservoir and Niobrara River. Located in north central Nebraska, the Niobrara River, portion of which were designated a National Scenic River by Congress in 1991, shows its diversity from its wide, verdant valleys to its steep sandstone canyons, waterfalls and cliffs. Also, enjoy an astronomical Sky Party at our Merritt Reservoir campsite. Larry will bring his telescope to view the stars from this truly black sky - many astronomers come from hundreds of miles around to view the stars from here. You don't need a telescope - just bring your binoculars to see a great show. We'll be on the water from May 19th to 22th, so add travel days when planning your schedule.
Trip agenda--
1 day on Merritt Reservoir
2 days on the Niobrara River above Valentine
1 optional daytrip on the Niobrara River below Valentine
Minimum of 4 persons for the trip to go. Boom boxes required. Contact Larry Kline with any questions and to register your interest in this trip.
Join the club for a day paddle on Chatfield Reservoir. This event is open to RMSKC members, guests and visitors. Non-RMSKC members wanting to attend should contact a RMSKC member.
Nobody has stepped up to lead this one so it will be whomever shows up.
Paddler's Workshop at Chatfield Reservoir --- June 6th at 10 am
A paddler's workshop is planned at Chatfield Reservoir on Sunday June 6th to teach beginner and Intermediate skills. Contact Gary Greeno to get more information and to register your interest.
Make your next river trip one of confidence rather than anxiety. Spend 4 hours learning to paddle your boat in moving water. Or practice even if you know how. This is a nicely controlled water flow situation -- but be prepared to capsize! We will learn ferrying upstream, eddy turns, turning back into moving water, setting into shore on moving water. Even dropping down a water chute should you choose. Recommended you have Beginner River Skills per RMSKC Skills List (see description here). Join Larry Kline for a 10am start at Union Ave just 0.6 miles north of Bellevue and west of Santa Fe (click here for a map. Drive into the ball field across from the Waste Mgt facility and turn right to the parking loop. Limited to first 6 paddlers. Please contact Larry Kline in advance to put your name on the participants list.
This is a great place to practice your paddling skills. The water is fairly warm, fairly clear and with only a few fishing boats. Last year we saw lots of wildlife. Just show up at the main beach and bring some lunch to munch. Please contact Terry or Barb Smith or post a message on the forums with any questions. We will be there.
Grand Lake --- June 19th & 20th
Join the club for an overnight paddle on Grand Lake. Details in the next newsletter.
Yellowstone River --- June 20th to 26th
We will float 100 miles of the river as it flows through the eastern prairie lands of Montana. It follows the Lewis and Clark route returning to St Louis. It offers solitude, rocky bluffs, and cottonwoods adorn this section of National Scenic River. The biological diversity is second to none in Montana.
We will put in at Miles City and paddle to Glendive going about 12 miles a day at a leisurely pace so you can explore the sights rather than paddle like mad to make that night's campsite. We'll be on the water from May 20th to 26th, so add travel days when planning your schedule. Beginner river skills required. (see description here). Boom boxes also required. Maximum of 8 persons.
Contact Larry Kline to get more information and to sign up.
Full Moon Paddle --- July 3rd & 4th
Join the club for a moonlight paddle at Jackson Lake State Park the night of July 3rd. We'll start the paddle at dusk. This is the Colorado state park, not the lake in Wyoming --- it's located about 70 miles NE of Denver just off of I-76. The lake is about twice the size of Chatfield and has many great camping spots, many with trees. It has nice, sandy beach for swimming, full facilities for camping, and the lake adjacent to the campgrounds is designated as a 'wakeless zone.' Visit the Jackson Lake State Park paddling places page on this website for more info about the park. The full moon is on July 1st so we'll have plenty of light. I'll provide 'glow' sticks so that we can easily keep track of each other. Folks can come for just the paddle or camp Saturday night. We'll try to organize some alternative activities for non-kayaking family members --- so come camp on Saturday night and bring your family. Since this is the day before the 4th, I need to get a head count early so that I can reserve the camping spots. If we have enough folks interested we might be able to get one of the group spots. Contact Brian Curtiss to get more details and to register your interest in this paddle.
Lewis and Shoshono Lakes, Yellowstone N.P. --- July 12th to 16th
Put-in will be at Lewis Lake. We will paddle the 3 miles across Lewis Lake then, half paddling, half pulling, make our way up the inlet river to the first campsite on Shoshone Lake (about another 3 miles). The rest of the time will be spent on Shoshone Lake (paddling, hiking, visiting geysers). We will then reverse the route back to the put-in.
The backcountry campsites have toilets. You will want to bring your own boombox as insurance against last minute rule changes.
The pulling part of the journey up the river between Lewis and Shoshone Lakes is tiring. If the water is warm, you can do it in sandals, but expect to pick up a few cuts and bruises. Water boots are good insurance against these little aggravations and the water can be cold.
The wading section eliminates motorboats completely from Shoshone Lake, which makes it a very enjoyable experience. There is a black obsidian pebble beach at one campsite and a geyser basin on the south end of the lake. I don't guarantee the geysers' performance, though.
For questions or to register your interest in this trip, contact Ed or Paula Berg.
Yellowstone Lake --- July 18th to 21th
Details in next newletter. Contact Paul Eckhart to get more information and to sign up for this trip.
RMSKC PaddleFest at Chatfield Reservoir --- August 1st, 10AM - 3PM
The place to demonstrate your paddling skills will be the Paddlefest this summer at Chatfield. Meet at the Sailboat Rental Cove South of the Sailboat Marina Just North of the South Entrance to the Park. Paddlefest is planned for Sunday, August 1st with a day of skill based games and a chance to show off your skills in such things as timed distance and slalom courses, rolling contests and other events that we can cook up to go with the club provided picnic. Contact Gary Greeno and visit the forums to get more details and to register your interest.
Lewis and Shoshono Lakes, Yellowstone N.P. --- July 12th to 16th
Details in next newletter. Contact Paul Eckhart to get more information and to sign up for this trip.
Join the club for a day paddle, boat demo (try out other member's boats), followed by a cookout at Boulder Reservoir. Meet at the sailboard beach and be ready to paddle at 10 am. Details to follow.
Grand Lake --- August 28th & 29th
Join the club for an overnight paddle on Grand Lake. Details in next newletter. Contact Sally Edwards or Cindy Miller to get more information and to sign up for this trip.
Colorado River, Glenwood Canyon --- September 10th, 11th & 12th
The Glenwood Canyon float and Bike trip is planned for September 10th, 11th and 12. That Friday afternoon, Saturday and Sunday will feature a double header on the Colorado River with camping above Glenwood Canyon Friday and Saturday nights, a day float to Hanging Lake on Saturday, a steak fry Saturday night at the camp site and a choice of biking down the canyon to the Glenwood pool or navigating class II white water from Grizzly Creek into Glenwood on Sunday (depending on conditions and abilities). Contact Gary Greeno to get more information and to register your interest. Contact Brian Curtiss to get more details about the optional Sunday class II white water paddle.
The Gourmet Group will again float Ruby Canyon from Fruita to Westwater on the Colorado in the first week in October (October 8, 9 and 10). This 25-mile trip on the Colorado River has been a club tradition for beginner paddlers doing a river trip and is designed for persons with Intermediate skills (see Trip Description below). The trip starts west of Grand Junction. We will paddle through Horsethief and Ruby Canyons and camp at Mee Canyon. Good backcountry camping skills are also needed for this overnight trip. The weather will be cool at night and may be unsettled or downright nasty, so be prepared. For safety and communications purposes some of us will need to bring our Motorola-type walkie-talkies. BLM rules require all of us to USE a boom box to carry out our human waste, and a fire pan for any open fires. River intermediate skill required for this trip (see description here). Contact Gary Greeno to get more information and to register your interest.
Holiday Party --- Friday December 17th
Annual holiday party. Pot luck again this year --- bring something to share. Non-alcoholic refreshments provided by the club. White Elephant exchange -- odd stuff you found kayaking this year. Its at Brian's this year, 6-10 pm. Contact Brian Curtiss for more info.
RMSKC members may contact the organizers of these trips via the forum's private messaging function by clicking on their name. You will have to be registered on the Forums before this will work. See the Forums page for how to register for the Forums.
Visit the RMSKC Discussion Forums for details and discussions relating to these trips.
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