The river seemed to be more interesting there than between Evans and Kuner: more big logs in the water, a faster current, more complicated channels. In addition to an usual assortment of geese I met also a herd of white tail deer.

03/23/2002: Kersey-Kuner-Hardin. Start: 11:00 at Mitani-Tokuyasu State Wilderness Area (about 2 miles upstream of the Kersey bridge). This SWA remains my favorite access point to the river - just a few boat lengths from the parking to the water. River flow near Kersey: 580 cfs; water level was going down during the recent few days.

I met the first diversion dam (Empire Intake Canal) in less than half mile below the Kuner bridge (a short portage over the dam on left). Another half mile and I reached the second dam (Riverside Intake Canal - portage over the dam on right). The river below diversion dams was sandy, wide and shallow but it was still enough water for my boat. However a higher water would make paddling easier. The flow in Riverside Canal was about 80 cfs and I guess that at least a similar amount of water was taken to the Empire Canal. However, a week earlier the Riverside Canal was running more than 300 cfs while the river flow near Kersey was about 800 cfs, so the flow below these diversion dams may be somewhat unpredictable.

GPS Kuner-Hardin map

I started to paddle upstream. A beautiful morning, a lot of birds, a herd of deer. Water level was a little bit too low but my progress was not so bad: 8:00 18th St bridge, 8:30 Plumb Ditch Dam, 9:05 hwy 34-bus bridge, 9:25 hwy 34 bridge, 9:45 Patterson Ditch Dam, 10:30 37th street bridge, 10:45 Evans Ballfields, 7 miles, average speed about 2 mph including two portages.

The river looks quite different when going upstream and downstream. Two weeks ago I noticed a nice lonely tree high on a shore with traces of beaver teeth. I was looking for that tree in the morning to photograph it but I couldn't find it. I found it later when paddling downstream: down in the water.

I started at Kersey Bridge about 7:30 and paddled upstream to a diversion dam above highway 85 (near La Salle), then I returned back downstream and finished my trip in 9 hours. The river flow was decreasing from about 1500 cfs in the morning to 1000 cfs at Kersey in the afternoon.

A fallen cottonwood tree (above) marks the mouth of Cache la Poudre River. It is about 300 yards above my frequent launching spot at the Mitani-Tokuyasu State Wilderness Area. Very little flow in the Poudre. In winter 2001 I managed to paddle 0.5 mile or so upstream before I was stopped by some log jams.

At the portage around the Plumb Ditch Dam I tested my new Hennessy hammock (the lightest adventure racer version). It worked much better than the WaterTribe reviews would indicate at least for my purpose, i.e., sleeping a couple of hours during Texas Water Safari. I will not bother with a rain fly. If it rains I paddle.

Wildlife: mule and whitetail deer, turtles diving from the steep sandbars, a big fish trying to jump over Plumb Ditch Dam, numerous birds. It was a trip of pelicans. They accompanied me almost along the entire course: floating on water, sitting on sandbars, soaring in the air, but didn't really like to pose for pictures.

About a mile above highway 85 I reached my turning point: a diversion dam - three channels closed by gates. There was comfortable landing below this obstacle on the left shore. However, the river above had a form of a channel with very steep banks. Taking out may be difficult there.

It was my last paddling in the year of 2002 due to my shoulder surgery scheduled in the following week. I hope to return back to the river sometime in January 2003.