How are the river crossings?
Construction is beginning on a trail bridge across the Uncompahgre River just before you reach Ouray. Hopefully, it will be completed in time for this year’s run. In ’94 (a dry year) the water here was slightly above the knee (the run crossed the dam in years before that). In a wet year it could be far worse. The crossing at pole creek is also likely to be quite wet – in ’94 I barely made it across on rocks. In a normal year it would be knee deep. Negotiating the beaver ponds at the very start of the run will wet (and muddy) most shoes. The crossings of Arrastra, Cunningham, and Maggie creeks may be wet, depending on whether anyone has laid a log across them. The West Fork of Pole Creek is very marshy – you’ll get wet feet there. You cross the creek in Cataract Gulch several times. There are a couple crossings of Upper Bear Creek above Ouray, and in Upper Bear Creek above Telluride. You’ll ford Howard Creek just after the Chapman Gulch aid station. Two forks of Upper Mineral Creek must
