Glendo to Guernsey 2024

This is a very relaxing 16.6 mile float with just one entertaining class II rapid in central Wyoming.

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North Platte River - Glendo to Almost Guernsey

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Folks from the Poudre Paddlers, Rocky Mountain Canoe Club, and the Rocky Mountain Sea Kayak Club came together organizing a casual one day float down the North Platte River in Wyoming. It started near the Glendo Power Station (hydro) and ended a few miles upstream from the Guernsey Reservoir. The float took place on Saturday (10 August), but because of the distance from Colorado the outing started on Friday ending Sunday.

I decided to go because I was able to carpool with Roger Faaborg. He graciously did the driving and let me stay with him at the campsite he'd reserved at the Glendo State Park Two Moon campground. It's a lovely campground in the trees near a cliff overlooking the Glendo Reservoir. We traveled up in the afternoon stopping at the Subway in Wheatland for dinner. There is very little topsoil in the campground preventing either Roger or myself from driving our tent stakes in more than a couple of inches. Roger had reserved campsite 9 which afforded a lovely cliff view of the reservoir and the dam.

Other folks were also camped there. Roger called a gather to discuss tomorrow's shuttle. There was also a little chatter regarding the only class II rapid on the run - the Haystacks. We also talked about where to stop for lunch.

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As Roger was in charge, we rose at 6AM for breakfast. I'd ground coffee, but had left it in the grinder at home so I went without coffee - horrors! - no it was no issue. We strapped his inflated duckie on the roof and drove down to the put in to meet the others. Once everyone had offloaded boats and gear at the road closed barricade, the drivers proceeded to make the 90 minute round trip shuttle drive. Those of us waiting at the put in were lightly sprinkled on. I heard that it poured on those making the shuttle drive. I'm glad that wasn't us.

There is a nice boat ramp at the put in, but it's located on the east side of the North Platte across an earthen causeway that was recently damaged by the water making it unavailable for autos. We could walk across it and some of us launched boats from the causeway. Others launched boats through the reeds.

Once on the virtually still water adjacent to the power plant, Roger gave a safety talk. I believe there were a total of 14 boats: two inflatable packrafts, numerous duckies, one canoe, about five sea kayaks, and one 9 foot raft. Brent his wife Janeane and three of their children were on the float. Some of the others included, Rob and his wife Nicole (pack raft), Leslie Copeland (RMCC), Craig Godbout (new Poudre Paddler president), and Sue (sea kayaker). It was a little cool to start with partly cloudy skies and no wind.

Some of us followed Roger down a narrow channel on river right. The railroad tracks were nearby and an empty coal train passed as we were in the channel with it's thick trees on each bank. We emerged immediately on river right of the main river channel across from the top of Lunch Island on river left so a ferry was required with a strong stroke to reach it. There we ate lunch.

The float passed many ranch homes. Some were very large with massive green lawns. A number of pumps along the way were removing water from the river. We rounded the sharp bend as the river enters the 'canyon'. The bend had large eddies on the outside and inside of the curve that were easy enough to navigate. This next part of the float offered more beautiful scenery with 200-300 foot high sloping walls covered in scattered ponderosa trees and small cliff bands. We then arrived at the Haystack rapid. Brent and his family had been there before so that launched down it without eddying out. The rest of us followed quickly behind them. Its an unusual rapid. There are about a half dozen standing waves of varying size that generally diminish down river. About 120 meters downstream one can catch the eddy on river left and right it all the way back up to the top of the rapid. I ran the rapid three times this way without ever stepping out of my boat. While we played here, dark clouds gathered and some light rain began to fall, so we continued downstream to the takeout.

Several people said goodbye at the takeout. Those of us staying traveled back to the Glendo State Park gathering a couple of hours later for a potluck. While food was prepared and we ate, the skies opened up dumping rain often pushed about by gusting winds. The food was plentiful and delicious.

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We slept in a bit this morning. Roger and I did not need to rush so we dried out equipment for packing. We stopped in at the Marina. They have simple supplies and a burger restaurant that would be worth trying in the future.

We made our way to the Fort Laramie National Historic Site operated by the Federal government. It's a collection of buildings with exhibits and some actors recreating activities in the late 1800's. The place and placards provides information about the westward expansion that made it worth the stop.

Roger and I made out way back to I-25 and then stopped in Wheatland again at the Arby's for lunch. The next stop was recommended by another Poudre Paddler - the soda fountain in Chugwater. The town itself is basically just a grain silo, but the soda fountain made me laugh because it is a social media extravaganza. The place was disproportionately packed with people from all over the world. I had a mediocre malt, but enjoyed bizarre collection of people so out of place for central Wyoming. Inside the place is simple with the whirring 'old fashioned' malt mixers generating so much noise we had to sit outside to protect our hearing. It was a hoot to stop there, but I'd never do it again.

The next couple of hours with Roger behind the wheel brought us back to his place in Loveland.

I'd enjoy doing the 16.6 mile 120 foot drop float again.