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3rd South Platte River Upstream “Rotten Egg” Race – March 22, 2009

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Every year, in the middle of March, paddling clubs in northern Colorado organize a joint trip on the South Platte River from Evans to Kersey or further to Kuner as an opening of paddling season. During recent years I use to launch my boat around sunrise at Kersey and paddle upstream to Evans to meet downriver paddlers. In last two years I was joined by other paddlers and an informal race was created. Eric Nyre name it “Rotten Egg” race (a trophy for the last finisher?).

I needed about 4:30 hours to cover 9 miles upstream in a fast cruising mode in Sisson Nucleus 100 kayak or Spencer X-treme canoe. I paddled Thunderbolt-X kayak in the first two years of the race reaching Evans in 3:37 (2007) and 3:25 (2008 at ~850cfs). This year we expect much lower water: 400cfs at Kersey or even less. See river pictures from the March 15 paddling.

The race starts at 7am, March 22, 2009 at Kersey (highway 37 bridge – map). This is exactly sunrise time this year. Slower paddlers may start earlier.

South Dakota Paddling Challenge?

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Paddlers from South Dakota are planning a marathon paddling race on their stretch of the Missouri River. It is a very different river from the lower Missouri where the annual MR340 race takes place. The picture above is from the 2008 MR340 Race. I have never paddled on the Missouri in South Dakota.

Three course options are considered:
A) North: The Oahe Dam in Pierre, SD, holds back a giant lake that stretches back into Nodak. This route would be high winds and a barren, dangerous landscape. 100 miles plus. More big-water lake than river. Here high winds would almost be guaranteed. The area is all cliffs, prairie, high prairie. Lots of spots the river is two miles wide.

B) Central: This route is the one I have championed, about 85 miles, a city on either end for various logistics, and a grueling stretch at the end, the Big Bend, it’s about four miles by land, where the river doubles upon itself, and on water, it’s a good 35-mile chunk. This area is more river-like, narrower, with some current, not much, and a prairie landscape. Total mileage would be about 85 miles. Option: Add a dam traverse at the bottom, make them paddle another 5+ hours down to a good town/stopping point.

C) South: Starting in Yankton, paddlers would face low-water channel hunting for about 90 miles down to Sioux City, Iowa. Lots of history down that way, and rolling hills, a few trees, some summer cottage areas, too. It’d be great city to start/end, with some towns in between.

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