Paddling at the Pueblo Chile & Frijole Fest

Mark your calendars for the Pueblo Chile & Frijole Festival September 21-23rd.

This is the second year that the Pueblo Paddlers have organized a paddling event at the Pueblo Whitewater Park in conjunction with Pueblo's second biggest event (after the state fair of course). The Chile & Frijole Festival is a great reason to visit Pueblo all by itself, as local farms line the streets with chile roasters and tents selling their Anaheim and Pueblo Chiles (the Pueblos are the hot ones).

There is also a lot of music to listen to, food to eat along with activities for the kids. The water levels may have dropped to end-of-summer levels (with the exception of some rain flows) but there is still enough water in the PWP to make it enjoyable.

Organized events are scheduled for Sunday leaving Saturday open to boaters and boogie boarders to enjoy the park on their own. Sunday will mark the second annual Pepper Plunge raft race where contestants build their own rafts and race them over the first drop in the PWP for top honors and carnage! Each raft should have a pepper theme to it and be made of just about anything other than an actual raft!



Contact Bob Walker at the Edge (719) 583-2021 for additional info. (Click on the image at the left to see the raft race info!)

There will be a laid-back low-water rodeo with divisions for all levels of boaters. Prizes will be awarded to the top finishers in each class.

This year the "Extreme" rubber ducky race through the PWP returns. Buying a duck supports the Pueblo Paddlers and gives you a chance to win the jackpot.

And last, but certainly not least, there will once again be free raft rides through the PWP for anyone who is interested. It is a great way to get non-boater family members to get a taste of being on the river without having to get in a kayak.

So set a day or two aside to make the drive to Pueblo to enjoy some great food, friendly people and one of the best whitewater parks in the state. SYOTR!

Pueblo Whitewater Park is still runnin'!

It may be August, but there is still good playboating in the Pueblo Whitewater Park.

Flows have recently fluctuated between 900 and 1,400 cfs through the park. Due to recent rains upstream and the movement of leased water from Lake Pueblo we have been treated to some great play water for boating and boarding.

Several of the features are producing some amazing play. The big news is that drop number seven is in!

The above photo shows Pueblo Paddler, Charlie Vial, surfing drop seven. The wave that was once a sticky and feared drop has become a double play feature. The inital drop provides some steep surfing allowing spins and tricks from atop a foam pile that is approximately 4ft tall. Then there is the steep secondary wave that has a great potential for air loops and other aerial moves!

I don't know how much longer these levels will hold, but for now there are no complaints from boaters and surfers in the Pueblo Whitewater Park.