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Highlights
 | Foote Campground (downstream from Saratoga,
Wyoming) to
Fort Steele Historic Site (Interstate-80) (33 miles) |
| Cool temps: Highs 61-69°F, Lows 30-43°F |
| High water flow – 5000-5700 cfs (above Seminoe Reservoir) |
| No daytime rain |
| No mosquitoes(!) |
| Windy only the last day |
| A "dry" trip for all -- no canoes tipped over!
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Several people anticipated
this trip with trepidation after being warned about swarms of
mosquitoes, high winds, hazardous river currents due to high stream flow, and the danger of
hypothermia from the cold water. Those fears evaporated as the
trip unfolded, and it was perhaps the most enjoyable Fort Collins
Audubon canoe trip so far. Because the Foote Campground was recently
under water and very muddy, few people camped at the put-in spot.
The restaurants and motels in Saratoga were not far away. |
| The first day was cool and
cloudy. We unloaded and packed our canoes, shuttled cars to the
takeout, and chose our paddles and partners. For the
introductions, our guides, Randy and Becca, had each of us think of a
bird name that started with the same letter our first name. They
then gave us some detailed paddling and safety tips. An active
great blue heron rookery was in sight as we put in our boats.
The current was fast and we made good time on the river, so we took lots
of time to practice ferrying and landing our canoes. |
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Our first campsite was a
grassy area near cottonwoods and big sagebrush. A hike along the
sandstone cliffs featured a variety birds, lizards, and plants--
something for everyone! Highlights: Cries of a red-tailed
hawk at its nest, great horned owls hooting, and a flock of pelicans
flying up river just as darkness fell.
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The night was cold, but the
second day was sunny and warmer. After some stretching and a
poetry reading by Randy we paddled off. The sound of rushing
water, the calls of spotted sandpipers-- we were on our way again. Bald eagle nests, and a hike at the historic Overland Trail Crossing were
highlights of the day. We discovered a porcupine sleeping in a tree
at our second camp. Nearly everyone opted for rest and social time
around the kitchen instead of a hike. Some rain fell during the
night, but ended before morning. |
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| The third day was cool, and
windy at times. After morning stretches and poetry, we enjoyed
the Centennial tradition of quiet paddling on the last day. A diversion
dam required some extra care-- we paddled past it one canoe at a time.
As a strategy against headwinds, we learned the technique of tying canoes together to form a raft. Due to the threat of rain, we
decided to have our lunch at the takeout and paddled on to Interstate 80. |
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Species Observed
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Birds –
Featured Cast
1. Spotted Sandpiper
2. Common Nighthawk
3. Western Wood-Pewee
4. Violet-green Swallow
5. Cliff Swallow
6. House Wren
7. American Robin
8. Yellow Warbler
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Birds – Show Stealers
9. Green-winged Teal
10. Common Merganser
11. Pied-billed Grebe
12. American White Pelican
13. Double-crested Cormorant
14. Bald Eagle
15. Red-tailed Hawk
16. Golden Eagle
17. Prairie Falcon
18. Sandhill Crane
19. Wilson’s Snipe
20. Great Horned Owl
21. Common Poorwill
22. Belted Kingfisher
23. Red-naped Sapsucker
24. Western Scrub-Jay
25. Gray Catbird |
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Birds – Supporting Cast
26. Great Blue Heron
27. Canada Goose
28. Mallard
29. Northern Pintail
30. Common Goldeneye (?)
31. Turkey Vulture
32. Swainson's Hawk
33. American Kestrel
34. Rock Pigeon
35. Mourning Dove
36. White-throated Swift
37. Hairy Woodpecker
38. Northern Flicker
39. Say's Phoebe
40. Eastern Kingbird
41. Rock Wren
42. Least Flycatcher (?)
43. Plumbeous Vireo
44. Warbling Vireo
45. Black-billed Magpie
46. American Crow |
47. Common Raven
48. Northern Rough-winged
Swallow
49. Bank Swallow
50. Barn Swallow
51. Black-capped Chickadee
52. Canyon Wren
53. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
54. Mountain Bluebird
55. European Starling
56. Common Yellowthroat
57. Western Tanager
58. Song Sparrow
59. Black-headed Grosbeak
60. Red-winged Blackbird
61. Western Meadowlark
62. Yellow-headed Blackbird
63. Brewer's Blackbird
64. Common Grackle
65. Brown-headed Cowbird
66. Bullock’s Oriole
67. House Finch
68. American Goldfinch |
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Nests
1. Great Blue Heron
2. Bald Eagle
3. Red-tailed Hawk
4. Golden Eagle
5. Prairie Falcon
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Mammals
1. Cow
2. Mule deer
3. Porcupine
4. Pronghorn
5. Badger
6. Ground squirrel
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Participants (listed by canoe)
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Cristi Carpenter and Sue Kenney |
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Diann and Tom Johnston |
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Annette and Paul Miller |
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Patsy and Doug Ruegg |
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Ashley Waddell and Christi Brockway |
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Karin Lindquist and Chris Andre |
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Dawn Gaffield and Porter Ingrum |
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Fran Rulon-Miller and Anne Saunders |
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Becca Arndt and John Waddell |
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Jackie Boss and Randy Hertzman |
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Georgia Doyle and Joel Hurmence |
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Our Skilled Centennial Canoe Guides:
Randy Hertzman and Becca Arndt |
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