THE RIVER SURFING REPORT- Metro Denver, CO vol 1-1 March 2022

THE RIVER SURFING REPORT JOURNAL OF INTERNATIONAL RIVER SURFING DESTINATIONS A Surf Collusion Zine Publication, Denver, Colorado !"#$$%&'()*+%,-./%01'2+

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This Issues Features…

Metro Denver, Colorado SURF SPOT OVERVIEW, there are a number of surfable standing waves in the Denver area!.. Most are in the S. Platte River with some in Clear Creek.

The waves are smaller and narrower in size and range from weak “mushburgers” requiring longboards or high volume boards, to steep quick pocket waves that require very short agile surfboards. The waves are easy to nd and access.

The danger factor of the Metro Denver river waves is rather low (as river sur ng goes) but can get dangerous or even deadly with higher water ows increasing above 300 cfs and above.

Michael Deeble, Trestles Wave Downtown Denver, July 2019

The water temperature in the S. Platte can get close to freezing during the winter but during the spring and summer the water temp swings daily from the 50’s in the early morning to the 70’s during midday. A 4/3mm wetsuit will work all sur ng season long and a very high quality well tting 3/2 can almost do the same.

However if you are sur ng all year round, you will need a polar thick wetsuit.

For a full report, turn to the next pages.

What is River Sur ng River sur ng is literally sur ng on stationary waves with a sur oard. It is not traveling down river. Much like ocean sur ng, river sur ng is dangerous, can be deadly, and is done at one’s own risk.

It is strongly suggested you wear a personal oatation device (pfd), a helmet, and avoid using even quick release leashes except for on rare occasions. And do not wear an ankle leash because it can hold your under and you will likely not be able to remove the leash.

Lastly, before y0u river surf, get educated about the wave(s) you are about to surf for the ins and outs, dangers, best way to get on the wave. etc. before y0u surf and don’t go at it alone!

More starting page #2…

“The River Sur ng Report” is published sporadically by Surf Collusion Zine. This free publication is made as a service to the river sur ng community by the sponsorship of:

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“The River Sur ng Report” name/idea is owned by Surf Collusion Zine but you can reproduce this report for free, and share it with anyone you want. Be cool about it though!

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METRO DENVER SURF LOCATIONS (South to North) Metro Denver South: The south part of Metro Denver is where most of the river sur ng happens. In

particular River Run Park, Beaver’s Wave, and when the ow is really up, Miracle Wave. There are some odd spots such as Union Shoots that really are not surfable on a surfboard and can be dangerous if not surfed with someone who knows the place very well. Here is the current report on the south locations.

River Run Park (RRP) has six waves of which three are surfable; “Chiclets”, “Benihanas”, and “Sixx”. The other three have been surfed with longboards during low water ow but really are just a novelty waves at best.

River Run Park shares the parking lot with Broken Tee Golf course in Englewood/Sheridan, Colorado. RRP has restrooms and is family friendly.

“Chiclets” wave is considered the beginners wave to learn to river surf on. It is actually a fun knee high wave that starts to break at 80cfs. The spot gets its name from 3’x3’ at blocks used to shape the wave and from above on the nearby footbridge, looks like chiclet gum pieces. The wave can be a fun place to get a knee-high surf in typically on a higher volume board or soft top longboard. Chiclets is the rst wave drop at RRP and to the right next to the pedestrian bridge. Depending on the silting of the wave (aka mud in the river), the wave breaks at times from 80cfs up to just over 300cfs.

“Benihana’s” is a dynamic wave that once represented the performance sur ng scene in Metro Denver.

“Benni’s” is named after Ben Nielsen, the senior engineer with McLaughlin Whitewater Design Group, who shepherded through the permitting process, the design, and the building of RRP. Benihana’s is an amazing feat of engineering that creates a fun small yet powerful pocket wave starting at a mere 180cfs with the use of three hydraulic “WaveShaper” aps. A group of volunteer dedicated “waveshapers” take the time out of their busy schedule to shape the wave to a perfect pitch. The wave is magically surfable at 180cfs and get’s real fun at 250 cfs. The top end the ow limit has not been surfed yet at Benni’s but 1,200cfs made for some solid surf in 2019. This spot can get crowded so if you surf longer than 30 seconds, you had better be going for some hotdog maneuvers or get the heck off the wave. The spot is typically jumped on from the left or right side of the wave though a few will dive on for a paddle standup ocean surf style to the cheers of the crowd. Benihanas is to the left of the entry into RRP just north of Oxford Road.

“Sixx” is the 6th drop (aka wave) going up stream from Chiclets (drop #1) and is also a WaveShaper but utilizes one hydraulic ap instead of three. Sixx is a bit wider than Benihana’s but feels and surfs wider since it is one continuous wave. It is like sur ng a waist high ocean wave breaking at speed ready to knock your front teeth out in the shore pound. Unfortunately such a wave can be somewhat retentive behind the wave, in other words, the recirculating water can you down like an ocean wave double overhead and for a second or two and scares the crap out of you until you pop out from its’ grip. There is a cam on Sixx and the waveshaper volunteers and of cials can watch it closely to make sure it is safe to surf. In 202I a new ap was installed that increased the cfs range of the wave from 135cfs to just over the 450cfs range. For surfboards, bring a short quick ocean board around 5’ to 6’ and extra ns because it is shallow on the bottom part of the wave at lower ow. Entry is primarily a side drop-in or sit on the side and push in. Paddle in ocean style is done by few at the wave. Sixx is named after that horrible big hair band Mötley Crüe member Nikki Sixx….

Though when you get Sixx dialed in, it is as good as sex.

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“Beaver’s Wave” was unfortunately a “best kept secret” but was blown up by a kook (yes your’s truly, the author of this report) who was so blown away by the urban surf spot that he could not keep his fat mouth shut. Total apologies go out to the true local who has been sur ng this spot in solace.… But here is the scoop. Beavers is a sketch spot not made for river sur ng but the boat chute just happens to be surfable.

Every so often there is a homeless camp at Beaver’s but the homeless don’t care and actually worry about the surfers at the spot and caution the surfers from stepping on needles, etc. Truth is, there are almost no needles at Beaver’s and the biggest concern is some freaking shallow rocks that nail your knee and make you want to cry like a baby. Beaver’s is the spot to surf early season and late season when the water ow is dialed back from the Chat eld Reservoir. There is another in ow of water that somehow makes this boat chute a dynamic surf spot when RRP is just missing the needed water ow. Beaver’s is shallow and requires a higher volume surfboard but when your are “jonesing” to surf, this is the spot to go. Beaver’s is located

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just upstream from Johnson-Habitat park that you used to be able to walk to under the overpass next to a skateboardable banked wall. However, the retaining wall on the bike path failed and the only way to get to Beavers is walking up stream from the construction fence. Do not try to take the bike path until it is opened up again because it is dangerous and will get you busted by the cops. It is recommended to go with someone experienced who can point out a couple of underwater rocks (aka fall at) and how to best get into the wave. Beaver’s works from about 100cfs to 350cfs. Truth is, when it gets over 300cfs, the waves are better at RRP but the fun of Beaver’s at that ow of 300cfs is left to nobody except for locals looking for vacant surf. Beaver’s is a paddle in surf style on the right side and can be pushed in “skateboard style” on the left side or even jumped in prone for a surf-style pop up. You are going to pay with bouncing off a shallow rock in the front or to the left, but it is well worth the fun of groveling surf.

“Miracle Wave” this wave is exactly what it is named after, a miracle that it even is there. The wave comes in only every couple of years and is short lived. The spot requires at least a 1,000cfs release from Chat eld.

Matter of fact, it is about 300 yards from the out ow from the Chat eld Reservoir. The spot is a longboarder’s dream, so buttery smooth. Truth is, it is a weak-ass-knee-high wave that when you get it dialed and surfed will make you so damn stoked that words cannot explain. This is river sur ng at its nest as in “damn, I’m sur ng some knee high clean wave that feels so ocean like”. Again, Miracle is a hard wave to score and even to get up on. It is a paddle-in only style wave (better go with locals to dial it in) and was last surfable in 2019 and prior to that 2016, three years in the waiting. Here is some local intel: don’t swallow the water at all, because this location is chalk full of e-coli and parasites baking in the Chat eld Reservoir; but, well worth puking your guts out or pissing out your bunghole until you get some meds or drop some serious weight after a month of the runs. Despite it all, this a miracle of a wave! Miracle Wave is located just behind the large dog park in the Chat eld Reservoir Park and costs an entry fee to get into the park.

Union Chutes (located just south of RRP) has a storied existence and is really NOT worth the surf. The report speaks upon these waves out of respect. Respect for being the birthplace of Metro Denver river sur ng, the catalyst for River Run Park, and out of respect for those who lost their lives at the low-head dams that the Union Chutes were built to replace and hopefully end the fatalities of low-head dams. Your author witnessed his rst ever encounter with regular ocean style sur ng on a stationary wave by none other than Ben Nielsen at the “U2” wave while “Ghost-Face Pat” talked about how one could drown at those waves.

Again, the Union Chutes are a series of boat chutes over drops of elevation that have been given cool names such as “U2”, “Hollywood Hole”, “Hawaii 5-0”, and “Magnum PI”. But screw it, one should stick with RRP since the waves are better and safer. Plans are to remove these drops and replace them with similar waves to RRP, this report will issue an updated report to re ect the plans for removal and replacement of the Union Chutes.

Denver Downtown: Yep, downtown Denver has some river waves to surf albeit subject to

ows.

Downtown Denver has an advantage of the con uence of the S. Platte River and Cherry Creek. The potential of the convergence of these two waterways is untapped but yet still yields some interesting surf spots.

“16 Street Wave” The rst notable Denver Downtown wave is “16th Street Wave” wave located at the 16th yuppie pedestrian bridge. The wave is very shallow and dif cult to surf, except for local Metro Denver longboard surfer Larry Ward Jr. The wave can be surfed at a few 100cfs on a longboard. Crowds will form on the pedestrian bridge and be awed by very short rides in the 10’s of seconds. Note, this wave is just down river from the Con uence Park that one day is supposed to have a WaveShapper installed.

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“Trestle Wave” this is a wave not for the faint of heart. Trestles (we wish this was the SoCal wave of the same name of Trestles) is a very ckle wave like Miracle Wave and only shows up rarely during signi cantly higher releases of water from the Chat eld Reservoir. It takes about 1,200cfs to even venture into this iconic urban wave. The location is the second bridge over the S. Platte down from the Denver Skateboard Park and is actually right at the train track bridge at the “City of Cuernavaca Park” in downtown Denver off to I-25.

Park at the end of Rockmont Drive and then walk the sidewalk over the river and to the wave. Do not go alone to this wave and bring a throw rope. Walk south to view the eddy paddle outs to the right. There is a strange seam at the eddy that will suck you under for split second that you need to keep your cool about.

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The wave is a bit rowdy and drops out from under you when sur ng. Entry on to the wave is from left next to the wave, dive in prone, and pop-up. See the pic of this wave on the front of this report, as it is epic river sur ng.

“River Mile Wave” is going to be built near the Denver Aquarium in the S. Platte in the next few years by real estate developer Rhys Dugan (Revesco Properties) as part of re-working the mile of the S. Platte from Elitch Gardens theme park down to Con uence park behind REI. Originally the river master plan called for multiple waveshaper waves but the plan was dumbed down to one single stationary wave. Happens when billionaire Stan Kroenke (Forbes Ranks as 70th richest person in the world) buddies decided to change up the plans for the S. Platte river reclamation. The “business suits” won, but currently there is a battle by local surfers to make sure that the one wave being built is a green faced surfable wave and not some typical lackluster crumbly whitewater hole that even the kayakers will avoid.

Metro Denver North: North of Denver by only a few moments is the absolute best kept secret of river

sur ng in the greater Denver proximity. North Denver is untapped for future waves but yields one iconic micro wave or larger than life potentials, “Dave’s Wave”. People make light of this wave and source of water but the future of Metro Denver river sur ng is at this location.

“Dave’s Wave” is year-round surfable boat chute longboard wave. This wave truly can be surfed 365 days out of the year. Why? Because (out of total disclosure) the water at Dave’s Wave is sourced from the ef uent of the Denver Metro waste water treatment plant. “Oh, hell no”, one would want to say, but actually the ef uent that is released at a 130 million gallons a day into the S. Platte is safer than the natural water in the S. Platte and 6 months out of the year, actually accounts to as much as 85 percent of the ow into the S. Platte just above Dave’s Wave. The Colorado River Sur ng Association (a non-pro t promoting river sur ng in Colorado) conducted a fact nding tour of the wastewater treatment facility and con rmed that the ef uent for Dave’s Wave has no e-coli or fecal matter in it and the water meets EPA standards for recreational water use. Dave’s Wave was actually named after David Schambach who rst started sur ng Dave’s Wave while in law school. The story goes that the police were called on David Schambach for sur ng the boat chute and when hailed by the police, David Schambach ignored the calls. The police waded into the side of the river to confront “the terrorist river surfer” only to determine it was a damn cool thing to be sur ng that spot.

Dave’s Wave is located at the park on 88th Street just past Dahlia Street in Thornton, CO going west. From the months of October to April, you park in the rst lot in the park and walk south about a mile to the wave.

During the warmer months there is parking closer in at the gravel ponds shing pier. When you walk down to the wave, look for the Colorado River Sur ng Association sign “Dave’s Wave”. Wade into the wave and have some of the funnest knee high surf ever. Look for vids online of Dave’s Wave for paddle in or push in entry and how to bail the shallow wave. The spot typically bumps up the ow to a couple hundred cfs to double that daily….. Note, there are thoughts of building a wave just upstream from Dave’s Wave that would be surfable like RRP almost year round. Contact your state congressman now and demand a modern wave just north of Dave’s Wave.

“Golden” just north of Denver (home of Coors Brewery) is a series of drops/waves on the Clear Creek river.

The only really surfable wave is “Bingo Hole”. There are other potential waves that one can easily ride prone out on a body board (with some radical ability) but the only wave worth speaking about is Bingo. This wave is the furthest south of the Boulder wave park and requires a higher volume board. The water is much colder than the S. Platte and during the warm days is full of tubers oating into the surf line-up. Could be worse, could be sitting at home wondering what is the best fertilizer to put on the lawn. Bingo is a local’s wave but is worth a try to surf at sometime or another. Spot needs a paltry 100cfs if you got some serious volume in your surfboard. Also need a thick wetsuit, booties, and gloves for the cold water. Watch out for rocks that nail you and can be a deadly foothold if you fall off your board onto your feet.

Adjacent to Metro Denver North: There are drivable waves, a couple of hours or more from Metro

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Denver. Glenwood Springs is one and is arguably the most famous wave in Colorado and is near the Eagle

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Wave. Down south there is Florence Wave that has been a fun wave to surf but experienced detrimental changes in 2019 with extreme ow conditions. Montrose has a wave as well. Pueblo is the other iconic wave set that is well worth a trip to surf with the locals down there. New waves were built in 2019 in Ft. Collins, Lyons, Longmont and Eagle that either have not been surfed yet at high ow or need a quality review. Lastly, Colorado has other semi-secret waves that if you know the right folks, can also be found and surfed that maybe one day will be highlighted in future River Surf Reports or maybe not.

METRO DENVER RIVER SURFING TIPS Metro Denver Surf Season: River sur ng in Metro Denver is year round if you are willing to use a quiver of surfboards. But the real surf season start’s up about mid-May, the time the majority of the ski resorts are closing down and as a result of the annual snow melt. It is during the snow melt-off in the mountains that the Metro Denver’s river season kicks into gear with the higher river ows into the S. Platte River and Clear Creek water ways. The season usually ends abruptly at the summer’s end but some spots are surfable well into the fall with at least one knee high spot surfable all winter (Dave’s Wave).

Equipment: River sur ng is done with regular surfboards but is best done with either soft tops or bomb proof heavy glassed boards made by local shapers or with boards like like the Lib Tech Puddle Jumper.

Board sizes range from about 5-6 foot for the better sur ng days to high volume boards during the off-peak times. Helmets, pfds, and of course wetsuits are recommended. Helmet are for not so much from hitting rocks but is more so to avoid injury from being hit by your own board (the surfboards follow your head when you fall). The pfd helps soften the blow from the shallow waves over rocks and in an emergency can help save you life. Though, about only 50% of the river surfers fully safety gear up while the others throw caution to the wind. It is all about risk tolerance but done so based on educating oneself!

METRO DENVER SURF RESOURCES Surf Shops: The following shops possibly sell surfboards and gear for river sur ng: • “Altitude” (Littleton)- Lib Techs, soft tops, pfds, helmets, etc.

• “Evo” (Downtown Denver)- carries some surfboards as ancillary gear for Richie Rich’s wakeboarding and wake sur ng scene’s. Check back as they might carry more true surf gear for the average Jill and Joe. • “BC Surf” (Littleton, Broom eld, Colorado Springs)- maybe a soft top if your are lucky and typical surf apparel • “Con uence” (Downtown Denver)- soft tops, pfds, helmets, ns, repair kits, wax, etc.

• “Flat Irons Dive Shop” (Broom eld)- wetsuits and booties • “Golden River Sport” (Golden)- pfd’s, helmets • “Various Hockey Rinks” (Metro Denver)- Zogs cold water surf wax sold as Hockey Wax Formula • “Various Second-hand Shops” (Metro Denver)- used wetsuits at a few dollars

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Surfboard Shapers: There are a few surfboard shapers in Metro Denver but you will need to ask around for to gure out who they are and if they are currently shaping..

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Resources: • Colorado River Sur ng Association (CRSA) 501(c)(3) non-pro t • http://endlesswaves.net- Jake Voss web page that discusses almost all waves in Colorado including locations, ows, and how to surf them as safe as possible.

• FaceBook: • Colorado River Surfers- good info but skip the drama that breaks out in any FB group • River Surfer Magazine- Nacho Clown FB cool publication • South Platte River Surfers- unpretentious celebration of S. Platte River Sur ng • River Surf Report App- iPhone app by Ben Smith • RiverApp- phone app used to monitor river ows and temps • Various River Gauges- research closest gauges to river waves

METRO DENVER DITCHES Heads-up, Metro Denver has surfable ditches, not of the river kind but surfed by skateboarders. There is for example a skate-able big wall ride at Beaver’s Wave. Also there is a Permission DIY attempt at “the Wave” next to Kennedy Golf Course… Hunt for ditches in Denver and in particular Colorado Springs. Enough said here….

LBK Sur ng a Denver Ditch

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Surf Collusion mini-zine advocating for proper skate parks in Denver

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“KOOKAL SAYS” Everyone is a local somewhere, everyone is kook somewhere, and everyone has an opinion…

(River surf cartoon by a well known Denver artist and rad local surfer)

Kookal Says, “Be Cautious Of Whatever Type of Leash You Use. They all can drown you.”

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METRO DENVER SURF NEWS At the time of the rst publishing of this free river sur ng report in 2020, the world was in the throws of the COVID pandemic. Respects go out to those dealing with losses of family and friends, those who jobs and business might be lost, and a big thanks goes out to those ghting the virus such as our medical responders, essential workers, and government leaders… Another issues has popped up but not such an issue in the Denver Surf scene, that is “ ush drowning”. An individual died while sur ng the Arkansas river in Buena Vista in 2019. The river surfer had “all the gear” (a helmet, a pfd, a quick release leash, and a high volume surfboard), but still drown breathing in water in the wave train on top of the water while going through some faster rapids below the wave he was sur ng. Flush drownings are real, so know the conditions before you go, talk to the locals, and when in doubt, don’t go or if you start to get tired, end your surf session before it ends you… Peace and Love, Surf Collusion…. Update March 2022: Hope we can end the war in Eastern Europe with peace!!!

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Eric Halborg Sur ng In Front of the “RRP Tiki”, Summer 2019

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MESSAGE FROM THE EDITORS

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Print is not dead!!! The writing style of this report does not matter, it is the information and knowledge intended to share that does matter!! “The River Sur ng Report” borrows from the historical publication of similar name and style called “The Surf Report” (see pic below). The intent of the “River Sur ng Report” is to spread the stoke and knowledge of river sur ng and river wave locations world wide as a direct front against river sur ng localism… If you dare to and want to help create the next “River Sur ng Report” for your geographic area; ask around for the publisher of Surf Collusion Zine.