Heavy rain last week over the burn scar from last summer鈥檚 is creating 鈥榠nteresting鈥� rafting conditions, according to some northern Colorado outfitters.
Last year, had rafting companies worried about business. This year, it's not the water, but what's in it.
Flash flooding that sweeps mud, tree branches and other debris into the Poudre River is forcing rafters and guides to be a bit more cautious.
Brad Modesitt, owner of in Fort Collins, says they've had to make some adjustments to a few of their trips.
鈥淲e did have a very large slide on one of our big rapids, 3 Rock. Basically it鈥檚 an un-runnable rapid right now, so we need to put in below that,鈥� Modesitt says. 鈥淥ur normal put-in is above that 鈥� so we鈥檙e missing about a mile of rafting right now鈥� which is a bummer.鈥�
U.S. Forest Service crews this winter will likely need to come in to clear , which Modesitt says contains perhaps 20 鈥� 30 logs.
鈥淏ut the rocks and all that stuff will just stay as it is, and the river will change a little bit right there, so we鈥檒l see what happens,鈥� he adds. 聽
Another issue for rafting companies is , keeping customers from getting to them. Modesitt says so far the conditions haven鈥檛 negatively impacted his business, adding that CDOT crews have done a good job clearing mudslides from Poudre Canyon roads.
Experts predict flash flooding issues will be for the area northwest of Fort Collins for the next several years, at least until the vegetation grows back.
