Durechen Creek - August 9 & 17, 2003
By Chris Collins
I had originally scheduled a float trip to Fall River but due to water conditions I relocated it to be a paddle trip exploring Durechen Creek north of El Dorado Lake August 9. I thought this would be a “get by” location so we could camp and paddle even though the rivers were dried up. Durechen Creek turned out to be such a pleasant experience that I schedule a second trip for August 17 for some of those who could not participate the first time.
Those in attendance on August 9 were Noel Hire, Jim Cox, David Browne, Sharon McCampbell, Keith McCampbell and myself. All had kayaks. We launched about 7:15 AM and paddled up the mouth of Durechen Creek, explored several nooks and crannies, and then paddled under Highway 177 and up the narrow creek to the east. I measured 69 degrees inside my tent during the night and the sunrise temperature was 71 degrees. It was mostly cloudy with almost no wind. It did not get hot until we were about done. I think we had all returned to the put-in point by 11:00 AM.
Those in attendance on August 17 were James Christians, Ben Postlehwait, Stacy Postlehwait, Buseer Sayeed and myself. Ben and Stacy paddled a canoe and the rest of us paddled kayaks. The night was a little warmer for this trip but we all had a great time. We launched a few minutes after 6:00 AM and except for James, we were all finished and headed for air conditioning by 10:00 AM. James stayed behind to prepare a breakfast and just enjoy nature a little longer. We all agreed that paddling is a great way to enjoy a sunrise. While at the lake, I did some scouting for a future Walnut River trip.
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