Gila River Flow in late December

[DallinW]

Me and the cousin are doing Oracle to Superior right after Christmas, and water along Gila Canyon and Alamo segments is causing some concern.

Databook says Gila River stops flowing around November. I was wondering if anyone near the Kelvin Bridge area could tell me if the Gila is still flowing or not. I'd rather not make a 2.5 hr round trip just to see.

If the Gila isn't flowing, I'm considering taking the old route on GET to the artisan wel in Walnut Canyon,, but of course, I would rather stick to the "official route" for completion purposes.

[chumley]

Gila River near Kelvin
http://waterdata.usgs.gov/az/nwis/uv?site_no=09474000

[Sredfield]

Even though the river is "shut off" there is usually some flow and pools along the way. There is also a seep in the wash just west of the corner north of Cochran. I'm sure it is in the AZT databook.

[DallinW]

Even though the river is "shut off" there is usually some flow and pools along the way. There is also a seep in the wash just west of the corner north of Cochran. I'm sure it is in the AZT databook.

I assume you're talking about "Red Mnt Seep"? It's there, but there is no indication of how reliable it is.

[Sredfield]

@DallinW
I didn't realize there is no reliability rating. It had water in it Oct 8. Not a great deal but enough to filter, treat and use.

[DallinW]

@DallinW
I didn't realize there is no reliability rating. It had water in it Oct 8. Not a great deal but enough to filter, treat and use.

Thank you for the info! Sounds like we'll have something to filter out there. It's looking like we will be placing a water cache at Telegraph Canyon Road just to be safe as well. I will be sure to report back on that seep for future travelers.

[BGL]

You can also cache water at the trailhead before you get to the bridge.

[AZOutside]

The Gila is flowing now, Dec 11. Annual shut off as usual was the month of November for irrigation canal maintenance. Its mostly an artificial flow river managed for downstream farmers. It usually runs all spring and summer for the farmers. And many times even when flow is shut off from the dam at San Carlos lake, it still runs for a couple of weeks. Almost always some surviving small ponds if you walk a ways downstream. In fact if its not running or is its usual shallow self, it can be easier to walk down the stream bed than taking the trail on the north side. And its a sandy bottom, so in a pinch try digging. Also, the trail-head parking lot usually has stockpiled water from our trail angels. If you get stuck in this area, there is a residential area and cell coverage at the Kelvin bridge and traffic on the road - so ask for help; the snakes may bite but most Arizonans don't. Cheers!

[Sredfield]

Can anyone give directions to the ford spot at Cochran? I'm thinking of trying to walk/wade across there Sunday.
Thanks.

[SuperstitionGuy]

Can anyone give directions to the ford spot at Cochran? I'm thinking of trying to walk/wade across there Sunday.
Thanks.

Just pick the widest part of the river where the flow is the slowest. I had no problem when I did it years ago but the water can be waist deep in places. Take your hiking staff to test the depth of the bottom as you cross.

[chumley]

@Sredfield
I didn't realize I don't have a track for my visit. I'm 95% sure I parked here: (http://hikearizona.com/map.php?QX=4628) and crossed the tracks and then the river. It was totally dry though, so I don't know how difficult it will be if there's water. I would plan on a waist-high wading experience assuming there is water in the river now.

[CannondaleKid]

Can anyone give directions to the ford spot at Cochran? I'm thinking of trying to walk/wade across there Sunday.

If you mean the 'ford' marked on most maps just east of Cochran (where AZT#16 turns north), you'd probably have better luck 1/8 mile west.
(The marked ford is almost all scrub brush and there hasn't been vehicular access there in a LONG time)
But even at the spot 1/8 mile west it has always been to deep to cross when I was there.

Other than crossing the Gila at the southern end of Walnut Canyon (which currently has a VERY deep channel), this is where I've always crossed nearer the Coke Ovens:
33.096703 -111.181647

The best way is to cross by vehicle here is at a mild SW to NE angle rather than at a 90-degree angle to the Gila.
Southern access was from the Florence to Kelvin Highway going north following Donnelly Wash to the Gila.

Some folks try it at 33.096783 -111.177854 where the river bed is wider, but that is very misleading because there is usually a narrow deep channel at that point.
(BTW, the deep channel is where Erik's Xterra went snorkeling)
I've walked over halfway across barely up to my knees until reaching a quick drop off.

However... based on the current 320 CFS {EDIT} water flow at Kelvin, I wouldn't guarantee being able to cross anywhere along there.
(I've never crossed when the flow was any more than 120 CFS {EDIT}.

[SuperstitionGuy]

Whatever you do - do not do this. Walk it first!!!! http://hikearizona.com/photo.php?ID=178313

[chumley]

based on the current 320 cfm

At 320cfm you could likely walk across without getting water over the rim of your boots. But you might need a light windbreaker to ward off that air conditioning! ;)

[CannondaleKid]

@chumley Whoops... yup, you are correct. I meant cfs not cfm.

[CannondaleKid]

Walk it first!!!!

Yup, it's shallow enough most of the way across... until the narrow deep channel. When I walked it April 2011, the channel was deeper than I could reach even with my hiking pole fully extended.

The deep channel is about 30 feet behind the Samurai: Samurai on the Gila
As the photo shows probably 90% of it looks to be less than a foot deep, obviously MUCH shallower than in the photo of Erik's Xterra.

And because the appearance of the surface flow can be very deceiving here, I've generally avoided it, using a spot farther west.