Hi all!
Today is airport day! It’s so sad to see these guys go. It was great getting to know them and watch them get to know each other. This trip totally flew by— we definitely wish we could have more time with this group.
After cleaning up and resetting from our backcountry leg, we headed further into the mountains towards Kremmling, CO. Here we stayed at Pumphouse Campground, situated along the Colorado River and Gore Canyon. Before we got to fishing, we completed our service project which was cleaning up around the entire campground — collecting tons of trash. Trash that would otherwise end up in the Colorado River system. Other campers and boat launch users were grateful, as were the fish and other wildlife.
Fishing that afternoon was a little slow, but we were able to make do. Prolonged run-off meant that water levels were high and water clarity was down. This meant that fish would be holding close to the banks to stay out of strong current and conserve energy. A hot day led to slow fishing, which led to an early dinner so we could regroup and get out again later once temps dropped a bit. In the evening things picked up a bit, with lots of fish rising to the surface to feed. Once we figured out what the fish were eating, we managed to land some of the best fish of the trip! Days like these can be draining, but it’s so rewarding when things come together like they did!
Yesterday was an absolute whirlwind and a total blast. We started the day off with a quick breakfast at camp so we could get on the water early. Guides from Cutthroat Anglers picked the guys up and floated down scenic sections of the Colorado River in search of massive brown and rainbow trout. Fishing was tough due to water conditions and weather patterns, but the guys were still able to land some solid fish on the day. After the float, we made some sandwiches and packed up camp so we could hit the road toward our last stop in Silverthorne. Here we stopped by the rec center to swim and shower, then filled up with some Mexican food for our banquet dinner. There we shared our favorite memories from the trip and reflected on the past week.
We are so happy we were able to do this trip with this awesome group of campers. We made some amazing memories, landed some great fish, and overall just had a fantastic trip. Hopefully we get to see these guys again!
With care,
Colorado Leadership Team
