Read all about our adventure ~ Lake Granby: Kayaking & Camping Adventure
For the last few years, Stella and I have expressed an interest in doing a long-distance kayak and camping adventure. Labor Day weekend 2019, we are going to make that happen! We will be launching our Perception Cove 14.5 Tandem kayak, a.k.a. the Big Mango, from the Stillwater Boat Ramp on Lake Granby in the Arapaho National Recreation Area. From there, we will paddle roughly twenty miles to the Roaring Fork Campground, located in Arapaho Bay, which is at the eastern end of the lake. We will stay there overnight and then paddle twenty miles back home the next day. In total we will paddle approximately forty miles over the two-day period. We have carefully planned out the necessary gear and how to pack it on/inside of the Big Mango.
Join us as we begin to prepare for this kayak and camping adventure over the next four weeks. Stella and I will continue to post weekly about our training activities and we will follow up with a summary of the overnight adventure at the conclusion of our journey. We encourage feedback/comments/tips that anyone may have.
Week 1 (July 29th – August 4th)
- Monday – Trip to REI to look for tent, purchased the REI Co-op Half Dome 3 Plus and REI Co-op Half Dome 3 Plus Footprint.
- Saturday – Kayaked Grand Lake and Shadow Mountain Lake – Total distance 13 miles.
- Sunday – Jumped on our Isle Glider Wood SUP’s and paddled 5 miles on Shadow Mountain Lake.
WEEK 2 (AUGUST 5TH – AUGUST 11TH)
- Tuesday – 6.6 Mile Solo Hike, Plymouth Mountain Loop
- We were unable to Kayak or Paddle Board due to the weather during the week.
- Ordered Stella’s sleeping bag, she will be using a North Face Aleutian 20°.
Week 3 (August 12th – August 18th)
- Once again the weather failed to cooperate. We spent zero time on the water. The forecast next week is looking favorable so we should be able to use our paddle boards and kayak as well.
- Did a bit of urban hiking around the neighborhood.
Week 4 (August 19th – August 25th)
- Paddled the Aurora Reservoir Monday evening.
- Picked up a few items from REI.
- The weather did not cooperate Saturday or Sunday to get the kayak on the water. This will make for an interesting paddle.
- Repaired the bulkhead on the “Big Mango”.
- Dry fit the kayak to make certain all the necessary gear will fit, plenty of room for a few non essentials…
- Set up our new REI Co-op Half Dome Plus 3 tent.
Week 5 – Go week (August 26th – August 31st)
- Paddled the Aurora Reservoir on Monday and Wednesday
- Paddled Shadow Mountain on Saturday
- Returned to Base Camp and prepped for Sunday morning.
- Cooked a hearty Green Chicken Chili Casserole in our Dutch Oven.
- It will all begin Sunday morning after a quick breakfast, load up the Tahoe and off the Lake Granby. We will post the entire adventure next week, stay tuned.
Read all about our adventure ~ Lake Granby: Kayaking & Camping Adventure