I doubt they'll see this, but just in case I wanted to make a note to thank the Ranger that we ran into in two different places that was super helpful. I didn't catch her name but she was great.
Cool vid. never knew that. I did watch a vid were people did a course I must have forgot but when they followed it down all the way to LA in the basins it trickled out short of the Pacific. OH Yeah THANKS
If you do these regularly, maybe try to find the origin of the Snake River or go to Two Ocean Pass where there's a creek that forms near Grand Teton and then splits into a creek flowing east known as the Atlantic Creek and the other flowing west as the Pacific Creek.
I live 6 miles south of Breckenridge Colorado, The Blue River's headwater at the top of Hoosier Pass is one of "The start of the Colorado River." There are many tributaries to the Colorado River. The Blue River flows north from here and confluences with the Colorado River near Kremmling, Colorado. Thanks for highlighting the importance of this awesome body of water which is so important to so many animals and humans.
Great video! I’ve been in The Never-Summer Mountain Range, while fly fishing the Colorado River and its tributaries years ago. One day on my trip, (it was late August) I was standing at a scenic overlook, way up above the tree line, and a National Park officer came over to me and started talking with me, he was very nice. I pointed to a large patch of ice and snow that was down in a valley, and shadowed by a mountain, and I said, “I bet that patch of snow and ice down there in that big shadow will take until next year to melt”, at which point he laughed, good naturedly, and said to me, “Well, that particular patch of snow has been there since 1960, so I’m guessing probably not!” It was then that he told me that I was in The Never Summer Range, and that there were many patches of snow and ice in the range that had been there for decades. It was such beautiful country, and I’ve always wanted to go back. Perhaps one of these days I will. 🙏
That's a very wonderful story. I'll bet you have some amazing ones from the places that you have been fly fishing. You should write a book of them . I definitely would love to read it
I went to high school with members of a family born and raised in Poudre Canyon. They shared so many spots and facts shared by their grandparents to their parents and then them. I aways felt honored to learn from them. One thing I never knew was that sign marking the source of the Colorado River. Just shows there is always something to learn. Thank you for your videos!!
I took a six-month road trip around the western U.S. and Canada in 2008, and during that trip I crossed the Colorado a few times. I was driving through RMNP and noticed on my map that the Colorado River started in RMNP! So I decided to hike up to the headwaters to this incredibly important river. As I came up to this engineered channel and followed it up to the divide (and what I learned was the Grand Ditch), it hit me that right from the very beginning of the Colorado, its waters are robbed and diverted away. There was a lot more water flowing in the Grand Ditch to the east of the Divide than in the actual Colorado River. Using our river and groundwater is part of our human existence, but it's still a little sad to see the water diverted right from the very beginning. Nice video, it brought back some great memories of that day and my trip around the West.
Living in socal I occasionally find myself at the Colorado River by way of Bullhead, Needles, Parker, Blythe, etc and have always been curious about this. Thank you for making this beautiful and informative video
Majestic things have humble beginnings. Thank you for this. I had the pleasure of living next to co river for a year in the western slope of the rockies. We have such a beautiful country
Grew up near there. Amazing the quality production one guy with a camera can put out. Excellent work all the way round my friend. Thanx for the video! 👍
Living on the Colorado River in northern Arizona, I have often wondered just exactly what the start of it looks like. Well, now I know. Many thanks for this enjoyable video.
Thank you Steve, excellent video. I live in San Diego, so I definitely depend on the Colorado River and have been closely monitoring the drought situation.
I love source videos!! It's always amazing to me, how sometimes the tiniest things become the huge roaring necessities in life ;) Rivers and streams included! Thank you for doing this one, I always enjoy your vids.
It's fun finding the source of major rivers. The Salmon River in Idaho starts in a high basin near Galena Pass with a couple of creeks coming into it. Probably springs in the basin too.
I've lived in Colorado for 50 years and have just about seen it all. It was so incredibly beautiful but after the massive amount of people that are here now I don't go up much anymore. But I know what it was like when it was wide and open and free.
I have lived on the front range for 20 yrs, plus I lived in Estes Park for 8yrs. I used to spend every day in Rocky Mountain National Park, cleaning up after residents and tourists. They've trampled that beautiful park to death. I live in Loveland now. I may get up to RMNP once a year during the rut. It's a sad situation.
I've always wondered about where this river starts, and thanks to your energy, and willingness to make the hike, I'm better informed. It's remarkable that this rather small stream is responsible for providing water to so many people.
"willingness to make the hike" ...At 10K feet, even when you're in shape at sea level, you get Gassed quickly going up hills at 10K. You're saying "What happened?!"
Love the video! I’m a wildfire hydrology researcher and wildland firefighter. Collect TSS, water chemistry, and chlorophyll samples at long draw every week!
Interesting trivia: 101 years ago, the Colorado River didn't begin anywhere near here. The river whose source you're investigating was then known as the Grand River (whence the name of the nearby ditch). It didn't pick up the name Colorado until it reached Utah and its confluence with the Green River. A 1921 proclamation of Congress changed that: Grand became Colorado.
Yes! Thank you! Colorado actually stole the Colorado River. It should actually be called the Green River, which is much larger, even though it’s designated as a tributary.
Actually, the Grand River had (and has) a larger flow of water than the Green River at the confluence. However, the Green River has a larger drainage basin. At least that is what Wikipedia says under the listing for the Green River. If you look at the confluence on Google Maps, the rivers appear to be pretty similar in size. Also, I think the Missouri River is bigger than the Mississippi River at their junction as well.
@@SPR8364-0 No your thinking of the Ohio and Mississippi Hydrologically speaking the "ohio river" is the river that flows into the gulf but due to ehh some flubbing of names to gain bigger territory via treaties. Or you could say it in another way the Mississippi river starts in Pittsburg Pennsylvania. Because the Mississippi was named at its mouth by the French I probably over complicated that explanation
Thank you Sidetrack Adventures! I’m a Native Coloradan, I’ve been to the Poudre River & Colorado River but never to the beginning of it! LOVE IT! Amazing & Beautiful, I LOVE this State! ❤🥰
Your photography is great, your explanations and historical facts are well presented. It is refreshing to see a video that is so well put together. Thanks. It made me subscribe to your channel and I look forward to reviewing all your material.
Absolutely fascinating video about natural history, human history, and the current significance and importance of the Colorado River. Thank you for sharing this.
Colin Fletcher walked/rafted the entire length. He backpacked the first 150 +/- miles.... and then rafted most of the rest until he got to Mexico where he went back to backpacking. Beautiful country!!!
Thank you Steve for such a tremendous and educational video. You did a great job of explaining to us so nice and very understanding about this great river in this great country of ours. Thanks again. JP
Interesting how you went up to the source of the Colorado from east of the divide. I always thought you would get to it easier from the west side since that's the way the river flows. Great content here! Thumbs up!
Thank you. We happened to be on the eastern side so it worked out for us. it looked like driving from the west you really have to circle around everything to get to the road.
I work the railroad line that follows the Colorado through the Rockies and really enjoyed seeing this! I also need to get back that way and film more off-road trails near Ft. Collins. Great vid!
As someone who went to college in that area (University of Wyoming) you got the name of The Poudre right. Amazing area and it has been years since I have been there. Enjoy your videos, especially the history along the 8 and 10. I travel track and forth to San Antonio from SoCal and your videos help understand the history
I’ve never been to this area but the name is French. It means powder as in gun powder. I’m French and in French « poudre » is pronounced : poo - dr . The last E is not pronounced (unlike in Spanish).
Well done! It's always great to see things first hand. During our visit to RMNP, we found this spot to be very interesting too. Glad we found your channel! 👍
Makes me think of Robert Plant singing that line from Ten Years Gone: "And though the course may change sometimes, Rivers always reach the sea" and how that no longer applies to the mighty Colorado ... the river that carved the Grand Canyon is so dammed and used, that it's now barely a trickle as it disappears into the sand several miles before it reaches the Gulf of California. What have we done?
I think Jim Morrison said it in 1967 What have they done to the earth, yeah? What have they done to our fair sister? Ravaged and plundered and ripped her and bit her Stuck her with knives in the side of the dawn and Tied her with fences and dragged her down I hear a very gentle sound With your ear down to the ground We want the world and we want it (we want the world and we want it!) Now Now? Now!
Interesting video sir, it is astonishing for me that there is so much vegetation at an altitude of 10000 feet. In Europe you just find bare rock at this altitude. Shame that the Colorado does not reach the sea. Greetings from the Netherlands where the highest mountain is 1000 feet.
Great video. I upvoted near the beginning. Then you showed us something else amazing, and I actually tried to upvote again. To be honest, this happened a few times during the video. Granted, every time you showed us something cool, I'd look it up. So maybe my memory isn't quite as bad as it seems. I turned a 12 minute video into an hour long video doing this.
It reminds me of the Mississippi River. The starting point of it is a small creek that me and you could walk across. But if you get in it where I live in Southern Illinois, it'll take you with it. Great video, really enjoyed it!
OH THIS IS FASCINATING. With our news focusing so much on what's going to happen to our water source (and a recently trip to the Hoover Dam), this really puts some perspective on things. And the landscape of Colorado... 🤩 So fascinating to see the origin of the water that ultimately carved out the Grand Canyon over time. We've been talking about going to Colorado for a while (well, we tried and kind of did recently) but I think this needs to go on the list. It just looks so ... humbling? And beautiful. Great video!
Colorado is amazing. I wish we could have stayed longer and explored more. I guess that's the problem with everywhere though, so much to see and so little time.
I'm a native Coloradoan and it's really special to be at the headwaters of the Colorado River. It's at the base of the western side of Rocky Mountain National Park. And yes, it's Poo-der (Poudre).
Loved this video finding the Colorado River headwaters. I've sampled the fly fishing on a short section of the La Poudre but never traced the headwaters. I've explored the source of the Rio Grande and Arkansas Rivers headwaters but haven't ventured to the source of the Colorado River...yet. Thanks for some great Colorado scenery. Too, a great tribute to a very important western river.
For those wondering about the blackened trees, this damage is from the Cameron Peak fire in 2020. Scorched more than 208,000 acres and started just a stones throw from Long Draw.
Some of the trees have signs of pine bark beetle damage too. I think all the dead trees caused by the infestation really helped contribute to the massive wildfires during that year.
This is a great insight. I love Colorado, lived there and fly fished all over. To see this spot is just amazing. Next visit to Colorado, I do need to get up there for sure!! Thanks!
Seriously wanted to tell you, that I am so pleased by your channel. UA-cam has gotten to the point where almost every single video annoys me, whether it be someone with annoying narration, pointless jump cuts, or general obnoxiousness, or poor quality/somehow misleading. This video did none of the above. It was exactly what was described in the title, plus good camera work, explanations, pleasant voice. Absolutely great job, keep up the good work!
Thanks for this informative video. I am in UK and teaching my Grandchildren about rivers. One is the Colorado and this video does the job. Thanks. Keep safe.
Yes - as a long time Coloradoan who lived where your video goes, it's pronounced, "poo-der". Locals don't use the full name, Cache La Poudre, we just call it "the Poudre River". It's is beautiful up there and have hunted and cross country skied that area many times...
So true, all of us old Larimer County kin. And for those who don't speak french, the name "Cache la Poudre" translates to "powder cache". The French trappers named it such and apparently cached their gun powder in the area. The Poudre is one of the few rivers along the Front Range to be designated a "Wild and Scenic River", as it is not dammed. Thanks for the vid!
Every river and creek where I grew up I explored the headwaters of for fishing purposes mostly and discovered tributary after tributary builds these rivers into what they become
I've not hiked all the way up, but I've been there on US 34 where it runs along the river. At that location, the Colorado is a beautiful, clear mountain stream, and the surrounding vegetation is gorgeous.
When I lived in Colorado, I'd go from Castle Rock to Fort Collins and then on Highway 14 to my fishing spot. Yeah, it took 2-3 hours to get there, but the drive through the Poudre River canyon and over Cameron Pass was worth the trip. I'd end up at Ranger Lakes which has spectacular scenery. I was devastated to hear about the Cameron Pass wildfire a few years ago.
When I lived in Colorado I bedded more broads than I expected the view was amazing mounds and gorges I went back for seconds it was spectacular. I heard about the beaver bush fire a few years ago, I was happy to hear that thing got a trim it was overgrown.
Some facts... the Green River in Utah contributes more water to the Colorado river as does the Gunnison River which flows thru Gunnison Colorado so where does the Colorado River really start
The Gunnison River flows into the Colorado at the town of ......Grand Junction. The Gunnison River starts about 10 miles north of Gunnison the town, at Almont, where the East and Taylor rivers meet..
Thank you for showing our grand state and its beauty. I spend most of my time mountaineering 14ers, but have been to the head waters of the Colorado from Hwy 34, north.
lol, all of Idaho is west of the Continental divide your statement is a huge miss, the Missouri river starts in Montana east of the Divide, and the Snake River starts in in Wyoming in Yellowstone
Thanks for this video. I lived in Arizona for 36 years so I benefited greatly from the Colorado River. I just never knew where it started other than in Colorado.
The true beginning of the Colorado river, as the plaque suggests, is a few miles away from the plaque itself, and actually begins in many places which eventually form the single Colorado River, but all of the originations are located around Specimen Mountain, with the main base of the river (The largest water source of the Colorado River past the plaque) being located at 40.457091, -105.810780, or directly in the bowl of Specimen Mountain. The annual snow melt within this bowl is what fills La Poudre Pass Lake, which is the location of the Plaque commemorating the headwaters of the Colorado River. In other words, the 'Headwaters' of the Colorado River is not the basin where it officially begins, but rather the summit of the mountain which fills that basin each spring. The bowls of the nearby Iron Mountain and East Desolation Peak also account for a majority of the headwaters, but are not considered the Colorado River at the location of the mountain summit from which they spawn, and are instead recognize as Corral creek and Hague creek. Additional headwaters are abundant in the immediate vicinity of Specimen Mountain, but they often change course depending on how the snowpack melts each year, so I would not consider any other waters to be the headwaters of the Colorado. The river's spawn on Specimen Mountain has been eroded directly into the mountain over thousands of years, so I would consider this one and only point to be the official start of the Colorado River.
Wow! Thanks! I’m glad not to be the only one who wondered where the “ trickle” starts. (Decades ago we found the marked spring which starts the Potomac River. Loved it!)
thank you so much .i passed 2 nights on google earth following the colorado river from the ocean to the hight montains where i found the begining of it a small stream neat la poudre pass. the day after i found your video and was perfectelly like my google earth search. with your video i watched cleary the site a droop of water which becam with the miles a great and generous river. thank you so much
I lived in Colorado for 8 years. As we headed west (from Denver highway 70 to San Diego destination) we stopped near Glenwood Springs at a rest stop next to Colorado river what a beautiful and mighty river, it was flowing very rapidly and the view surrounding it was spectacular😊❤.
3:12 I love how right before you get into "haven't seen any wild life yet", a little forest critter runs by in the background
Even the Mississippi River has a modest begining. I think, many people, don't realize the enormous amount of watershed; any sloping hill may carry.
Yes it begins in lake Itasca Minnesota.
@@cassiusdio6048 And Mississippi used to drain the Great Lakes (until the Niagara river got unblocked).
Very true.
Itasca State Park in Minnesota is one of the most beautiful state parks you will ever see.
We walked across the Mississippi River at its source at Lake Itaska, MN some years ago. Very cool.
I doubt they'll see this, but just in case I wanted to make a note to thank the Ranger that we ran into in two different places that was super helpful. I didn't catch her name but she was great.
Cool vid. never knew that. I did watch a vid were people did a course I must have forgot but when they followed it down all the way to LA in the basins it trickled out short of the Pacific. OH Yeah THANKS
If you do these regularly, maybe try to find the origin of the Snake River or go to Two Ocean Pass where there's a creek that forms near Grand Teton and then splits into a creek flowing east known as the Atlantic Creek and the other flowing west as the Pacific Creek.
It was my wife.
These videos are relaxing and educational. Thumbs up!! Nice job
Great filming adventures captured for us.
I live 6 miles south of Breckenridge Colorado, The Blue River's headwater at the top of Hoosier Pass is one of "The start of the Colorado River." There are many tributaries to the Colorado River. The Blue River flows north from here and confluences with the Colorado River near Kremmling, Colorado. Thanks for highlighting the importance of this awesome body of water which is so important to so many animals and humans.
Very enlightening. Thanks
Gotta sample the fly fishing in the Blue before I get too old!
Blue river is beautiful! Some of my favorite camp spots for sure.
Visiting your area in recent years.... some of the most beautiful country this nation has. You're blessed haha
Great video!
I’ve been in The Never-Summer Mountain Range, while fly fishing the Colorado River and its tributaries years ago.
One day on my trip, (it was late August) I was standing at a scenic overlook, way up above the tree line, and a National Park officer came over to me and started talking with me, he was very nice. I pointed to a large patch of ice and snow that was down in a valley, and shadowed by a mountain, and I said, “I bet that patch of snow and ice down there in that big shadow will take until next year to melt”, at which point he laughed, good naturedly, and said to me, “Well, that particular patch of snow has been there since 1960, so I’m guessing probably not!”
It was then that he told me that I was in The Never Summer Range, and that there were many patches of snow and ice in the range that had been there for decades.
It was such beautiful country, and I’ve always wanted to go back. Perhaps one of these days I will.
🙏
That's a very wonderful story. I'll bet you have some amazing ones from the places that you have been fly fishing. You should write a book of them . I definitely would love to read it
Monsanto and that Chinese company that OWNS most of AMERICA'S FARM LANDS, are going to NEED" ALL" that water SOON
I went to high school with members of a family born and raised in Poudre Canyon. They shared so many spots and facts shared by their grandparents to their parents and then them. I aways felt honored to learn from them. One thing I never knew was that sign marking the source of the Colorado River. Just shows there is always something to learn. Thank you for your videos!!
I took a six-month road trip around the western U.S. and Canada in 2008, and during that trip I crossed the Colorado a few times. I was driving through RMNP and noticed on my map that the Colorado River started in RMNP! So I decided to hike up to the headwaters to this incredibly important river. As I came up to this engineered channel and followed it up to the divide (and what I learned was the Grand Ditch), it hit me that right from the very beginning of the Colorado, its waters are robbed and diverted away. There was a lot more water flowing in the Grand Ditch to the east of the Divide than in the actual Colorado River. Using our river and groundwater is part of our human existence, but it's still a little sad to see the water diverted right from the very beginning. Nice video, it brought back some great memories of that day and my trip around the West.
Good job and perfect timing. The Colorado has gone viral and you have provided a great perspective on the subject.
Living in socal I occasionally find myself at the Colorado River by way of Bullhead, Needles, Parker, Blythe, etc and have always been curious about this. Thank you for making this beautiful and informative video
Majestic things have humble beginnings. Thank you for this. I had the pleasure of living next to co river for a year in the western slope of the rockies. We have such a beautiful country
The Western Slope is great too. Really need to get back.
Grew up near there. Amazing the quality production one guy with a camera can put out. Excellent work all the way round my friend. Thanx for the video! 👍
Living on the Colorado River in northern Arizona, I have often wondered just exactly what the start of it looks like. Well, now I know. Many thanks for this enjoyable video.
Thank you Steve, excellent video. I live in San Diego, so I definitely depend on the Colorado River and have been closely monitoring the drought situation.
Another very enjoyable video. Thanks for taking us along!
I love source videos!! It's always amazing to me, how sometimes the tiniest things become the huge roaring necessities in life ;) Rivers and streams included! Thank you for doing this one, I always enjoy your vids.
I recently saw a video on the source of the Thames in England and it was so fascinating since there aren't huge mountains there.
yes man a small trickle turning to a raging river is amazing
It's fun finding the source of major rivers. The Salmon River in Idaho starts in a high basin near Galena Pass with a couple of creeks coming into it. Probably springs in the basin too.
I've lived in Colorado for 50 years and have just about seen it all. It was so incredibly beautiful but after the massive amount of people that are here now I don't go up much anymore. But I know what it was like when it was wide and open and free.
Indeed, I was born in AZ . After about a decade+ I went back for a visit and was deeply disappointed and won't return.
@@Vladviking so sad. Colorado and Arizona have special spirits. I love them both so extremely much.
Its not like the entire state has been taken over. There is plenty of wilderness in Colorado, you just have to drive over an hour. How terrible.
go to florida and you can feel some pain..yes its crowded in denver etc but you can get away pretty easily..
I have lived on the front range for 20 yrs, plus I lived in Estes Park for 8yrs. I used to spend every day in Rocky Mountain National Park, cleaning up after residents and tourists. They've trampled that beautiful park to death. I live in Loveland now. I may get up to RMNP once a year during the rut. It's a sad situation.
I've always wondered about where this river starts, and thanks to your energy, and willingness to make the hike, I'm better informed. It's remarkable that this rather small stream is responsible for providing water to so many people.
"willingness to make the hike" ...At 10K feet, even when you're in shape at sea level, you get Gassed quickly going up hills at 10K. You're saying "What happened?!"
It basically starts at Lake Grandby
Adding to my list!! My Fiancé would love this trip! Thanks
I've seen it rainin fire in the sky.
Talk to God and listen to the casual reply.
🎶 Rocky mountain high 🎶
I live in Fort Collins and drive out that way for pleasure frequently. Often sit by the Poudre to listen to it. It’s great living out here! Thx Steve.
What a fantastic and fun little adventure, to think all the beauty that river meanders through and has helped create.
Thanks. It was so crazy to think of how that tiny bit of water was the start of such an important river.
Love the video! I’m a wildfire hydrology researcher and wildland firefighter. Collect TSS, water chemistry, and chlorophyll samples at long draw every week!
As someone who grew up in San Diego, I really enjoy your videos. Hope you enjoy Colorado.
Thanks. Colorado was great but we are back home in San Diego now.
Thanks Steve, very enjoyable. I'll be back again.
Thank you.
Interesting trivia: 101 years ago, the Colorado River didn't begin anywhere near here. The river whose source you're investigating was then known as the Grand River (whence the name of the nearby ditch). It didn't pick up the name Colorado until it reached Utah and its confluence with the Green River. A 1921 proclamation of Congress changed that: Grand became Colorado.
Yes! Thank you! Colorado actually stole the Colorado River. It should actually be called the Green River, which is much larger, even though it’s designated as a tributary.
They say all by design, but it’s actually all by redesign!
Actually, the Grand River had (and has) a larger flow of water than the Green River at the confluence. However, the Green River has a larger drainage basin. At least that is what Wikipedia says under the listing for the Green River. If you look at the confluence on Google Maps, the rivers appear to be pretty similar in size. Also, I think the Missouri River is bigger than the Mississippi River at their junction as well.
Texas also has a Colorado River that starts and ends in Texas.
@@SPR8364-0 No your thinking of the Ohio and Mississippi
Hydrologically speaking the "ohio river" is the river that flows into the gulf but due to ehh some flubbing of names to gain bigger territory via treaties.
Or you could say it in another way the Mississippi river starts in Pittsburg Pennsylvania. Because the Mississippi was named at its mouth by the French
I probably over complicated that explanation
Beautiful scenery, thank you.
Wow!! Great research Steve, I always learn something new from your videos 😊
Thank you, we appreciate it!
Thank you Sidetrack Adventures! I’m a Native Coloradan, I’ve been to the Poudre River & Colorado River but never to the beginning of it! LOVE IT! Amazing & Beautiful, I LOVE this State! ❤🥰
Your photography is great, your explanations and historical facts are well presented. It is refreshing to see a video that is so well put together. Thanks. It made me subscribe to your channel and I look forward to reviewing all your material.
Your best vid yet! Thank you, it was very informative! Beautiful country.
Wow, thank you!
Nice job Steve !! Thanks !
Glad you liked it!
Absolutely fascinating video about natural history, human history, and the current significance and importance of the Colorado River. Thank you for sharing this.
Your pronunciation is correct. I floated the Poudre in 2010 out of Fort Collins. Had a great time.
I literally camped over there at Grandview campground and walked to the headwaters as well and lulu city site in July. It’s beautiful out there man
I wish I would have time to go to the Lulu City site. At least it gives me a reason to go back.
Traveled there over 20 years ago. Absolutely beautiful.
Very well done Steve. Hope you enjoyed your trip.
Thanks. We did. Wish I could have stayed longer.
Thanks for going up there.
That’s how you say “Poudre,” alright. I live in Fort Collins and drive up 14 all the time.
Beautiful area
Colin Fletcher walked/rafted the entire length. He backpacked the first 150 +/- miles.... and then rafted most of the rest until he got to Mexico where he went back to backpacking. Beautiful country!!!
The Man Who Walked Through Time, among other great adventures. I was sure someone would remember. Good for you.
Great video. I'm glad you were able to breathe at that elevation. I was 29 when I moved to Colorado Springs and it was hard to jog.
No trouble with the elevation there. Went up higher later on and definitely got winded though.
Thank you Steve for such a tremendous and educational video. You did a great job of explaining to us so nice and very understanding about this great river in this great country of ours. Thanks again. JP
Interesting how you went up to the source of the Colorado from east of the divide. I always thought you would get to it easier from the west side since that's the way the river flows. Great content here! Thumbs up!
Thank you. We happened to be on the eastern side so it worked out for us. it looked like driving from the west you really have to circle around everything to get to the road.
I work the railroad line that follows the Colorado through the Rockies and really enjoyed seeing this! I also need to get back that way and film more off-road trails near Ft. Collins. Great vid!
Thank you, appreciate it. I imagine the railroad through there is amazing.
Awesome video, Steve! This one might be my favorite.
Awesome, thank you!
Very cool. Did not know of this place.
Beautiful video, I haven't been up there in many years, might be time for a trip
You should if you get the chance. Aside from a few park rangers and someone from the water district we were the only ones around.
Thank You Mr. Steve .
As someone who went to college in that area (University of Wyoming) you got the name of The Poudre right. Amazing area and it has been years since I have been there. Enjoy your videos, especially the history along the 8 and 10. I travel track and forth to San Antonio from SoCal and your videos help understand the history
Thank you. I have a few things planned out that way but have just been waiting on it to cool down some.
So the French pronounced powder as in gun powder the way it was pronounced in this video ?
@@SidetrackAdventures when you show the map and the line draws on the map along your route, what software are you using?
I’ve never been to this area but the name is French. It means powder as in gun powder. I’m French and in French « poudre » is pronounced : poo - dr . The last E is not pronounced (unlike in Spanish).
@@1STGeneral Hard to come up with an exact pronunciation in text form but it sounds like poo-druh with a tongue roll on the letter d
you know i was just talking to my sons about this steve! Thank you for making this video!!!
Our pleasure!
Well done! It's always great to see things first hand. During our visit to RMNP, we found this spot to be very interesting too. Glad we found your channel! 👍
Thanks. Hoping to check out more of RMNP in the future.
This has been on my bucket list for a while
You should go if you get the chance! its such a great job and the area around the Colorado River start was so peaceful.
Makes me think of Robert Plant singing that line from Ten Years Gone: "And though the course may change sometimes, Rivers always reach the sea" and how that no longer applies to the mighty Colorado ... the river that carved the Grand Canyon is so dammed and used, that it's now barely a trickle as it disappears into the sand several miles before it reaches the Gulf of California.
What have we done?
*Zeppelin!*
I think Jim Morrison said it in 1967
What have they done to the earth, yeah?
What have they done to our fair sister?
Ravaged and plundered and ripped her and bit her
Stuck her with knives in the side of the dawn and
Tied her with fences and dragged her down
I hear a very gentle sound
With your ear down to the ground
We want the world and we want it (we want the world and we want it!)
Now
Now?
Now!
I thought the exact same thing. Funny how watching something can trigger lyrical memories.
It will see the ocean again. Once our dumbasses are out of the picture.
Interesting video sir, it is astonishing for me that there is so much vegetation at an altitude of 10000 feet. In Europe you just find bare rock at this altitude. Shame that the Colorado does not reach the sea. Greetings from the Netherlands where the highest mountain is 1000 feet.
Amazing that it all starts with a little stream.
Great content. Fantastic video.
Thank you, we appreciate it.
Thanks!
Thank you very much. Really appreciate it.
As a Colorado native I say a hearty "well done". It's been several decades since I've been to the places in your video. I need to get back there.
Your not a native🤦♂️
Amazing, and grateful to you for getting this information condensed down to about 9 minutes. Great work.
Love the scenery and music and history.
WOW!!!!!! Dude, that was SUPER cool!
I really enjoy all your videos, but this one is extra cool. Thanks for sharing!
Glad you enjoy it!
Beautiful area of NA. Glad to see the drone footage, a lot you miss trying to see thru the trees. Good work.
Great video.
I upvoted near the beginning. Then you showed us something else amazing, and I actually tried to upvote again.
To be honest, this happened a few times during the video. Granted, every time you showed us something cool, I'd look it up. So maybe my memory isn't quite as bad as it seems. I turned a 12 minute video into an hour long video doing this.
Wow, thank you.
One little piece of this beautiful country ! Thanks for sharing.
Our pleasure!
It reminds me of the Mississippi River. The starting point of it is a small creek that me and you could walk across. But if you get in it where I live in Southern Illinois, it'll take you with it. Great video, really enjoyed it!
I'm always surprised at how wide the Mississippi gets because I'm so used to our western rivers.
@@SidetrackAdventures the Mississippi river is a beast
Mississippi queen, you know what I mean..
Wow, this was pretty cool! Thanks
OH THIS IS FASCINATING. With our news focusing so much on what's going to happen to our water source (and a recently trip to the Hoover Dam), this really puts some perspective on things. And the landscape of Colorado... 🤩 So fascinating to see the origin of the water that ultimately carved out the Grand Canyon over time. We've been talking about going to Colorado for a while (well, we tried and kind of did recently) but I think this needs to go on the list. It just looks so ... humbling? And beautiful. Great video!
Colorado is amazing. I wish we could have stayed longer and explored more. I guess that's the problem with everywhere though, so much to see and so little time.
That was awesome beautiful country
I'm a native Coloradoan and it's really special to be at the headwaters of the Colorado River. It's at the base of the western side of Rocky Mountain National Park. And yes, it's Poo-der (Poudre).
I’ve wondered about that pronunciation for decades. Finally!
Thanks for the journey and views. I enjoyed the vicarious visit!
Our pleasure!
Great video and content-thanks for your work putting this together and sharing! Mark
Loved this video finding the Colorado River headwaters. I've sampled the fly fishing on a short section of the La Poudre but never traced the headwaters. I've explored the source of the Rio Grande and Arkansas Rivers headwaters but haven't ventured to the source of the Colorado River...yet. Thanks for some great Colorado scenery. Too, a great tribute to a very important western river.
For those wondering about the blackened trees, this damage is from the Cameron Peak fire in 2020. Scorched more than 208,000 acres and started just a stones throw from Long Draw.
I searched the comments for the anser to that question, and you provided it. Thank you.
Some of the trees have signs of pine bark beetle damage too. I think all the dead trees caused by the infestation really helped contribute to the massive wildfires during that year.
The pine beetle infestation coupled with extreme drought conditions equalled a catastrophic 2020 fire season
This is a great insight. I love Colorado, lived there and fly fished all over. To see this spot is just amazing. Next visit to Colorado, I do need to get up there for sure!! Thanks!
Seriously wanted to tell you, that I am so pleased by your channel. UA-cam has gotten to the point where almost every single video annoys me, whether it be someone with annoying narration, pointless jump cuts, or general obnoxiousness, or poor quality/somehow misleading. This video did none of the above. It was exactly what was described in the title, plus good camera work, explanations, pleasant voice. Absolutely great job, keep up the good work!
Thank you. I appreciate it.
Thanks for this informative video. I am in UK and teaching my Grandchildren about rivers. One is the Colorado and this video does the job. Thanks. Keep safe.
Glad it was helpful! I saw a video recently on the source of the Thames was amazed at that, having only seen it as it goes through London.
We first visited this beautiful area in 71, the massive changes and beetle kill is both staggering and frightening.
I really enjoyed your commentary and narration. Very calm and soothing voice with the excellent instrumental track in the background.
Yes - as a long time Coloradoan who lived where your video goes, it's pronounced, "poo-der". Locals don't use the full name, Cache La Poudre, we just call it "the Poudre River".
It's is beautiful up there and have hunted and cross country skied that area many times...
So true, all of us old Larimer County kin. And for those who don't speak french, the name "Cache la Poudre" translates to "powder cache". The French trappers named it such and apparently cached their gun powder in the area. The Poudre is one of the few rivers along the Front Range to be designated a "Wild and Scenic River", as it is not dammed. Thanks for the vid!
I've enjoyed all of your videos... but for me, this is the best one.
Every river and creek where I grew up I explored the headwaters of for fishing purposes mostly and discovered tributary after tributary builds these rivers into what they become
I've not hiked all the way up, but I've been there on US 34 where it runs along the river. At that location, the Colorado is a beautiful, clear mountain stream, and the surrounding vegetation is gorgeous.
When I lived in Colorado, I'd go from Castle Rock to Fort Collins and then on Highway 14 to my fishing spot. Yeah, it took 2-3 hours to get there, but the drive through the Poudre River canyon and over Cameron Pass was worth the trip. I'd end up at Ranger Lakes which has spectacular scenery. I was devastated to hear about the Cameron Pass wildfire a few years ago.
When I lived in Colorado I bedded more broads than I expected the view was amazing mounds and gorges I went back for seconds it was spectacular. I heard about the beaver bush fire a few years ago, I was happy to hear that thing got a trim it was overgrown.
I traveled this route along the Poudre River many years ago. It’s very beautiful up there.
Some facts... the Green River in Utah contributes more water to the Colorado river as does the Gunnison River which flows thru Gunnison Colorado so where does the Colorado River really start
Up until 1921 it started where the Green River meets it but after some politics they declared the Grand River as part of the Colorado.
The Gunnison River flows into the Colorado at the town of ......Grand Junction. The Gunnison River starts about 10 miles north of Gunnison the town, at Almont, where the East and Taylor rivers meet..
Thank you for showing our grand state and its beauty. I spend most of my time mountaineering 14ers, but have been to the head waters of the Colorado from Hwy 34, north.
Nice! I'm in Idaho near where the Snake and Missouri Rivers begin. And the Yellowstone, etc! The world's humans settled along rivers.
lol, all of Idaho is west of the Continental divide your statement is a huge miss, the Missouri river starts in Montana east of the Divide, and the Snake River starts in in Wyoming in Yellowstone
@@twostop6895 the rivers I mention all begin in the MT, WY, ID juncture, a few hours drive for me. So yeah, I'm near, telling a guy out of San Diego
Great video, thank you for your travels to bring this to us all. It truly is a beautiful America...
Thank you.
Thanks for this video. I lived in Arizona for 36 years so I benefited greatly from the Colorado River. I just never knew where it started other than in Colorado.
Thanks I enjoyed watching. ✌🏻👊
beautiful. thanks for sharing
Great job!
The true beginning of the Colorado river, as the plaque suggests, is a few miles away from the plaque itself, and actually begins in many places which eventually form the single Colorado River, but all of the originations are located around Specimen Mountain, with the main base of the river (The largest water source of the Colorado River past the plaque) being located at 40.457091, -105.810780, or directly in the bowl of Specimen Mountain. The annual snow melt within this bowl is what fills La Poudre Pass Lake, which is the location of the Plaque commemorating the headwaters of the Colorado River. In other words, the 'Headwaters' of the Colorado River is not the basin where it officially begins, but rather the summit of the mountain which fills that basin each spring. The bowls of the nearby Iron Mountain and East Desolation Peak also account for a majority of the headwaters, but are not considered the Colorado River at the location of the mountain summit from which they spawn, and are instead recognize as Corral creek and Hague creek. Additional headwaters are abundant in the immediate vicinity of Specimen Mountain, but they often change course depending on how the snowpack melts each year, so I would not consider any other waters to be the headwaters of the Colorado. The river's spawn on Specimen Mountain has been eroded directly into the mountain over thousands of years, so I would consider this one and only point to be the official start of the Colorado River.
Wow! Thanks! I’m glad not to be the only one who wondered where the “ trickle” starts. (Decades ago we found the marked spring which starts the Potomac River. Loved it!)
Love my state still haven't explored it enough
So informative and such great delivery. I have decided that I will visit here because of your video. Thank you very much!!
thank you so much .i passed 2 nights on google earth following the colorado river from the ocean to the hight montains where i found the begining of it a small stream neat la poudre pass. the day after i found your video and was perfectelly like my google earth search. with your video i watched cleary the site a droop of water which becam with the miles a great and generous river. thank you so much
Beautiful, beautiful country!
I lived in Colorado for 8 years. As we headed west (from Denver highway 70 to San Diego destination) we stopped near Glenwood Springs at a rest stop next to Colorado river what a beautiful and mighty river, it was flowing very rapidly and the view surrounding it was spectacular😊❤.
Yay, the beginning! So interesting, thank you! It is absolutely beautiful there. I really enjoy your videos! thank you and your family, Steve!
Thank you very much!
This is what UA-cam is all about. Great video and great channel
I have been to where the Columbia River starts, I will have to add this to my list. Thanks for the Video.