What people have to say about the Denver Surf Report:
- Anonymous Local River Surfer- “…you probably don’t think we actually read your surf reports, but we do.” LBK’s response… Thanks for the support, hope the surf reports get you more surf time!
- Adam L., Local River Surfer- “just wanted to say thanks for your updates every day” LBK’s response… Right on Adam, so fun to surf with you. You kill it at Sixx and Scout!!
- Evan Stafford (American Whitewater)- “… the most useful thing you (the Denver Surf Report) can do is pen poorly written blog posts clearly displaying your lack of basic river knowledge and safety, while denigrating the very people interested in working to make river surfing safer…..” LBK’s response… Thanks for the critical feedback and yes the blog is “poorly penned” and will definitely remain so. Still waiting on the phone call with you as promised to talk about river surfing safety; that obviously AW and other “river experts” needs input from an outsider’s perspective into many failed safety protocols being forced upon river surfing. Peace, let’s make love and not war.
- American Canoe Association- “_________” (crickets sounds as in nothing from ACA). LBK’s response… ACA, like AW, we need to talk river surfing safety. Case in point your sister organization, Paddle UK, conducted a study on quick release leashes that has lead Paddle UK to ban all leashes in their events and recommending that “NO leash system” of any kind should be used in the whitewater environment. Amazed that ACA especially has not picked up the phone and talked this issue over with Paddle UK or even have reviewed or commented on the study that came out in December 2023.
- Kelly Slater (11 time surfing world champ), “Do you have an earwig in your ear?” LBK’s response… I made this up. Like “the goat” would really comment on the Denver Surf Report.
- Raf G. Local Surfer- “I read every post. Couldn’t live without it…” LBK’s response… Thanks Raf, river surfing is an addiction for sure!
- Loren Kaehn, Idaho River Surfing Assoc.- “This surf report brought to you by?!?? You need a sponsor, ha”. LBK’s response… Hahaha. Then I would be accountable.
- Joe M. Local Surfer- “Shredded it today. Idgaf about stupid little flow reports.” LBK’s response… The Denver Surf Report gets the daily Chatfield Dam pre-release announcement from the water managers typically well before it is seen on the gauge for the dam and the gauge for RRP…. We try to get the dam pre-release info out as soon as possible each day during the river surfing season so local and visiting river surfers can plan their surf days more accurately…. It took us over two years of requests to get this Chatfield water manager daily release information. We have asked the Chatfield Dam water managers to automate their daily pre-release info for all to subscribe to via the Colorado State Division of Water Resources (DWR) web page and they hope to do that one day, but is not currently available… If you think this is causing crowds or bites into your time making you wait in the line-ups, then advocate for more river waves to be built in and around Metro-Denver and Colorado. You do realize it takes all of our tax dollars to build and maintain these waves and nobody has a singular right to these public whitewater wave parks… KEEP LOCALISM OUT OF RIVER SURFING!
- Tony R. Local Surfer- “Always appreciate the early heads up on the flow!” LBK’s response… “Thanks Tony, always good to see you travel on up to surf with us. Your quality of surfing surely ups the level of shredding effort by all of us.”
RIVER SURFING IS DANGEROUS AND CAN BE DEADLY- educate yourself before trying to river surf… don’t just blindly copy other river surfers… figure out how to safely river surf each individual spot (including different flows)….. and be critical in your decisions of what gear to use and not to use…… WHEN IN DOUBT, DON’T GO OUT!
The Denver Surf Report 