Minnesota Classic Glastron Forum

General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: Eric_Michael on June 28, 2010, 10:26:27 AM

Title: What a difference four months makes!!
Post by: Eric_Michael on June 28, 2010, 10:26:27 AM
We went up to Riffe Lake in SW Washington yesterday.  It was pretty choppy when we first got on the water.  The clouds broke up late in the day and the water calmed down.  I was able to get on it a bit on the last leg back to the boat launch.

We visited Riffe Lake in February.  This is a man-made lake for the purposes of flood control and hydroelectric power generation.  During the winter they draw the lake down in order to accommodate the spring run off.

According to the GPS, these two pictures were taken at the same spot...although different elevations.

June 2010 (note the drop off on the fish finder display):
(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l314/emichael0123/P6275891.jpg)

February 2010:
(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l314/emichael0123/P3145548.jpg)

Darn ethanol had my pace a little off...   ;D
(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l314/emichael0123/P6275921a.jpg)

-Eric
Title: Re: What a difference four months makes!!
Post by: Hotwired on June 28, 2010, 10:33:56 AM
Woaw!  That is some serious underwater obstacle!! It does not look like they mark it at all either. Amazing the fluctuation in the water levels. one of the lakes here near Phoenix rises and falls like that too.  There is an old dam in the midst of the lake here.  A few years back they had to blast away the top of the old dam when water levels dropped to record lows again as the new marina is built in a bay formed by the new dam.
Title: Re: What a difference four months makes!!
Post by: ChfBrianB on June 28, 2010, 10:34:59 AM
Wow... wow...  and 60+ is wow too!  :)

Amazing landscape!
Title: Re: What a difference four months makes!!
Post by: Jason on June 28, 2010, 11:59:17 AM
That looks like a prop buster! Looks like the road is not in service anymore either!
Title: Re: What a difference four months makes!!
Post by: Eric_Michael on June 29, 2010, 12:25:03 AM
Yeah, we motored around the area where the town of Kosmos used to be.  The shallowest we came across was 15 feet deep.  I know the blasted bridge is downhill from the town, so it was probably 25-30 feet underwater.  That channel is actually the entry into the lake for one of the boat launches when the lake is not at full pool.  Jet drive guys in aluminum bass boats really don't care, and I am sure that structure makes a great fishing spot.  I'll use a different launch, thank you very much!

In February I drove my truck out there and we hiked around looking at the ruins (foundations, roadways, bridges, and some railroad tracks).  It is pretty weird to take the boat to a place I have driven before on dry ground.  Heck some of the locals were actually out having a bonfire & BBQ right at the cross roads in downtown Kosmos!  Today I would need a snorkel to see it though.

I'll post a picture tomorrow of what really scares me at this lake.

-Eric
Title: Re: What a difference four months makes!!
Post by: Eric_Michael on June 29, 2010, 04:56:20 PM

Here is my photogenic wife sitting on one of the now underwater obstacles:
(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l314/emichael0123/P3145536.jpg)

Standing on that same stump, and looking downstream toward where the old bridge is collapsed:
(http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l314/emichael0123/P3145542.jpg)
Title: Re: What a difference four months makes!!
Post by: V153 on June 29, 2010, 06:01:39 PM
You say that channel's the way to the ramp? Yikes!

No thanks think I'll find another ramp. And I thought my little channel/ramp was tricky? Phew!
Title: Re: What a difference four months makes!!
Post by: Rosscoe on June 29, 2010, 06:17:07 PM
Holy crap! Looks like some of those stumps stick out even when the water is high? Looks like they just about go along at road level. Least I think thats a road.
Must be the same one that leads to what used to be a bridge?

Great speed BTW!