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Warm Springs Rapid history project, 1996-2010
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Webb, Roy
- Title
- Warm Springs Rapid history project
- Dates
- 1996-2010 (inclusive)19962010
- Quantity
- 1 box, (0.25 linear feet)
- Collection Number
- ACCN 2554
- Summary
- The Warm Springs Rapid history project (1996-2010) consists of materials related to the preparation of a special research trip for June 2-6, 2008 for the purpose of bringing together as many of the people who were there at Warm Springs in June of 1965 as possible. Warm Springs Rapid, on the Yampa River in Dinosaur National Monument, is one of the most difficult stretches of runnable whitewater in the United States.
- Repository
-
University of Utah Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections, J. Willard Marriott Library
University of Utah
295 South 1500 East
Salt Lake City, UT
84112-0860
Telephone: 8015818863
special@library.utah.edu - Access Restrictions
-
Twenty-four hour advanced notice encouraged. Materials must be used on-site. Access to parts of this collection may be restricted under provisions of state or federal law.
- Languages
- English
Historical NoteReturn to Top
Warm Springs Rapid, on the Yampa River in Dinosaur National Monument, is one of the most difficult stretches of runnable whitewater in the United States. As such, it has attained legendary status among those who participate in whitewater recreation. Yet this was not always the case. Before the night of June 10, 1965, Warm Springs was a minor rapid, barely even noticed by the river runners who traversed it. For several days preceding that night, heavy rainstorms had soaked the entire area, and finally the ground gave way. Warm Springs Draw became a channel that funneled a massive debris flow comprised of thousands of tons of rock and earth into the Yampa River, temporarily damming the river and raising the level approximately ten feet. Once the river broke through the temporary dam, the boulders that had been washed into the river created a world-class rapid that has become legendary among river runners.
(Historical note written by Roy Webb in 2008.)
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
The Warm Springs Rapid history project consists of materials related to the preparation of a special research trip for June 2-6, 2008 for the purpose of bringing together as many of the people who were there at Warm Springs in June of 1965 as possible. Roy Webb, the river historian from the University of Utah, has teamed up with Jack Schmidt of Utah State University, noted geomorphologist, as co-researchers. A representatives from Dinosaur National Monument would be involved along with members of the Wendt-Julian party that was camped at Warm Springs the afternoon of June 6th when the flashflood that created the current rapid occurred as well as the boatmen from Hatch, Western River, Holiday River Expeditions, and others who were anywhere on the river in the Monument at that time. The trip included a videographer to record accounts and experiences.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Restrictions on Use
The library does not claim to control copyright for all materials in the collection. An individual depicted in a reproduction has privacy rights as outlined in Title 45 CFR, part 46 (Protection of Human Subjects). For further information, please review the J. Willard Marriott Library’s Use Agreement and Reproduction Request forms.
Preferred Citation
Collection Name, Collection Number, Box Number, Folder Number. Special Collections, J. Willard Marriott Library, The University of Utah.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
History project materialsReturn to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Box | Folder | ||
| 1 | 1-7 | Correspondence |
2007-2010 |
| 1 | 8 | Lauren Hammack and Ellen Wohl, "Debris-Fan Formation and Rapid Modification at Warm Springs Rapid, Yampa River, Colorado" |
1996 |
| 1 | 9 | General materials
This folder contains packing lists and recipes for the river trip. Included is background information regarding the history project and other administrative documents.
|
2008 |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Wild and scenic rivers--Colorado--Yampa River
Geographical Names
- Yampa River (Colo.)
Finding aid created by Betsey Welland
2014 (last modified: 2020)
