For two recent California emigrants who spent all summer without seeing a drop of rain, it was a bit of a shock to the senses to get 10000 feet high in the Rocky Mountains and realize that fall is well underway. The aspens flaunted an eye-popping shade of yellow, the morning air blew crisp and clean, and the rivers ran cold and healthy. We were heading to the Lake Fork Flyathlon, an annual event hosted by Running Rivers to raise money for conservation through recreation. As a sponsor of Running Rivers, we had visited one before, but this was the first time we’ve had the chance to participate. For those unfamiliar with the concept of a Flyathlon, it’s a triathlon where the three events are trail running, fly fishing, and drinking craft beer.
We arrived at a big field on the Lake Fork of the Gunnison at midday on a perfect Friday, leaving plenty of time to set up camp and start fishing. The river was perfect for wading, with significant habitat improvements made to create high-quality holding water for trout. This trip was extra special because three friends joined who had never caught a trout on the fly. After a few customary beginner’s tangles, I removed the nymph rig from one of the newcomer’s lines and tied on a conehead muddler minnow, one of the greatest all-time flies for September. It wasn’t long before he swung it through a run, felt the first tug from a rainbow trout and landed his first fish. Each of the new anglers experienced the same special moment that all of us who fish still remember with fondness.
Saturday morning rolled around, and it was time for the race. The sun’s arrival quickly vanquished frost from the tents, and the Flyathletes geared up with fly rods, nets, packs and snacks, and gathered around the starting line for the customary sacrifice of a cheap beer. Shot through with bb guns, the fizzing beer was promptly defeated and all 60 or so of us were off. I must admit to looking at the 11 mile out-and-back course with a bit of trepidation beforehand, having practiced running the least of the three sports as of late. Fortunately, the path was a gentle grade, there was abundant river access to stop and fish, and refreshments (margaritas and whiskey tasting) kept the Flyathletes hydrated.
The extensive river access meant you could always find a spot to fish, and we scouted the water as we jogged. You are allowed to fish as much as you want, with the length of the fish you catch corresponding to time subtracted from the run. Only one trout can be submitted, with no fish caught leading to a penalty. After hooking my first trout of the day at the third hole, I picked up the running a bit, reaching the turnaround point to check in. Most runners, me included, don’t stand a chance against the speedsters in the race, and concentrate on achieving the Biggest Fish or Smallest Fish awards. I fished my way back to the start, landing a solid brown trout that came up a bit short for the biggest fish. A certain brother who will remain nameless may have lost what would have been a winning trout at the end of the day…such is fishing!
With most people on the course still out fishing, walking, running, or drinking, I looked overhead and noticed the previously blue skies were obscured by darkening clouds. It’s amazing how quickly the weather can change in the mountains, and minutes after pulling across the finish line and reporting my fish, pouring rain and thunder descended into our valley. Over the next few hours, the hearty souls arrived one by one to secure their finish time, change into dry clothes and cluster under the large tents set up out of the rain. A veritable feast was served, craft beer flowed, and the flyathletes celebrated the fun day and the more than $43k raised for conservation!
The projects that Running Rivers supports are high-impact restoration work targeted at restoring native species to high-quality habitat, where they will be resilient to environmental change. One major project that I observed in progress several years ago, the Sand Creek restoration, is restoring an entire watershed in and around Great Sand Dunes National Park. Restoration projects like this have tangible, enduring impact, they help right historical wrongs, and they enrich the public lands that we all have the right to enjoy. Colter Backcountry is proud to sponsor this organization, and we are donating 10% of all online revenue to them in the month of September.
We had an exceptional weekend, but the parts that made it truly special went beyond catching some wild trout, overindulging on craft beer and spending time in one of my new favorite parts of Colorado. Fly fishing events like this let you make new friends in a sport that often is very individualistic, contribute to causes that help both fish and anglers, and share the sport with others. We can’t wait to return!