Castle Creek is a gem of the Roaring Fork Valley. The window for running Castle Creek tends to be pretty narrow during high water in the summertime, but the run tributaries into the Roaring Fork River right above slaughterhouse, and the two runs are often combined. Castle Creek starts up above Aspen at the Aspen Music School on Castle Creek Road. You'll put on about half a mile above the action, so be sure to warm up quickly. Once the water picks up, it is 2 miles of fast, continuous, quality class IV+ micro-creeking. The majority of the Castle Creek can be routed, but it is recommended that first-timers are shown down by someone who knows the run. Make sure you are on your game and keep your head on a swivel for wood because this run often has strainers.
Once the whitewater calms down you'll find yourself very quickly at the put-in for Slaughterhouse. It is most common to continue downstream and run slaughterhouse, but if Castle Creek was enough you can set shuttle at the slaughterhouse put-in.
To access the Castle creek put in, take Hwy-82 to the Aspen roundabout and exit on Castle Creek Road. Drive 1 mile up to the music school and launch from the first parking lot at the school.
New Gauge
Other Creeks in the area:
Cemetary (Class II+),
Woody Creek (Class III),
Toothache (Class III),
Slaughterhouse (Class IV),
Fryingpan (Upper) (Class IV+),
Fryingpan (Lower) (Class III+), and
Upper Roaring Fork (Class V+).