This is Cataract Gulch, a spring runoff that joins the Animas River just below Silverton. At the time of this photo, the Animas River is running at 3,900 cfs (110.4 m³/second) on the Durango Gauge. This is the approximate equivalent of 500 cfs (14.2 m³/second) on the Silverton Gauge. This is about the maximum flow that expert rafters consider the Upper Animas runnable.

Click here for a topo map airplane tour of the Upper Animas.