I bought myself one more warm day of summer, grabbed my paddleboard, loaded Nugget into the car, and headed for the Catamount reservoirs. The leaves were beginning to change. The water was a little choppy. It was a little chilly, too. It was also exactly where I wanted to be.
This was my first solo paddleboard outing. Not my first time on a board. This was my first time going without a group. That meant I could spend as long as I wanted messing with my gear, changing my mind about where to put things, and generally being annoying without feeling as though I was holding everybody else up. My friends are cool about that stuff. It was still nice to have the time completely to myself.
The best part was how quiet it felt
There are places that seem like a billion people should be there because they are so pretty. This felt like one of those places, except only a few people were around. I had Nugget in his bright green life jacket, my very pink board, a bag of snacks, and mountains across the water. Watching the first yellow leaves from a paddleboard is a pretty excellent way to spend a September afternoon.
The wind made the water choppy enough that I paid attention. I am not going to pretend this was some effortless glassy-lake fantasy. But there was something peaceful about having nowhere else to get to and nobody else’s pace to match. I could just paddle, sit for a while, look up, and do it again.
The rangers were paying attention
I also noticed how closely the area was watched. I saw some kids getting toward the water without life jackets, and a ranger showed up with jackets before they made it out. That is one moment I personally saw, not a promise that someone will catch every mistake. At a cold mountain reservoir, you need to bring the right gear and take responsibility for your own safety.
For this outing, I took photos of the board, Nugget, and the view because the light was too good to leave on my camera roll. It felt like the kind of late-September day that gives you one last taste of summer while fall is already moving in around the edges.
What to check before your own Catamount paddle
The official Pikes Peak North Slope Recreation Area page is the place to confirm current hours, entry and parking requirements, weather closures, and boating rules before driving up. The official site says boats must be carried from parking to the launch site, and Coast Guard-approved personal flotation devices must be worn while on the water. It lists North and South Catamount and the current 2026 seasonal hours, but conditions and access can change.
The photo location metadata confirms North Catamount Reservoir. The thing I can tell you with confidence is how it felt: chilly, a little wavy, beautifully quiet, and worth doing on my own.
If you want more ideas for where to take your board, here are my Colorado paddleboarding spots for beginners. Quail Lake is a different outing; that Sunday story is here.
