Rolling 4 deep (Tyler, Tad, Brian and Matt) the crew departed SLC at 4 PM sharp on Friday afternoon heading for somewhere in So Utah for a desert adventure.
After a short stop in Moab to finalize the plan, we arrived at 1:00 AM @ the Collins Creek TH. Most of our drive after Moab was in the dark, and our first view of our surroundings was accompanied by a beautiful sunrise.
A quick breakfast in the morning courtesy of 4-star chef Tyler Gentry and we started packing up for our 3-Day trip through the desert. Tad rolling up his raft to stow in his pack.
The crew at the Moki Dugway, where the road descends from the Pollywop Mesa to the Valley of the Gods. It was about a 1h45m shuttle to get to the Goosenecks SP area of the San Juan river. From here we would float some ~20 river miles to the convergence of Grand Gulch and the San Juan River.
Looking Down into the Valley of The Gods from the top of the Moki Dugway.
Goosenecks SP of the San Juan River. Very close to where we would start our Journey sans automobile.
Somewhere on the canyon rim shortly after leaving the hybrid vehicle somewhere on a red dirt desert road as far as it could take us Now we need to get to that river! Our route to the river was the Honaker Trail, a route carved down the steep canyon wall in the 1890s by gold prospectors. It has stood the test of time and is still in great shape today. For more info on the Honaker Trail check out this link:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/04/23/1200853/-Dkos-Tour-Series-Hiking-The-Honaker-Trail-Down-To-The-Goosenecks#
Somehow below the rim but above the river. Tyler walks out onto the precipice.
After the descent to the river, we unload the boats and switch to paddling. Brian taking it easy and letting the river do the work.
After a bit things get more interesting. Tad attacking the rapid with perfect pack rafting form. He's a natural.
Tyler floating by some Big Horn sheep, which I can finally say that I have seen!
Check out Tyler walking on quicksand!
Riverside camp - Day 1
Packraft tip #1: Fill your boat with chocolate milk water and let it sit overnight. All of the sediment will settle out and you can filter clear water for drinking.
Tyler dropping into the largest rapid on our trip "Government Rapid". We actually scouted this one. It had a mandatory R to L move in the middle with a nasty consequence if you could not make it across.
Shortly after Government Rapid the Type II fun began with 2+ miles of flat water paddling through sandbars into a strong headwind. Needless to say our undeveloped paddling muscles were spent by the time we finally made it to Grand Gulch late on the afternoon of Day II.
After a short break/rest at the convergence of the San Juan and Grand Gulch in the clear running water pools flowing from the gulch, it was back to hiking. The gulch offered many obstacles in the first several miles that made for fun navigation but slow travel.
Hiking through the gulch late in the afternoon of Day II.
Flash floods from who knows when have left the remains of massive cottonwood trees, like the one above that is trapped by two massive choke stones in the stream. The miles don't pass easily when you are always skirting obstacles like this.
Late on Day II we finally set up camp in Grand Gulch about 4 miles up from the river with 13 more miles in store.
The Shaw Arch in lower Grand Gulch early morning of Day III.
Team morale begins to drop during the second water pumping session of the day (another mud hole). With 1 pump, 4 people, and 100 degree desert heat, it was hard to keep enough water filtered. Especially when the filter needed cleaning after every half liter filtered due to the sediment. Lesson learned: bring more filters.
From thumb to index finger. It looked so easy over beers at the Brewery. No worries, its nothing a quick meal of rice-a-roni cooked in a sun baked nalgene with a packet of tuna split between 4 people can't fix (Lunch Day III).
Back at the Collins Creek TH @ 5:30 PM Day III. If it was not for the fortunate meeting with two hikers in the gulch, we would have missed the side canyon to exit to Collins Creek and would probably still be wandering around in the lower canyon country right now.
Shout out to Patio restaurant in Blanding, UT for their incredibly good drive-in style sandwiches and shakes. We were too late to make Milt's in Moab and we have no regrets. Milt's has nothing on Patio.
Back in SLC 2:30 AM for a sleepy Tuesday of work.
