Paddle Oar Die Rafting: April 2010

Monday, April 19, 2010

Moab / West Water Trip

So since none of us drew out on any of the lottery draws. I decided to call in for a West Water permit and I got one to launch on Saturday the 19th of June. West Water canyon is a short trip you can do the stretch in about 2 - 4 hrs depending on the flow. Also this is probably the wildest day trips in Utah and is not recommended for small children must be at least 10. We have been down this stretch of river twice and had some problems at higher flows above 14,000 cfs, but at 9,000 cfs the ride was quite calmer, still fun though. I only reserved 9 spots it costs $7 per person and you have to give the amount in advance. I only reserved 9 because our paddle raft holds about 9 and I didn't want to be stuck with a huge bill and I haven't had much interest so far.

Sydney and I plan on leaving here early the morning of the 17th to head to Moab to float and camp along the Colorado river just north of town there is a 9 mile stretch of river that has calmer rapids called the Fisher Towers or Moab daily run. We personally have not been on this stretch of river and want to see how good it is. There is no permit required and we can take as many as want to go down this part of the river. Children as young as 4 can go, but we only have 2 youth life jackets. We plan on doing at least one run on Thursday and one maybe 2 on Friday.

The trip will cost 50 - 75 bucks per person depending on the amount of people and how much gas we use. Everyone who goes will share the cost of food, Gas, and Permits. There will also be a pack and clean up fee for those who go and don't help with packing or cleaning up. The extra fee will be 5 bucks for packing and 5 bucks for cleaning depending on which ones you show up for, the times will be posted. this money will go to buying more gear that we need like oars and life jackets. FYI Just to do one trip down West Water would run $160 a person and a trip down the Moab Daily would be 50 per person and that's not including getting yourself to Moab. So if you think $75 for 3 days of rafting is expensive you're welcome to go with a commercial outfitter.

Anybody is welcome to come just let me now as soon as possible.

Also those that plan on going down West Water I would like the $7 before the 1st of May to reserve your spot.

Also if you have any other questions check out the other pages to this blog listed above.

The Picture not Taken

“Oh! Oh! There he goes!” Laughs Ryan, as he sees his beloved business partner Nathan flop out of his big red kayak. "Heheheee” The sound of Ryan’s laughter echoed off the canyon walls as we all watched Nathan as he floated down through the first and biggest rapid on our day trip through Split Mountain on the Green River.

As family and friends, we went on a rafting trip in dinosaur national monument near Vernal Utah as well a Westwater, Near Grand Junction Colorado. The trip, as always, was full of fun and stories, which can be shared over and over again.

“It’s all in the hips,” Nathan’s buddy, Aaron said, after Nathan got his composure. “The water’s a little chilly but it’s not too bad,” boasted Nathan. Then once again Ryan’s laughter would ring through the canyon as we could see Nathan’s little black helmet bob up and down through another rapid.

Luckily through Split Mountain nothing got hurt, not even Nathan’s ego. After we all enjoyed our 9 mile float down the green river and load the gear back onto the trucks it was wondered what we were going to do for the rest of that beautiful Saturday. Nathan, who grew up in Vernal, told us about a place up on the Blue Mountain that had a really gorgeous look out and we could drive up there it was only 45 minutes away. We all agreed and head out on what turned out to be an hour and half long drive down a dirt road. The drive might have seemed longer, but the entertainment of hearing Anisa curse Nathan made the drive fly by.

“He said it was only going to take 45 minutes! It has been over an hour and I’m getting hungry!”

she would screech as she shook her fist at the truck in front of us.

Nathan my not have been right about the travel time, but he was right about how incredible the view was. Anisa’s rage did become slightly subdued when Aaron gave her and apple, and we all drove to Lake Stienaker to Camp for the night.

The next day we had a lovely tour of beautiful Vernal Utah as Nathan ran us all over the countryside to see what wonders Vernal had to offer. It turned out to be some Petroglyphs and his parent’s shower, for Ansia. Finally after Lucas refused to eat a sandwich with out tomatoes we headed down a long windy highway through some mountains of Colorado to get to the spot of out next launch in Westwater.

The Highlights or our camp at the launch point for west water was the arrival of the Laidlaw family and the intense thunder storm that blew through our camp. Tents nearly went into the water and they would have if we hadn’t been holding on to them. Once the storm died down it was calm and we enjoyed a nice Dutch oven cobbler.

The next morning we launched onto the mighty Colorado River with the water flow at the “Terrible Teen” rate of 14,000 cubic feet per second. Little did we know, what was in store for us later that day. It all started with a nice float down some fast moving flat water, then all of the sudden Josh yells, “We got Rapids!” We hit the Little Dolores, Marble Canyon, and Big Hummer rapid. Then, it was Funnel Falls. After the first two rafts went through we looked back to see black bottom side of the third raft floating down the river. With more and bigger rapids in front off us we tried to pull over and save the upside down boat, but there was no place to pull over. “Quit Laughing Ryan!” shouted a frantic Logan, “It’s Not Funny! We got more Rapids!” “Skull! The next one’s skull!” Aaron shouted from his kayak.
Just moments after Aaron shouted we witnessed another raft flip over in the midst of Skull rapid. While the final raft navigated safely through Skull Rapid we noticed Matt spinning circles in the “Room of Doom.” We pulled to the side and climbed around the cliff to pick up the stranded Matt, while the other two upside down rafts floated through the remainder of the rapids. After the river calmed down and the rafts were turned up right it was a nice leisurely float in the peaceful red rock canyon to the Cisco landing, with gentle giggle of Ryan still bouncing off the canyon walls.

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Monday, April 19, 2010

Moab / West Water Trip

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