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Phoenix and Flagstaff AZ Boating

2K views 7 replies 7 participants last post by  Jdsampsonite 
#1 ·
Hi all,

I am new to Phoenix from Ft Collins, CO and am looking for some folks who get out pretty often and would not mind giving me some leads or let me join them for a few trips. I have a particular interest in identifying a few key holes or waves for playboating; always game for river running as well!

Any input would be helpful, thank you!

Ryan
 
#2 ·
Pretty much nothing going for boating in AZ right now. As always, the Grand has water....

Fossil Creek is a super low flow plop and drop, and fairly fun. So that's probably your best bet for any semblance of whitewater right now.

Gila below Old Safford bridge and Verde above Horseshoe Reservoir do get floated at extremely low levels.

Otherwise your looking at flat water paddling right now.

Not sure about park and play options. The only one's of any quality that I am aware of are the waves created by the sloping red rock ledges on Oak Creek near Red Rock Crossing and the Winery outside Sedona.
 
#4 ·
I would like to add a few things to the comments as well. If you are in Phoenix you should have a few paddlers around you. There is a group of 5 or so that paddle fossil creek once a month as a way to get on the water.

The salt is just outside of town and during heavy rain it will spike all the way to ASU. There is a reservoir in town which backs up the salt but the salt itself out on the B line highway should have some 3- when it rains.

Monsoon season is crazy for big water fast, once you get to meet the locals they should be able to point out park and play in all the ditches in town, also there are a few creeks east of Phoenix that run with rain.

That said Harlan tanney lives out there and so does Cody ? They have run most everything in AZ and would be your best bet for all the beta. I hope you get to meet them. Good kayak shop in flag, premiered on MTV shacks.

New Mexico is not to far nor is Mexico Mexico. Have fun out there!!!
 
#5 ·
The most enthusiastic kayaker I've met in PHX is Mike M. He works at REI (not sure which one, but someone there can tell you) and gets out a lot. He knows where the lower salt play features are & would be a good person to track down. Late winter is definitely the most reliable season in AZ...


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#7 ·
Ryan,

There is a surfable ripple on the lower Salt: you can google **** Bluff. You will probably be disappointed being from Ft. Collins, but you'll be getting your boat on the water; its real close to the 202, and the water is warm. The little ripple is just downstream from the parking area; you can walk back to the parking area from there.

There is a better ripple just below Bartlett dam on the Verde. You have to paddle upstream and get out of your boat twice to get to it; pretty easy in the summertime. Pretty soon they will be shutting off the lower salt and releasing from Bartlett, which I understand makes a pretty decent play wave. You can also run from Bartlett dam 8 miles to Box Bar (after they start releasing); there are a couple Class II rapids and a few surfable waves. Heinous long shuttle, but its pretty and worth doing once, especially if you haven't been on desert riparian floats.

Paddling Arizona by Tyler Williams is probably the best beta resource; you can find it on Amazon for about $12.

Feel free to PM me; I get out as often I can, probably going below Bartlett this weekend. Cheers.
 
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