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Yet another lower San Juan thread

7K views 35 replies 11 participants last post by  DurangoSteve 
#1 ·
My wife was able to get a cancellation permit on the Mexican Hat - Clay Hills section for April 27-30. Here's the rub: we got Slickhorn "C" campsite on 4-28. That means 40 river miles from the put-in in two days at relatively low flows (1100-1500, with only 500 cfs from Navajo Dam). Seems like two pretty long days with not much current. Should I try to get another cancellation, or just suck it up and row a lot for the first two days?
 
#2 ·
Suck it up, OR... invite me I can row it fast :) Its weird living in Durango, I have floated rivers all over the country, but never the San Juan, I did Sand Island to MH a couple seeks ago. It is sweet down there, can believe I have been missing out all these years.

I really think you could make 20 miles a day. I have made 20+ days on cataract above confluence, between ladore and deso.... Secret to big flat water days is not drinking as much beer in the AM as yo would like.... Is the wife a relief rower? that would help


scott
 
#3 ·
Suck it up, OR... invite me I can row it fast :) Its weird living in Durango, I have floated rivers all over the country, but never the San Juan, I did Sand Island to MH a couple seeks ago. It is sweet down there, can believe I have been missing out all these years.
I am gravely concerned that 20-mile days will compromise my blood-alcohol level. Oh well. I've only done Sand Island to MexHat as well. Our cancellation permit is only for six, so we're pissing off a lot of people who wanted to go.
 
#5 ·
Yeah thats a pretty quick trip but you should be alright as long as the wind isn't to awful. Start early. The current on the San Juan is actually pretty decent. First time i did it,it was in the 700cfs range. Still moved along fairly well. It's kind've surprising for as flat as it is.
 
#8 ·
John's Canyon for night one? That's something like 32 miles from the put-in, which could be a serious challenge since we're doing a do-it-yourself shuttle. Grand Gulch is our 4-29 camp... which will allow for hiking up Slickhorn and Grand Gulch.

2000 cfs would much better than I expected.
 
#7 ·
Also, my most probable model is showing there should be about 2000 cfs at Bluff at that time. Of course the forecast has been dropping, but sometimes that means an earlier run-off too. Plus I suspect there may have been a dust on snow event in the storm before last - have you noticed the dusty residue on the car windshields around town? It looks different than the typical road sludge, I think it got picked up in the desert. That might lead to an earlier run off too. We need more snow!
 
#9 ·
It's do-able, for sure, in decent weather. The river drops from 6 to 9 feet per mile through that reach, so at 2000 cfs you'll be moving right along. Despite the gradient, there's not much whitewater because the riverbed is mostly sand— the local boulders don't last long and there aren't many hard ledges.

A shame to blow past so many good hikes (e.g. Honaker Trail). But permits are hard to get, and the country is worth seeing.
 
#10 ·
Chip - it is a shame to bypass Honaker... that's a hike I definitely wanted to do. But after getting skunked for years for a lower SJ permit, I sure don't want to give up this cancellation! It'll be a "different" experience to have two relatively beer-free river days, but I'm sure my liver will appreciate it and my upper body will benefit from it!
 
#11 ·
Well, can you take advantage of it and have a layover at Grand Gulch? I'd love to do the up-canyon hiking there, supposedly it is far superior than accessing via Cedar Mesa. Suck it up and row! Take what you get, and don't wait for what you want, cuz you never know how what you get might turn into a gem.
 
#12 ·
No layover, but the day between Slickhorn and Grand Gulch is only 4 miles. We'll likely do hikes up both canyons. We spend a lotta time every spring and fall up on Cedar Mesa and know the upper ends of Slickhorn and GG very well. Pretty excited about checking out the bottom ends.
 
#13 ·
Grand Gulch is cool. I've been given that spot both times. Lots of history there. But you can only go so far before it becomes inaccessible. It kind've 'rims out'(below all the cool ruins) and basically turns into a dead end. Unless you've got climbing gear,perhaps. It does suck having to oar for only four miles from Slickhorn. Makes for a long day in the sun at Grand Gulch,usually. I'd spend some extra time hiking at Slickhorn canyon. Pools should be nice that time of year....good rock jumping opportunities if its hot out. And deep enough....
 
#14 ·
Sorry, I had about 8000 cfs when I made it to John's on day 1. I should have read my guide. Still, I like that place too.

I thought you only got one night from Slickhorn and below. Didn't know you could stay at Slickhorn and Grand Gulch on one trip.

As far as the Grand Gulch ruins, I have always heard they are WAY up canyon, like 10 miles and it isn't worth the hike. Maybe that was just "false" information. Check it out, it never hurts to find out the truth. Then let me know!
 
#15 ·
At 8 grand, I bet John's Canyon was doable in a day! I did the Sand Island to MexHat section at 7000 a coupla years ago and we made it to the Mule Ear campsite in a coupla hours... including a River House stop.

From the Monticello River office's website:
From March 1 - May15, and June 15 - Oct 31, campsite occupancy is limited to two nights in the portion of the river from mile 66 to Clay Hills. You may not camp at the same campsite for two nights and no more than one night may be spent at Slickhorn. From May 15 - June 15, campsite occupancy is limited to ONE night in this portion of the river.
 
#16 ·
Stay at Honaker your first night and do the hike when you get to camp, it's only an hour and a half round trip. Next day will be a long day to slickhorn, with lunch at Johns. Day three an early morning hike up slickhorn followed by a hike/lunch at Grand Gulch, camp that night at Moonlight wash. And the next day your out. Have a good trip!
 
#17 ·
I am envious. BB (before boating), we used to go down to the cedar mesa area a lot, always wanted to boat the San Juan after seeing the Goosenecks from above. I sure wish they allowed dogs, as our sans-dogs trips are already numerous enough, especially for a 15 hour drive. We're watching a dog for a friend while they are on vacation and plan to pass through that area. I told them they HAVE to do the VOG loop, up the dugway, check out the goosenecks, Natural Bridges, east to drive by Comb Ridge, then head north to those other busy areas. They don't have a lot of time to get off the beaten path, but in my opinion those are "must do's".
 
#18 ·
Laura - we too have looked down from the Goosenecks overlook and Muley Point and dreamed about the view looking up.

If your friends have a little time to get out and explore, I can share some pretty amazing places that are a short hike from the road. PM me if you want some details.
 
#19 ·
People with dogs

Does anyone know why they have the rule not allowing people with dogs on the river? It seems so odd, for public lands surrounding it to allow dogs (with some exceptions in Grand Gulch -another story), and then not allow them on the river? It's not like they is a rule against taking your dogs to the darn river, but hop on a raft with a permit, and that's against the rules!
 
#21 ·
Those who have permits during that period should have plenty of water. Our permit is from April 27-30. Guess we'll find a few of the rocks that will be covered in late May. A big warmup in the next two weeks would be sweet. If the Animas got pumping, I'd be very pleased.
 
#22 ·
HOW BAD ARE THE SAND BARS, THIS WEEK? . . .
My husband, John, my daughter, her friend, and I have a permit on the Mexican Hat - Clay Hills section for April 24-28.
(My daughter, Heidi, 14 yrs old, just rowed Westwater for the first time on Easter. She was fallowing an old river friend of ours, and she had no problems. She was awesome!)
We did the same stretch on the San Juan last year over spring break. Heidi was at the oars and it was flowing 5000 cfs. There were no problems at the high level, but . . .
We are wondering how bad the sand bars are at this current, low level?
Has anyone run it recently that can say?
Thanks-So-Much,
Sherry
 
#23 ·
:confused:HOW BAD ARE THE SAND BARS, THIS WEEK? . . .
My husband, John, my daughter, her friend, and I have a permit on the Mexican Hat - Clay Hills section for April 24-28.
(My daughter, Heidi, 14 yrs old, just rowed Westwater for the first time on Easter. She was fallowing an old river friend of ours, and she had no problems. She was awesome!)
We did the same stretch on the San Juan last year over spring break. Heidi was at the oars and it was flowing 5000 cfs. There were no problems at the high level, but . . .
We are wondering how bad the sand bars are at this current, low level?
Has anyone run it recently that can say?
Thanks-So-Much,
Sherry
 
#25 ·
Below Grand Gulch, it's a matter of meandering back and forth across the riverbed following the deeper channels - something that can't be explained. The good part is that the current is low and it's easy to drag your boat back upstream to find the channel if need be.


copied fromhttp://groups.yahoo.com/group/utahrafters/message/21660

Any Day on the River is Better than------
 
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