We have a Deso-Gray permit for 7/19. The current bug reports for the Green have us worried (taking a bunch of kids, don't want them to have a miserable time), so considering San Juan instead (Mexican Hat to Clay Hills) if the bug situation is better there.
Any current bugs reports for San Juan, or opinions on how bugs on San Juan might compare to Deso this year? Thanks in advance!
I ran the Juan last week, bugs were bad at Sand Island, Steer Gulch and at Clay Hills when we spent the night otherwise bugs were minimal. I've had good luck calling the Sand Island river office to get an update from the rangers who have been down lately.
Just got off Deso. Mosquitos were biblical! We had bug nets, long sleeves and pants at Sand Wash and were bitten through our clothes. Sounded like they were going to lift the roof off the screenroom that first night. Expected them to die down after Jack Creek but they were pretty bad through the whole canyon. Mozzys go away in the heat of the day and biting flies come out. Needless to say, we spent way more time in the tents than we wanted.
We floated the Green for 6 days starting at Sand Wash on July 8. The mosquitoes were nothing less than horrendous. The ranger said the skeeters would be gone by Rock Creek, not the case. It was better there but still bad. We had a 5 and 7 year old with us and they were troopers but the bugs make for pretty low moral. Some of our group discussed the way to do it would be to stay in Myton, get up at daybreak. Hopefully have raft rigged on a trailer as ready to float as possible, launch and do the 25 miles to Rock creek, a long day as its mostly flat water
We launched on the 7th with our two kids, 4 and 7 and had similar experience. We rented one of the cabins, and the buzzing was loud all night. In the am the screens were covered with bugs waiting for their breakfast..
We launched at about 9:00 and made it to Jack Creek by 3:30. Not much relief from the skeeters there.
We camped at mile 59 camp and had some relief.
I have done a fair amount of rafting and to me Joe Hutch ( at least at the flows we had) borders on a class IV rapid.. yes there is a recovery pool below, but there are some large holes and waves that require some moves to avoid. Kind of felt that the guide book missed the mark on that rapid and Coal Canyon.
Cutter should open a research station at Sand Wash...
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