[Acheron]

Absolutely possible! Upper Colorado afternoon winds can definitely carry you right back up the canyon, even on the water they push you up it...so I'm positive it can happen!

So, here's the trick. You need lift, man. Serious lift. And hopefully you didn't skip leg day!!

Turn your raft upside day, attach some 15ft sections of rope from the oar locks to your shoulders. Now you have a basic parachute/glider set up (minus a few things you won't need).

Get a good running start from the Rancho beach area heading upstream. Not no half-witted attempt, you need to run Forrest run and get that raft up off the ground. You need LIFT!!!

Then where the ledge starts to form at the end of the beach, head on up it and take a leap of faith from the top and out over the water.

The wind will be the wind beneath your wings.

Glide up the canyon, watch out for the walls...just pull on the rope to turn the raft and take you in the direction you want to go...SIMPLE!!

 

[thekernriver]

I bet the best place to discuss details on the how the balloon shuttle will work is at the Rangers office when picking up the permit.

"I bet you guys think we have propane in these tanks but...nooooo"

 

[thekernriver]

Just curious, was this proposal during the scout or while making the move to the right above the picket fence? 😀🤓

Actually, we were staying at Paradise Lodge, and were hiking back upstream to Inspiration point, where, I had timed the nearly full moon to rise. that evening. But like on many of my rafting trips we got a late start so,.. Blossom Bar it was.

(We had run Blossom Bar it earlier that day at record low flows, (800 cfs?) July 4th weekend 2001. It was easy)

 

[MT4Runner]

hydrogen works better

The REALLY skilled boaters mix a small bit of straight Oxygen with it. It's cleaner that way.

 

[BastrdSonOfElvis]

Absolutely possible! Upper Colorado afternoon winds can definitely carry you right back up the canyon, even on the water they push you up it...so I'm positive it can happen!

So, here's the trick. You need lift, man. Serious lift. And hopefully you didn't skip leg day!!

Turn your raft upside day, attach some 15ft sections of rope from the oar locks to your shoulders. Now you have a basic parachute/glider set up (minus a few things you won't need).

Get a good running start from the Rancho beach area heading upstream. Not no half-witted attempt, you need to run Forrest run and get that raft up off the ground. You need LIFT!!!

Then where the ledge starts to form at the end of the beach, head on up it and take a leap of faith from the top and out over the water.

The wind will be the wind beneath your wings.

Glide up the canyon, watch out for the walls...just pull on the rope to turn the raft and take you in the direction you want to go...SIMPLE!!

I read that in Charlie's voice and it was gold.

 

[thekernriver]

I usually pack a bottle or two of oxygen with my fire pan. and I ALWAYS take a fire pan. y'know, prevent forest fires... safety first.

 

[MT4Runner]

I usually pack a bottle or two of oxygen with my fire pan. and I ALWAYS take a fire pan. y'know, prevent forest fires... safety first.

The second bottle is to stoke my coal forge.

I frequently like to bang out a fresh set of wrought oarlocks mid-trip. My boatin' anvil is a little 75-lb'er so it's pretty sweet for camp use.

 

[thekernriver]

On a serious note, Once had to tighten a new set of oarlocks halfway down a trip on the Forks years ago. Just put them on a little standup propane stove for 20 min then, then using wet shoes to grip the stem, bang it against a rock until it narrowed a bit...

Would have been in a world of hurt if I burned myself, broke or over tightened an oar lock, but I didn't,, made it though vortex and westwall next day...

 

[yesimapirate]

Why can't you just use helium tanks as your tubes? Skip the filling part.

 

[Wallrat]

Brilliant! Then with a 4cycle outboard, you have propulsion for the flight back upstream.

 

[thekernriver]

Damn!

I fear we are only a few beers away from trying this.

like that time I drove my lifted truck to Deep Lake.

On the first beer, I was like,
"My that is a beautiful sunset."

By the 12th beer I was like
"Y'know that lake doesn't look fuckin deep"

 

[efranz]

[On a NOLS sea kayaking trip] What elevation are we at?

 

[Groover Fly]

I've used helium. Costs about 60 bucks to fill up. The first time I was smoking and the raft ignited because of a leaky valve. My dog perished, very sad. Edward Abbey who was also a passenger severely burned his left hand. (If you ever wondered where the scars came from--not in the war which is a lie) Now more careful with the new raft. It won't float back upstream but shuttle and transportation costs are much less due to substantially reduced downward force on the trailer. The fuel savings are way less than the fuel for the van. NO smoking, should I repeat that a third time?

 

[ljpurvis85]

After landing on the ocean with a float plane and pulling up to the dock on an island in Alaska a guy steps off the plane and says "It's cold here. What's the elevation?".

 

[IDoutdooraddict]

Groover Fly, that was hydrogen, not helium. Noble gases are non flammable. Get your jokes right for fucks sake!

 

[River Finger]

I've used helium. Costs about 60 bucks to fill up. The first time I was smoking and the raft ignited because of a leaky valve. My dog perished, very sad. Edward Abbey who was also a passenger severely burned his left hand. (If you ever wondered where the scars came from--not in the war which is a lie) Now more careful with the new raft. It won't float back upstream but shuttle and transportation costs are much less due to substantially reduced downward force on the trailer. The fuel savings are way less than the fuel for the van. NO smoking, should I repeat that a third time?

 

[Kickinback]

You can fill your raft with nitrogen, just like car/truck tires. You can get it at most tire shops, it’s really cheap. Your boat won’t get the dreaded shrinkage when going from the trailer to cold water. It will also keep the raft from expanding when you park the boat on the bank in the sun. You will no longer need to let air out when putting it back on the trailer for that 100 degree drive home. You can leave your pump at home.

 

[BastrdSonOfElvis]

View attachment 84620

You beat me to it!