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No available Deso/Gray launches Sept.-Oct.-Nov.?

1.9K views 5 replies 4 participants last post by  Timsr  
#1 ·
A few of us are thinking about an October Deso, and looking over available launches on the Recreation.gov site there appear to be none, zero, for any day between now (end of August) and December 3, '20. I've never seen this before, Deso has always had plenty of cancellations. I wrote to the Recreation.gov, got an answer of "Yes, there appear to be no launches." I called Price-BLM and got their machine, and I've emailed them. In a whole lot of years of running Deso I've not seen such a thing - either the reservation system has gone haywire or Deso in the Fall has suddenly become more popular than they've ever been before. What do you folks think? Deso permits suddenly blanked every day for over 3 months straight?
 
#2 ·
Well, I can reply to my own thread and answer my own question. Surprising as it is to me, it looks like there really are no available launches for the next three months. Here's the answer back from Cory Jensen, Price BLM:

Hey Everybody,

From the outside it may appear that the recreation.gov website is broken but in fact it is not. There are many things to consider in regards to October Permits in Desolation Canyon:

Launches for October – Dec and Jan – April are available on a first come first serve basis starting at 8 am on December 1st the year prior.

The Utah Division of Wild Life, opened/created a hunting tag for Bison in the Three Canyon / Range Creek Areas of Desolation Canyon.

It is low use season there are only 2 launches per day &

It is the 7th year Desolation Canyon has been on Recreation.gov and boaters are now very aware of how and when to pick up these permits. We are seeing over 5,000 people apply for the lottery every year, it is no longer an unknown or overlooked river section.

I am sorry to deliver bad news, cancellations release immediately so it is the luck of the draw to pick up a seldom seen cancellation trip for September and October. The trend I have noticed this year is people generally are cancelling between 1 & 3 weeks out from their trip when the realities of COVID and the inabilities of being able to pull together a week long trip set in.

Please let me know if you any other questions or need clarification on anything. I wish you luck in picking up a cancellation trip.

Best,

Cory Jensen
Park Ranger
Bureau of Land Management
Price Field Office
125 S 600 W
Price, Utah 84501
(435)636-3631