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70 miles down the river in Utah

 
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RedRoxx44
Queen of the Walkabout




Joined: 15 Jan 2004
Posts: 1167

PostPosted: 5/11/2010, 7:07 pm    Post subject: 70 miles down the river in Utah Reply to topic Reply with quote

Toil and trouble----- the most beauty seems to come with the most pain. My redux of the Dirty Devil River complex was just that. Brian is at least still speaking to me. He stated to a friend of his " it's like some of our Grand Canyon trips, hard, with pain along with the spectacular views."
We had a not good start. Inflating the boats at riverside, produced a failure at the welded seam of a brand new inflatable ( thankfully purchased thru Amazon and was returned after this trip). I had some patch materials but we ended up using some Vinyl Repair fluid, Automotive Goo, and a patch to try to take the stretch out of the corner where it opened up. We let it sit overnight, delaying our start. We came up with alternate plans to just hike, but I was disappointed that it might not come off.
Next day early we aired it up and let it sit while we did other camp chores, to see if it would display a slow leak. It held air just fine. We packed up, and took off, deciding to see how the day went, returning if the patch did not hold.
The river just outside of Hanksville Ut is wide and shallow. The banks are sandy and have amazing huge pieces of worked chert, indicating the riverside presence of the old ones. Above town where the Muddy and Fremont come in to make the headwaters of the Dirty Devil irrigation now saps the river of its' flow. True to form, despite a record snow fall in the area, the level was low and we walked most of the first day, in the river, pulling the boats along as we trekked. At times we could float under the slowly rising sandstone walls. This area has lots of sand hills and rounded sandstone humps. We stopped at Angel Cove and took on spring water, a recommendation as the river itself is very silty and caffe late colored.
The wind rose, our first warning about the conditions of the trip. We sought a campsite sheltered from the blustery dusk. We tethered the inflatables, they can become low level kites in high winds.
The next day we proceded downcanyon, sunny and warmer. The river started to get narrower, more interesting, with the sandstone changing in character, and now more time in the boats. Rounding the Sawtooth was wonderful, the river makes many goosenecks and your view is of huge walls, alcoves, beaches and greenery of mostly willows and the evil tams.
We stopped and hiked a little in Larry canyon, mostly to get out of the boats. Great monoliths here, and the river wanders into channels and you must be alert to avoid stranding your boat. The evening wind came again and we camped on a sheltered ledge and had a wonderful fire courtesy of all the drift wood. We fell into a routine with the camp chores--unpack boats, set up camp, flip boats upside down to drain any accumulated water, and dry out, secure any items by the boats, dinner, star watch, talk, take care of fire, and sleep, clean up fire evidence in morning, pack, and reinflate portion of boat if needed, take pictures, then go on.
The river developed little rocky riffles that were fun to run in the boats. If you got hung up it wasn't too difficult to get out of the boat and right it. More wind developed and it was a pain paddling into it when it was a headwind. We chased ducks and geese off and on, and I got a couple of pics, the birds flying away from us and circling around to come in behind.
We stopped for lunch and had severe gusts, Brians boat flipped and mine went onto it's side. We resecured the boats ( have everything tied in well even on a calm river such as this). and had lunch trying to stay out of the sandblasting we were getting. This area has an old mining road on one side we looked at, then got out and hiked some in Twin corral and Sam's Mesa Box canyons. Beautiful, with some large pieces of petrified wood. It was windy and clouding up, change in the weather. Hard to see the sky in some parts of the river canyon. The Dirty Devil is seldom floated due to low water. It is some amazing country and if you are willing to tough it out some of the places you will walk hasn't seen footprints in years. Be prepared for wet feet, quicksand and pack lightly with a boat that can float in very shallow water and it is doeable with enough time allowed.
We camped the next night on a sand beach, wind allowing us to make a nice campsite in a large straight run of the canyon, just massive walls everywhere. It was nice to run around barefooted and let our feet dry out. Morning was glorious with the sun turning the towers red and making the river glow. I walked out on a mud bar and paid for it by sinking thigh deep. You get used to it on these trips.
Onward, sunny but cooler, I got chilled and switched over to rain pants and a fleece top to keep warmer. More wind, cloud ships sailing by. It was work paddling. It seemed primeval with the storm clouds and the river and the rock. Alone in the world. I recognized the entrance to Happy Canyon and we stopped here. From the river a short walk into some world class sandstone narrows; we were late for good light but I was entranced by the "river of light" on the floor and the "arrow" along the way. I first visited here years ago and you didn't see footprints, but now quite a trail and it had not rained recently to remove the prints.
We stopped briefly at Poison Springs canyon road, my takeout for last year. Consulted the maps and considered throwing in the towel for this trip. We decided to go on. Not far below here was the worst about hour and a half I have ever experienced. We had gusts of wind at gale force, trying to flip the boats with us in them, sand blasting and standing wave breaking over the bow and spraying you regularly. I was blown into the bank and just shoehorned the paddle beside to boat to keep it facing into the wind to prevent being rolled sideways. I put my head down and closed my eyes. Brian was out of his boat, standing on the bank, back to the wind and just holding onto his boat via his tow rope. Huge sand swirls rose as dust devils off the banks, the willows bent to the ground. The sun was setting and we were both wet, and it was cold with the windchill.
Finally we beached the boats and huddled under a cliff face, to ward off some of the wind. Brian did a reconnaissance and located a campsite under an overhang sheltered from the wind. The boat takeout was less than ideal, straight up a brush bank about 10 feet. I was worried about punturing the boat but we did it without any trouble. It was dusk and blowing like heck when we set up camp. He had chosen well, and I slept like a log that night, I was so tired and stressed out.
The next day the morning light was dazzling with brilliant blue skies and a few clouds, a no wind. We paddled on, clouds and gray soon coming, a light drizzle for a few minutes. The sky looked positively ominous, nothing to do but do downriver. If it got too bad get shelter. The sandstone here had huge eroded pockets, some right on the water level, and some duck unders in the boats. We stopped to warm up on the rocks and walk a little in Fiddler Cove Canyon, an area I had backpacked to a few years back on a too warm late May. The canyons here are wide and walls set back, lots of packed sand. Lovely hoodoos and interesting rock. Some honey scented flowers were blooming, and some subtle blue and yellow flowers.
The channel widened out again and suddenly we were out of our boats some for the first time in a couple of days for any length of time. We were again seeking a sheltered campsite just in case. We found a wonderful short pour off that opened to a broad sheet of rock then a huge sandy beach fringed with thick willows. Below a massive squared off overhang was a spit of sand and the perfect natural hearth for a fire. The wind was gusting lightly and the clouds a dull gray with spots of darkness. We had a short easy walk and a good place to stash the boats. We were now treating river water so I had a couple of collapsible water tanks to let it settle and treat in.
We set up camp with plenty of light, and as the rain seemed to be less possible, hiked a little in the evening setting sun that just barely peaked below the clouds giving it's last rays for the day.
Next morning we hiked some more up in the area of the "Red Ledges" on the Topo. Magical rock, every erosional feature imaginable, swirls of color, differing textures.
Back on the water, or more walking. We were fearful that the "floatable" water was again gone, but again the map showed the river channel narrowing, and as it did back in the boats we went. Now the river was deepening in it's channel, the banks growing steep and heavily vegetated. More like my brief experience on the Gila River. Large trees overhanging the channel, and evidence of higher water in bent over boughs. More evidence of beaver too, many trimmings and holes in the banks announcing beaver homes. I thought I saw a young beaver enter the water, but too quick for me. We saw a dead one on the bank, disturbing the buzzard feast.
Once again the river changed. Rock cliffs, some huge ones, come to the river, and it is now a very intimate relationship, the river so narrow that at times you could hit both banks with your oar ends at once. More clay and fewer sand beaches. Thick sticky clay as I found out exiting the boat. We found a pool floaty stranded with a garbage bag full of beer intact on a rock in the river. The map showed a primitive road coming to the river near here but we never saw evidence of it.
We stopped off to explore an intriguing alcove. The floor was built up but with cut wood. Perhaps miner or early rancher built.
The day passes. Brian was confident we were close to Lake Powell but with all the twists and turns hard to keep track just getting the map out occasionally. Mud banks rose high, as much as 30 feet above us. Finally started seeing the water lines of the old high lake. Around a corner and there was the Hwy 95 bridge, floating above us. We passed under, and continued, it was getting late and we chose to camp once more, the take out still a mile or so of floating ahead. We got out of sight of the road then camped on a sand beach once more in a little hollow of sandstone near a seep. Once more we had wind and this was probably the least protected site but it dried out our wet clothes quickly and we were able to sleep well.
The next morning a short paddle through the massive mud flats, with small rapids in the mud channel. Looking at the large dead area and huge amounts of driftwood well above current levels. We came to our takeout, up a short low sandstone rise, to the informal campsites off Hwy 95. I wasn't sure of the "legal" status of taking out here so we deflated out boats, made several trips up the to stash the equipment in a couple of rock pockets out of sight. I changed clothes, got my hitchhiking sign to Hanksville, ate and sat up on the road. Took about 4-5 hours, not many cars, and not many locals, proving a point I have always thought. Get on any remote dirt road in Utah and you might not see many cars but you'll get a ride quick. Paved road with tourists' ---forget it.
I was getting discouraged when Joe and Terry from Emery County stopped in their little red car to give me a ride. Two nice gentlemen, and they even went part way down the sandy road to the Toyota. I had a short and enjoyable road walk, then to Hanksville for gas and water and to pick up Brian and the boats. My dream had been realized. I thought I was done with this trip; in the future my goal is 2-3 weeks off, and do this again, stop and hike at every opportunity, not be enslaved by time limits, and have a shuttle if possible. A wonderful trip that despite the hardships worth every minute.
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Arizonaheat
Got Supes Juice?




Joined: 04 Jan 2003
Posts: 1741
Location: Mesa, AZ

PostPosted: 5/11/2010, 8:06 pm    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

I was wondering how it went. Wed. night the 28th was the night I got hammered by wind,it was unreal. Was that the same night you got hammered?

Glad u made it.
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thesuperstitions
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PostPosted: 5/12/2010, 4:39 am    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

Wonderful journey! Thank you for writing it up so that we could share your adventure.
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azbackpackr
Hi Tech Wizardess




Joined: 31 Dec 2005
Posts: 3639
Location: Needles CA

PostPosted: 5/12/2010, 8:36 am    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

Wow, epic journey! Are you going to post some photos?
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GeorgAz





Joined: 04 Jan 2003
Posts: 815
Location: Scottsdale

PostPosted: 5/16/2010, 7:06 am    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

As usual, Letty, you rock my world!!
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BoyNhisDog
The dangerous place where the winds meet




Joined: 05 Jan 2003
Posts: 1375
Location: Tucson

PostPosted: 5/16/2010, 3:58 pm    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

Intense and intriguing as usual. I was wondering how this would come out for you. It is surreal how the wind comes up after several days of dead calm and changes the world up in those regions. We experienced some of both recently as well.

If you have any more images of your trip it would be so nice to see them. The Happy Canyon images are sublime.
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RedRoxx44
Queen of the Walkabout




Joined: 15 Jan 2004
Posts: 1167

PostPosted: 5/17/2010, 7:17 am    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

Had some computer glitches---big album up at
http://www.arizonahikers.com/forum/modules.php?set_albumName=albus06&op=modload&name=gallery&file=index&include=view_album.php&page=1
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Arizonaheat
Got Supes Juice?




Joined: 04 Jan 2003
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Location: Mesa, AZ

PostPosted: 5/20/2010, 4:23 am    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

Thank you. Nice way to start my day, great pics.
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