RonaldMCd
04-07-2009, 01:12 PM
I'm not going to make any promises, but I would like to try to organize a 'floating herf'. It will take me a fair amount of leg work, so I figured I would see if enough people would even be interested.
The plan:
Obtain a private permit to float through Westwater Canyon, located on the Colorado River just over the Utah boarder. Permits can be obtained UP TO two months in advance. As I'm aware most of you are not avid whitewater enthusiasts, so I feel late August would provide the best weather/water combination (warm/low), so I can't even apply for the permit until late June.
Westwater is a beautiful, remote canyon, somewhat similar in geology to the Grand Canyon. You can see pre-Cambrian metamorphic granitic gneiss, which is approximately 1.75 billion years old. I have been told this is the oldest naturally exposed geological layer on earth (or maybe just the US), and the only other place it is exposed in the US is in the Grand Canyon. The overall trip length is 17 miles. I would try to get an overnight permit so we could camp within the canyon and have our herf at the camp! These permits are more difficult to obtain than a one day permit, especially on a weekend, but running the canyon in one day would not give us enough time to herf, so if I am unable to obtain a two day permit, this idea will be scratched.
The trip consists of several miles of flatwater. So flat that if the wind is in your face, you will go up stream. A good chance to enjoy the scenery and sip a couple of beers. Once in the canyon propper, you are presented with several miles of pool/drop style big-water rapids, ranging from class II to IV. The canyon gets much more walled in, with verticial cliffs on each side. A very beautiful place to be! I would anticipate flows of around 6,000cfs in late August, which is a low flow for this stretch (good flow for novices). After the rapids, you get several more miles of rediculously flat water. Good times can still be had jumping off some of the cliffs, and enjoying the spectacular scenery.
In order for this trip to work, I would need to first get the permit. Would you be willing to take a couple days off work for this, if I cannot get a weekend permit? Would you be flexible to multiple weekends ~late august/early sept if my first choices are already taken? The next step will be to find rafters willing to row you guys down, or guide you if they don't have an oar rig. This should be easy with an overnight permit (especially if it's for a weekend). Most rafters will row for beer/food. The private permit for Westwater is cheap (I think ~$7 per person). Max group size is 25 people. Payment is required at time of acquiring the permit, refunds are not given if the permit is cancelled. Additional people can be added to the permit if the spots are available on the permit. Other expenses would only be your food/beverages, gas, and any gear you might have to rent if I can't find enough...rafter food/beer would be split evenly.
As I said, a lot of things would need to come together for this to work, so even if enough people want to do this, it might still fall through...but I am relatively confident that I could make it work...IF I can get lucky on the permit.
I have plenty of pictures of Westwater if anyone wants to see them, and can also get you a low quality DVD video I made, with footage from my helmet cam, on my last Westwater trip (at about the same flow I would expect)...gives you a good idea of the whitewater you may encounter.
I'll be sure to have a few kayaking buddies along with me, picking up anyone who might fall out of the rafts :D I am a certified swiftwater rescue technician :D
Clinton
The plan:
Obtain a private permit to float through Westwater Canyon, located on the Colorado River just over the Utah boarder. Permits can be obtained UP TO two months in advance. As I'm aware most of you are not avid whitewater enthusiasts, so I feel late August would provide the best weather/water combination (warm/low), so I can't even apply for the permit until late June.
Westwater is a beautiful, remote canyon, somewhat similar in geology to the Grand Canyon. You can see pre-Cambrian metamorphic granitic gneiss, which is approximately 1.75 billion years old. I have been told this is the oldest naturally exposed geological layer on earth (or maybe just the US), and the only other place it is exposed in the US is in the Grand Canyon. The overall trip length is 17 miles. I would try to get an overnight permit so we could camp within the canyon and have our herf at the camp! These permits are more difficult to obtain than a one day permit, especially on a weekend, but running the canyon in one day would not give us enough time to herf, so if I am unable to obtain a two day permit, this idea will be scratched.
The trip consists of several miles of flatwater. So flat that if the wind is in your face, you will go up stream. A good chance to enjoy the scenery and sip a couple of beers. Once in the canyon propper, you are presented with several miles of pool/drop style big-water rapids, ranging from class II to IV. The canyon gets much more walled in, with verticial cliffs on each side. A very beautiful place to be! I would anticipate flows of around 6,000cfs in late August, which is a low flow for this stretch (good flow for novices). After the rapids, you get several more miles of rediculously flat water. Good times can still be had jumping off some of the cliffs, and enjoying the spectacular scenery.
In order for this trip to work, I would need to first get the permit. Would you be willing to take a couple days off work for this, if I cannot get a weekend permit? Would you be flexible to multiple weekends ~late august/early sept if my first choices are already taken? The next step will be to find rafters willing to row you guys down, or guide you if they don't have an oar rig. This should be easy with an overnight permit (especially if it's for a weekend). Most rafters will row for beer/food. The private permit for Westwater is cheap (I think ~$7 per person). Max group size is 25 people. Payment is required at time of acquiring the permit, refunds are not given if the permit is cancelled. Additional people can be added to the permit if the spots are available on the permit. Other expenses would only be your food/beverages, gas, and any gear you might have to rent if I can't find enough...rafter food/beer would be split evenly.
As I said, a lot of things would need to come together for this to work, so even if enough people want to do this, it might still fall through...but I am relatively confident that I could make it work...IF I can get lucky on the permit.
I have plenty of pictures of Westwater if anyone wants to see them, and can also get you a low quality DVD video I made, with footage from my helmet cam, on my last Westwater trip (at about the same flow I would expect)...gives you a good idea of the whitewater you may encounter.
I'll be sure to have a few kayaking buddies along with me, picking up anyone who might fall out of the rafts :D I am a certified swiftwater rescue technician :D
Clinton