Desolation

It has been a long time coming, but I finally made it a trip down Desolation and Gray Canyon. We were on a guided trip through Adrift out of Moab. We flew into Sand Wash Monday, August 5th our group consisted of my dad, myself, my dads friend Mark and his son Marcus, two couples from the thumb area of Michigan and our two guides Cameron and Geddy in two 18 foot rafts. After a bumpy ride down to the river we were off on a 4 day adventure. The rafts were double rigged so that we could motor the first 40 miles do to low water, we had to stop and push to find the channel again. As we entered the deeper part of the canyon they rowed the double rigged rafts through some rapids one guide on each side oaring. Once we made camp the rafts were split up and the motor put away, we would oar the rest of the way. Desolation is a beautiful canyon we had great camps and good food. I was even able to paddle a two man inflatable kayak for at least 30 miles of the river.

Norm shortly after launch

Nothing like putting your feet up and enjoying the view.

Light House Rock

Boats still double rigged

View from our first camp.

Me paddling

Old building at Rock Creek Ranch

One of our camps complete with it own little island

Bear Tracks along the river it wandered right past the rafts in the night luckily it passed by quietly and only left tracks.

Another day of paddling. On this day I would paddle the three biggest rapids on the trip with no problems. Then at Range Creek Rapid. I rolled up sideways on a lateral wave and according to a guy on the boat in front of me I almost saved it. I flipped near the top of a very long rapid so it was a long swim, I kept thinking when is this rapid going to end. I luckily came out the end with everything I went into it with.

Left to right Norm, Marcus, Cameron, and Mark

Not sure the name of the rapid but there I am coming up a wave top left corner. 

Broken Finger Arch

Boats eye view of a rapid it might be Coal Creek Rapid

Our last camp in Gray Canyon.

A large rain storm moving in. It rained pretty hard for about a half hour or so.

Drying out after the deluge. Quite the gear tree.



Petroglyph panel of elk at Nefertiti Rapid.

Baby Big Horn far left of photo



Desolation group back row left to right Frank, Linda, Marv, Karen, Norm, Mark, Marcus. front row Geddy, Cameron.

 

It was a great trip the people were pleasant and the guides great. The Canyons were beautiful and the while the rapids were not big due to low water they were still fun. All and all I had a great trip and am looking forward to the next one. I feel lucky to live so close to such amazing places.