kayaking Moab/Grand Junction April 21-24

[spikemd]

I am driving from Chicago to California and swinging down to Grand Junction/Moab/Canyonlands to do some kayaking and biking. I unfortunately won't be driving my 4Runner so trails are out of the question.

I was wondering if anyone was up for joining me on a 3 day kayak trip followed by biking in Moab. I am looking to do a tame river (Class I-II) without any real whitewater. It looks like there are some great float trips down the Colorado and the Green river to make it happen. Also, if you have any good suggestions of the best mild kayaking in that area, please let me know.

Let me know if you are interested in either the kayaking or biking.

********I may be pushing this trip back until the beginning of May************

-ted

:campfire:

 

[Nullifier]

Well there are alot of great trips with mild water in the west. The green river nice particularly the 60 mile stretch called labrynth canyon. For a day trip in moab you can launch n moab at a place called canyonlands by night. The do river trips with a big jet boat but are happy to runa shuttle for paddler for a nominal fee. It is an 18 mile section you paddle down to a a pot ash factory on the river. Great scenery easy paddle a must do trip imo. The section upstream from moab is called the daily section and it has some impressive whitewater check with alocal outfitter for a ducky if you are not a good whitewater paddler.

Make sure you look into water levels especially on the green river. Huge water level issues starting in fall not sure about right now it may still be alittle early for run off water to be raising the levels of the rivers.

 

[spikemd]

I had my eye on the Green River Labyrinth Canyons. It looks like a great stretch of river through beautiful country. My family doesn't want me to do it solo because it is so remote with limited/no vehicle access. I looked into getting a SPOT, which is a great device, but that still might not help if anything happens. Hence, the reason for this post if someone wants to join me in Moab.

I may just head farther southwest and paddle around Lake Powell. There are more people there and tons of places to see and paddle through.

The Moab day trip you mentioned may be worthwhile and then head to Lake Powell for a few days. We'll see what the response is or if anyone can go with me. I would love to do the Green River...

 

[upcruiser]

Ted, I'll be in Moab over those dates, I won't have my kayak with me but will have my mountainbike if you want to meetup and hit some trails. Not sure my exact schedule yet but it looks our dates will overlap.

 

[kerry]

Loma to Westwater on the Colorado River just west of Grand Junction (Horsethief and Ruby Canyons) is one of the most spectacular easy river trips in the West. Nothing more than Class II. 28 miles. Paddleable in one really long day but I've spent 5 on it. Some great side hikes including arches up Rattlesnake Canyon. River is faster and more fun than either Labyrinth or Stillwater canyons on the Green. Black Rocks rapid is the most difficult and it's not more than a Class II. Black Rocks is a superb place to camp. Not as remote as most sections of the Green. The railway runs alongside the river after about the first 12 miles. Accessible by dirt road for the last 4 or 5. Don't go past the Westwater Ranger station unless you're comfortable in Class IV water. No permit required but you need an approved toilet to carry out waste. You can probably buy a shuttle in Fruita or Grand Junction. Carry all your water.
River always has enough water since you cross the Colorado/Utah border on the trip and the Colorado River Compact requires that water flow for downstream use be measured at that point.

 

[spikemd]

Maybe changing dates to May



UPCRUISER -- I may be changing my dates and pushing this back until the second week of May. My buddy who I was meeting in Moab just bailed and it will be better timing for me to be in California mid-May rather than April. I hope you have a great trip in Moab and if you are still there in May, keep me posted.

Kerry -- thanks for the info. I will look into these parts of the river. I am dying to get on the water when I get out there. I have looked into a few shuttles. I will post more when I nail down the dates completely.

 

[kerry]

By mid-May the Colorado could be at spring run-off levels. At 20,000cfs it's a different river than at 3000cfs. Still no big rapids but pushy and swirly.