Paddling UP the Colorado? (Flat water)

[Baja Trekker]

Hey Ya’ll,

These are photos from a solo trip I took last summer. I was checking out how realistic it would be to float down the Colorado from Potash (Below Moab) to the Confluence then paddle back upstream, back to Potash. Paddling up this stretch is definitely doable and has already been done by others, but you need to be paddling fit. The only questionable area is the Slide, about a mile up-river from the confluence. The river channel there is very narrow and so the river speed would require a portage, at least for me…

So, on this trip I floated down 15 miles to just above the entrance to Canyonlands National Park in one day (So I would not need to get a permit), and took two days to paddle back upstream to Potash. I used my Seda sea kayak...

Heading down river from Potash:

Motoring downriver (hurry!):

At this point, taking a break, I finally began to relax, leaving the stresses of work behind:

Mud flakes, great for breakfast:

High water:

A camp:

The sign for Canyonlands National Park. Downriver this sign you need a Park permit:

Rest stop, paddling back up river:

Nearing Potash - finally! It's hard work paddling up a river!

Same post, but more photos here: http://www.rivertrekker.com/forums//viewtopic.php?t=79

Go for it! :REExeSwimmingHL:

 

[kerry]

Cool. Do you think 7 miles a day is a reasonable distance for going upstream on that river? I think a kayak is more efficient than a canoe. I wonder what the daily distance differences would be in the craft? Would a tandem fast canoe be roughly equal to a solo sea kayak? I know some people who have canoed up that section, when I see them I'll ask them how long it took. I believe Canoe Colorado (Colorado Paddler's Forum) has a trip in the works to go down from Green River and up to Potash.

 

[Baja Trekker]

up river

Hey Kerry,

On this river 7 miles upstream is definately doable in a day. I can imagine that a tandem canoe is = to a sea kayak in terms of speed upriver, though either way you have to be ready for the effort. I'd like to do the trip you mention - Down the Green and up the Colorado, but I know I'll really need to train for it - I don't want each day to be a suffer-fest. Some energy left at the end of each paddle for exploration, cooking and drinking would be great! :coffeedrink:

greg