Westwater Canyon UT 4/28

The spring storms in the Colorado high country can be fiercely winter like typically through May. And because of this, I love spending my free time away from the elevation. I get refueled leaving the long cold days of winter behind and basking in the warmth of radiating rocks next to my rack long after the sun has faded. The ability to head down stream from the source of the snow that feeds the mighty Colorado River Basin is one that fulfills me. The desert holds a mystical landscape awaiting my explorations with warming temps and rising river flows. It's many colors and unpolluted sky's at night are a true sight to behold. The deserts spring can bring winds and rain but weathering out these storms only adds to the beauty of forays into the wilderness of rocks and water. I think Georgie White said it best, "-my church is made of rocks and sand and pounding waves." And I have Sundays off, so I too like my church.

At 0345 on this Sunday morning I hear the faint buzzing of my alarm and I'm immediately reminded to make a quick exit if I wanted to be on time. With the forecast expected to deliver another foot to our already healthy snowpack I made quick work of silencing the alarm. I quietly dress in the dark so as not to disturb the dogs or my wife. I then kissed her on the check and stepped outside. As I walked into the cold breath of the squall I made my way from my detached bunkhouse to the main house. Once inside, I started the coffee pot, tossed a bagel into the toaster and walked outside again to start my trusty Warrior. After cranking the heat I returned to the sound of the already steaming exhale and drip of my favorite elixir. The smell of the dark roast gently filled the air as I cut up a banana and pushed the slices into the melting peanut butter on my warm bagel. I topped off with a fresh cup and locked the door behind me. Not bad I thought, only 17 minutes from alarm to drive, only 2 minutes behind schedule.

Vail Pass was a bear. It slowed my drive considerably with a blinding and wet storm. But once I cleared the last big sweeper at the bottom of its west side I was able to quickly make up the time as the roads were merely wet. At 0526 I pulled into my friends driveway and texted him that I was there. Before I even sent the text I see light starting to escape from under the garage door as it crept it's way open. We made quick work of unloading my raft and all my other gear into his truck bed. I did one last visual walk through of my truck as well as in my mind and grabbed my coffee cup and jumped into his passenger seat. At 0538 we were pulling away, now 7 minutes ahead of schedule.

Zach and I didn't talk much at first as I was happy to be able to finish my coffee and eat my mess of a bagel. As we continued to lose elevation I could see the clouds hanging low shrouded in the thick air of a breaking storm in the Dubuque Canyon morning light. We chatted off and on for the 1:56 minute leg to Fruita and I was feeling really good about leaving so early. I had over planned for a reason. Our goal was to meet up with everyone one else who had camped at the boat ramp and be unloaded in time to make their 0900 shuttle departure. After a quick fill-up and a pee break Zach was hungry so he pulled through Wendy's to grab a shitty egg sando and a coffee for himself. We were back on the road with the sun now climbing well above the horizon and the sky looking more cloudless as we kept pushing west. At 0818 we were driving past their unbroken camp and I could see some of the group were just now coming out of their slumber. I was finally able to turn my mental time constraints off. I knew we had plenty of time to make shuttle, so I cracked an ice cold Pacifico and stepped into the desert morning to say hi to everyone.

 

Nice job writing. Felt like I was there.

 

Thanks. Working on finishing it. I didn't take a lot of photos on this trip so all I have is the words and memories.

 

A typical band of misfits who love to gather for a fun river journey we all made talk of days past and what the weather may hold in store. All the while moving about, and unloading the trailers full of rafts and all the luxury accompaniments to make for a comfortable adventure. By 0915 the trip leader was trying to herd the trucks into formation to run all the trucks to the takeout for shuttle. Finally by 0930 he had managed to get them all in line and start the 1.5 hour round trip journey.



Because I swindled my way out of driving on this trip I didn't have a truck to drive. So as they were leaving I was already cracking my third beer and finishing up the rigging on White Lightening for today's run. Which all in all was pretty loose. The TL had chosen to camp above the rapids on day 1 so only a few smallish riffles lay in store on our way down river towards the Upper D camp.

A few of the group left for a morning run while shuttle was being run. I choose instead to make my way around to the other rafts and help the captains get all the gear loaded up. After my 4th beer I soon realized that the morning buzz of day drinking was coming on. I always get so nervous and excited for these runs that I quell it with my drink. In years past I would've kept chugging beers and already been borderline blackout by the time the shuttle vehicle returned. As I was thinking about this I decided that 4 was plenty for now and switched to water. I also decided to take a short walk upriver to decompress from the whirlwind of a morning.

A few hundred yards upriver I could see an eagles nest in the large blooming cottonwoods across the river to the east. Having forgot my binos on the walk I couldn't tell for sure if there were eaglets in the nest but there was a massive mother making her rounds upriver towards a cliff face which she would effortlessly scour and play with the thermals and then return to her nest again. 40 minutes must've passed in the blink of an eye as I sat riverside and enjoyed the harmony of her routine. Having realized that shuttle should be back soon I finished my water and headed back towards the boat ramp.

A few minutes after I returned so did the shuttle crew. Like a clown car scene, 7 people unfurled themselves out of the lone crew max tundra. We usually try and condense the vehicles driven to these excursions but with peoples schedules for this spring trip we ended up with more vehicles than desired.

The TL walked over to the ranger's house and told him we were ready to launch. The Ranger came over and started going through all the required group gear for our trip and followed up by checking over every raft to ensure all the spare paddles, repair kits and first aide kits were in order. He then asked to inspect all the PFD's and gave us a brief talk about safety with the rising water levels. The river had come up 3,000 cfs over the last few days of rain and we were all excited to get going. Once he finished, the TL put me on the spot and had me also follow up with a group safety talk. Having boated all but one person here, I knew I could keep it short and concise. We also had a greenhorn with us that we were introducing to the sport so I focused my talk on swimmers, flipped raft scenarios and on river hand signals to communicate. Once finished we all donned our PFD's and loaded into our vessels.



I love the feeling of launching. Watching all the different rafts and kayaks enter the current and float downstream is always a joy. Eerily similar to a mother goose and her goslings drifting into the river. It's a huge sigh of relief for someone like me who's a borderline ocd overthinker. Knowing that the planning, packing, rigging and work is over. It's now just time to enter the current and let the water take you. I launched last to take up sweep and counted all the vessels and made sure to explain what was happening to my greenhorn Tommy that was now under my wing. I discussed in further detail how we would perform our paddle strokes and how he was just part of the engine and would need to listen to my commands so I could keep us on line. After about 20 minutes of floating and paddling I felt confident with my newb along for tomorrows big rapid day.


We all floated along and I kept counting the boats. Harvey pulled into the first eddy to surf a small wave where the eddy and downstream flow collide. Dudley and Happy Mike quickly followed. I always keep my eye on the kayakers and revel in watching them surf in the littlest waves of the dynamic mighty Colorado. Knowing I had to keep my apprentice on point, I called for paddle strokes to get us into the eddy. We didn't cross the eddy fence with as much gusto as I wanted and White Lightening spun around and Tommy's tube was swallowed into the opposing currents. His eyes wide with confusion I pulled him into the raft so he didn't fall in the river as the current tried in vain to swallow the raft. Working eddy lines is the first step of understanding how dynamic a river can be.



With the higher flows, the roughly 6 mile float seemed to quickly pass as we turned the last corner and I spotted the beach for camp. I reckon we were only on the water for a few hours with a lunch stop and short hike to an overlook at miners cabin included. I could see rain brewing on the horizon and felt good about todays lessons with Tommy.



One by one all 4 gear rafts pulled into shore. Then 2 paddle rafts and all 3 kayaks were shortly behind. We pulled the kayaks and paddle rafts all the way up the bank and set them aside and out of the way. All 16 people pitched in and made deft work of unloading a kitchen and all the personal dry bags with our fire line. Knowing rain was coming Brett dug out his tarp and seamlessly we had it setup and staked out among the cottonwoods in no time. My god how I love this crew. In under 30 minutes we had a full kitchen and bar set up under the tarp.





A circle of chairs were set up around the firepan and the crew were now milling about and starting to scatter to find tent sights. I was eerily aware of the probability of the storm so I hung out in the kitchen and was waiting for it to pass before I chose where I would sleep. I went to my raft and grabbed my flask of weller reserve and my rain jacket just as the first drops were falling. Within minutes we had all 16 of us under the tarp as the slight rain turned into a downpour. Smiling with glee we chirped about how this rain was better than being outside in the mountains under a heavy snow they were getting back home. After 15 minutes of hard rain the storm was fading. We could hear remnants of it as the click click click click of rain hitting the tarp became just a tap tap here and there. The crew went back to task and dispersed to their tent sights to set up for the night. A warm afternoon sun was glowing on the beach and soon we all found ourselves basking in it.

 

Before the sun started falling behind the canyon wall Kevin, Jake and I wanted to stroll around. None of us were on cook crew and I knew with the fresh rains, Dolores Creek would be running. I suggested this and they agreed so we stretched our legs out and started the scramble up the game trail just down stream from camp into the drainage of the creek. It was only a two beer hike so I placed one in my pocket and cracked a fresh one at the start. Feeling good about my choice to slow my beer pace earlier in the day I'm now on track find the slight buzz again. As we walked through camp we picked up a few other stragglers and I made Tommy come along because as a newb it's a right of passage on your first Westwater.



I could see the shadows starting to disappear once inside the tight side canyon as we traipsed our way towards Dolores Falls. This tells me that the sun has dropped behind the horizon and only the indirect light is left before nightfall isn't but a few hours behind. We get to the falls and I goad Tommy to climb up and jump into the pool before us. He was about to embark on the scaling of the face to get to the falls and Kevin thwarts my attempt at hazing him in the fading light. Not safe, he says. Too cold and getting too dark for a swim in jeans, he says. Kevin, a man of sound logic and reasoning is always on guard for the safety of the team, I can't deny his mindset. And because he is our first responder and the TL here, I disregard my want of rights of passage for greenhorns. We sat in the fading light amongst the bats fluttering above. We hung out for a while longer before we decide to head back.



I can smell dinner is almost ready as we are getting back into camp. I can see the charred quail birds and asparagus on the grill and a big salad full of all my favorite crunchy vegetables being mixed up in the kitchen. I head over to my gear pile outside of my tent and add a layer to help fight off the dropping temps. Everyone is getting in line to wash their hands and serve up some good grub after the days events. We all sit around the fire in the fading light. Talk is nil, always a good sign of a well prepared meal.



After we clean up the kitchen and everything is put back into the kitchen box to prevent mice and other interested critters from exploring, the fire becomes the centerpiece for the evening. Nightfall is now fully upon us and we all gather in the warmth of the fire as the stars begin to join us. The canyon walls become dark and fade into the evening as merely a black horizon line high in the glittering sky. The mood in camp is one of excitement and talk of the rapids becomes a constant badgering for Tommy and his first descent. Everyone, including myself, are all juicing him up and retelling tall tales of all the carnage we've seen down here. I'n also reminding him what we do if we end up in the room of doom, what lines we want to take at Sock It To Me and Skull rapids. And how if we don't run Funnel Falls with the correct trajectory, we will flip for sure. One by one the crew begins to fall away from the fire until I only count 6 people left. Not sure what time it was, but I was wiped from my long day that started in the wee hours of the morning that brought me here. Also, not wanting to have be the last man standing and be in charge of the fire, I too fade away into the night and my warm sleeping bag.



Monday morning is bright as I roll over and look towards the kitchen through my open tent door. I see no one there, nor smell any coffee, so I roll back over and grab some more shut eye. A few more rolls and I'm definitely not getting any more sleep so I awake for good and start my stretching routine in my tent. I can hear the clang of the kitchen box being sifted through so I dig my coffee cup out of my bag and step outside my tent. The morning light is now upon the canyon wall and I can count only a handful of the team in the kitchen as of yet. I walk to the river and take a nice long pee as I take in the day and the beauty around me. Not feeling hung over at all, I'm happy I was able to regulate my beer and whiskey intake. I survey my stock and see that I had only ended up consuming 8 beers and a few nips from my flask. I can smell the coffee steeping and it draws me into its lather. I see foil wrapped burritos on the griddle and pour myself a cup of strong black. I also refill my water bottle and find my chair to relax for the morning as I watch the team come to life and gather.

An hour passes and we're now breaking camp. Everything we set up yesterday must come down. And the gear is put back into the dry bags and methodically the rafts are being loaded. Captains are calling for tables and kitchen boxes. What's up with that chair bag, honey where is your dry bag? Who's water bottle is this. Does anyone need the groover? Last call for water! Last call for trash, hand wash... all the pieces that we bring and set up must go down river with us. We leave no trace but footprints and faded memories from our visit here.

With the rafts all securely loaded and rigged to flip, everyone is now getting dressed in their splash tops and dry suits. The team is assembled and ready for action. Kevin asks if anyone wants to be in any certain running order. I wait and watch it unfold not saying much. He looks at me and says, Jay, you're sweep today. Then to Scotty, and asks do you want to lead? The gear rafts all push off into the eddy and then the paddle rafts and kayakers now have access to the beach again. We carry our boats to the water and launch ourselves.

Little Dolores rapid is at the foot of the eddy. It's a strait forward wave train with five 6' high stacked rollers. I call for forward strokes from Tommy and we set up well to run hey diddle diddle. He is getting tossed around and too rigid to ride the waves with ease. I encouraged him to read the waves and ride the raft like he would ride his motocross bike. How he had to use his weight to shift towards the high side and just listen to my commands for paddle strokes. Mable Canyon rapid isn't far downstream and he is more relaxed as we punch through a wave that almost tosses him out of the boat. But he listens well and locks his feet into the floor as I instructed and uses his paddle to help him balance and stay in. We catch an eddy below Marble to get some spacing in the group and discuss more technique for him to utilize.

Five rapids later with our clean line through Funnel Falls we're looking at Skull rapid. The biggest rapid here with the highest consequence. Below Skull lies the room of doom. If we swim or end up in the room of doom at these flows we'll have to hike out and across the top of a cliff face and re-enter the river 1/4 mile below. Not a fun endeavor with a 70lb raft and all the gear in it. I explain our line and tell him to be ready for my call as we wait.

All the water pushes you river right off of a left side debris fan. Along the river right side is a huge undercut wall that leads to a circular cutout that entails the room of doom. Skull rock is in the right side channel right above the room of doom. If you don't make your move left at the right time, your raft will go over Skull rock, flip in the ensuing hole and almost guarantee a room of doom landing. But you can't move left too early because of the rocks forming the debris fan and the strong current coming off of it.

I look for the smooth green water with a left heading angle as we enter along the right side wall. I boom; all forward and I can tell already that his stroke didn't have the might I wanted in it. I boom again, all forward -harder! We lose our downstream left angle and start to spin in the current because my strokes are overpowering him. I call for another forward paddle from him as I back paddle, trying to right our line as I'm looking at the recirculating hole of Skull rock just below us. I immediately call for forward again commanding MORE POWER, DON'T STOP! I can feel the raft being over taken by the current and allow it to spin us backwards. It's my only choice so, I call for back paddles and we just barely miss the Skull hole, sneaking by backwards in the corner of its frothy mouth. Heading backwards still, I know we aren't free of the rock of shock and it's efforts to have one last chance of putting us into the room. I right my upstream ferry angle and call for forward strokes again. We finally get in sync and the narrow miss is wider than it seemed. My adrenaline is running high and I can see the whole team in the left side eddy watching our not so great run. We paddle over to the eddy and everyone is pumped with stoke now below the big rapid. I look at Tommy and tell him, it ain't over yet bro, we still gotta get through Sock It To Me! He says he knew he wasn't paddling hard enough and that he kinda froze when he saw how big the waves over Skull rock were. As we pulled out of the eddy and back into the current I said in the calmest of voices, we made that one work but let's not fuck this one up.

We ran two more wave trains and the rafts got stacked up again in the slack water on top of Sock It To Me. I pulled into a right side eddy and gained a good perspective of the massive double wave that forms the hit in the rapid. I scouted my line as I watched a few of the bigger rafts go through the wave set. I was contemplating trying to skirt the left side of the hit but after our line in Skull I deemed it was too technical of a line to move around the wave. I watched all the rafts and kayaks go through, each one standing up and climbing the 10' tall wave. I looked at Tommy and told him how we were going to run it. I told him I needed him to match my power and we needed to be on the line and in sync. Hey diddle diddle here we come.

We dropped into the tongue and the green water quickly took us down and into the meat of the rapid. We took 3 big strokes gaining speed for the hit. I could see the bow of the little raft edging into the wave and I told Tommy to high side and move his weight onto the bow as I took one last stroke. For a brief moment I could feel the boat stall out, before I too moved my body to weight the bow and help push us through. We broke through the wave and the second wave was standing 10" above us. We quickly got back into paddle position and took another stroke on my forward command. The wave stood us up and we crested the top of it in glory then ran down the backside and through the tail waves. I could see the stoke on Tommy's face from the ride. I looked at him and said great line man, only Last Chance rapid is left.

When you stay in the current between the tail waves of Sock It To Me and Last Chance the rapid comes up super quick. There's three lines to choose from and each has their own problems so you have to make your choice quick. I chose the right side line that sneaks you right past a pour over and into a crashing wave. We ended up sneaking right through everything. It was the cleanest line we ran all day. We didn't even get splashed or wet. After Last Chance the canyon becomes calm again for a 6 mile float out to the takeout. We all celebrated with beers and cheers. The rafts ended up tying off together for a big flotilla and everyone hung out and celebrated for a few hours as we let the river take us home while we made chili cheese dogs and passed chips around.



At the takeout the group began splitting up into smaller teams to back up trucks and trailers and unload the rafts and get everything in the vehicles. Boat ramps at the takeout can be congested at times but we were the only group there. Within 45 minutes everything had been stacked and loaded and were we ready to end the river portion of the trip. Roughly half the group left and the other half went down a trail to camp on the rocks above the river for one last night. I chose to bail on Zach and went to camp with Kevin knowing he could give me a ride back to Zach's the next day. I loaded my raft and all my river gear into Zach's truck and kept my personal gear for camp that evening.

The skies lit up again that evening giving us a wonderful sunset and star show. We hung out and played music and drank until the tired ones fell off. I fell asleep on a flat rock listening to my friends retell stories of their own days lines and happenings. It was a deep and blissful slumber on a warm evening.



In the morning as we were driving out of the Cisco boat ramps access road Kevin hit something and we heard an odd slapping. I looked out of my rear passenger window and could see something stuck to his tire. After Kevin stopped we found a piece of a rubber that had been likely been screwed into the plywood of a trailer. It was now screwed into his tire. The tire wasn't leaking yet but soon would be if we pulled the screws out. 15 minutes later we were back on the road with a spare tire and headed back home. The rest of the drive home was uneventful. Kevin ended up dropping me off in Eagle at Zach's where he had already loaded all my gear into my truck. It was an easy exchange where I then said my goodbyes and gave hugs to everyone and got back in my own truck. I slept soundly again in my warm bed back in the high country that had a fresh blanket of snow for me in my driveway. Damn these desert trips sure do keep me going in the spring. Can't wait for the next one...

 

About to go suffer in this heat in a few days. At least I'll be able to swim in the river to cool off.

 

And away I go...

 

You should come run the San Juan’s with me some summer!

 

Would love to. In AZ or UT?

 

This is why I love Westwater canyon.