Adv Club - Cataract Canyon
96 river miles down the Colorado River through Utah in late spring should be a "big water" trip with flows averaging between 20,000 cfs and 40,000 cfs (cubic feet per second ... a measurement of the volume and speed of water ... IE: how spicy the river is!)
This year was different, with a low snow year in the Rockies and a growing water crisis down stream, the flows were a fraction of the annual average at 7000 to 9000 cfs. Traveling inside Canyonlands National Park nearly the entire trip the group was forced to use a motor to navigate the miles of flatwater portions and make the best use of limited time.
The highly anticipated Cataract Canyon section was fully, and intentionally, under full human power. After paddled the first 11 miles in a packraft, including a few swims, Wes was exhausted and chose to spend the final few miles on one of the 3 rafts in our group shooting photos as we rowed through big waves and deep canyons!
This year was different, with a low snow year in the Rockies and a growing water crisis down stream, the flows were a fraction of the annual average at 7000 to 9000 cfs. Traveling inside Canyonlands National Park nearly the entire trip the group was forced to use a motor to navigate the miles of flatwater portions and make the best use of limited time.
The highly anticipated Cataract Canyon section was fully, and intentionally, under full human power. After paddled the first 11 miles in a packraft, including a few swims, Wes was exhausted and chose to spend the final few miles on one of the 3 rafts in our group shooting photos as we rowed through big waves and deep canyons!
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Stats and Snippets
- 5 Days, 4 nights
- 96 Miles along the world famous Colorado River (upriver of the Grand Canyon)
- Put In: Moab, UT (Near the Southern terminus of Arches National Park)
- Take Out: Lake Powell, UT (Near the Southern terminus of Canyonlands National Park)
- Cataract Canyon section = 14miles and 30+ whitewater rapids
- Paddlecraft of choice = Kokopelli Rodeo
- Pounds of sand in gear = Still discovering the final tally
