Salt! We kayaked it, unsupported, in 1990 at about 300fps, had to
portage several class 4s. We didn't want to be upside down, in loaded
boats, in the narly stuff. We ran Quartzite, because at that water
level the portage was impossible.
Dan

On 14 Mar 2005 11:17:42 -0800, wrote:

I'm wanting to take my 12-year-old on a 3-4 day paddle trip during
spring break, mid-April - preferably somewhere in AZ, NM, or the
environs. I've guided class III-IV trips up here in WA/ID, but I've no
experience with anything down there.

- Any suggestions for rivers? Ideally I'd like a class III+ so her
first trip isn't too harrowing but not boring either. Big extra points
for cool canyon scenery and the opportunity to take short hikes from
camp. The Salt's been suggested as a good fit for this (and it sounds
like it's running really nice this year). Any others I should think
about?

- Outfitters/guides? I've talked to "Mild to Wild" out of Durango CO
and Blue Sky out of Globe AZ. Both sound reasonably on the ball.
Comments on them or any other suggestions welcomed.

Thanks! I look forward to running through something other than
evergreen tree-lined Northwest rivers.

-Jon
thatseattleguy at.sign hotmail dot com

Right now, though, it's running at 2000cfps, which of course is way
bigger but also sounds like it's less technical than your level - I
hear some of the gnarlier stuff gets washed out pretty well at higher
water. But of course you have the firsthand experience and I'm 1500
miles away...