Southwest (AZ, NM, etc) class III-IV paddle trip mid-April...
 

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

In rec.boats.paddle wrote:

- 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).

The Rio Chama is class II+ and would not be boring. Less desert-like
than the Salt and not as dangerous.

Sounds like you don't have your own boat, but the upper Gila sounds good
although I don't know anybody who has done it.

The Yampa is beautiful although it has a lot of fla****er. The Green
(Gates of Lodore) has more consistent whitewater. Both runs contain
one rapid rated class 4.

- Outfitters/guides?

Sorry, no idea.

In article , Bill Tuthill wrote:

In rec.boats.paddle wrote:

- 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).

The Rio Chama is class II+ and would not be boring. Less desert-like
than the Salt and not as dangerous.

Sounds like you don't have your own boat, but the upper Gila sounds good
although I don't know anybody who has done it.

The Yampa is beautiful although it has a lot of fla****er. The Green
(Gates of Lodore) has more consistent whitewater. Both runs contain
one rapid rated class 4.

- Outfitters/guides?

Sorry, no idea.


If you have your own equipment, you've already missed the window to
apply for permits (end of January), but if you're going to hire a
commercial outfit, I recommend Adventure Bound, Inc.
(http://www.raft-colorado.com/). I teach school, but guide for them in
the summers and they're a good outfit. They'll do the Yampa and Green
(Gates of Lodore) up in Dinosaur Nat'l. Monument, the Green River
through Desolation and Gray Canyons, a short 1 or 2-day trip through
Wes****er Canyon near Grand Junction here, and Cataract Canyon in
Canyonlands near Moab. Check their website for descriptions of the
rivers and canyons; I think they'll take you where you're wanting,
though I'm not too sure about your mid-April time.

There are several companies that do a nice job out here (Western
Colorado / Eastern Utah), that you can find on the web. Good luck &
give a holler if I can help some more.