Sunday, June 22, 2008

San Rafael River

The San Rafael River finally got high enough to float last weekend so I drove up and met Dad, Tyler, and the Nielsons at the bridge across the river. We dropped off a truck and drove up to Fullers Bottom and launched the boats for a 18 mile relaxing float beneath the high walls of the "Little Grand Canyon". Last time I floated this section of river I think it was the year that Alina and I were married 14 years ago.

The convoluted landscape of the San Rafael holds so many memories for me almost every butte, mesa, and canyon reminds me of some past adventure. Climbing and sleeping on top of Mexican Mountain with my Dad, chasing wildhorses with friends and family every Thanksgiving (before I knew it was illegal), climbing Window Blind Butte in a snowstorm in February with Creed and Todd, swimming horses through the frozen river on a winter ride that turned out to be a little longer than planned, getting a first descent on Segers Hole Canyon, rappelling kayaks into the lower Black Box, and meeting Alina for the first time at Copper Globe. The San Rafael is where I fell in love with the Slickrock and my wife, it will always be home to me.

Floating beneath the Navajo Sandstone


Barrier Canyon Petroglyphs in Virgin Springs Canyon

5 comments:

Unknown said...

this pleases me greatly. once again, a great entry for your grand county almanac. thanks for letting us come this weekend!

McKell said...

Ahh... Your as sweet as Roger Hamley.

Gubba said...

I remember a time when you and I and my cousin Thayne nearly spent a night out on the swell away from camp. I sure am glad Thayne had his six shooter. If you recall; he was sure a Stallion was going to come into our fire and kill us. What memories!!

The pond is at the end of 1600 south in Mapleton agianst the mountain.

When we went to the grotto; it loked like we missed even higher water. The stream looked like it had been running quite a bit higher just a day or two before we were there.

wild murdocks said...

You are sweet.

But the slickrock came first....

Chris said...

Per our discussion on the river:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=asnVcbWQ2cg

http://youtube.com/watch?v=XFR-8NVjw-k