Nate O Taylor

Food, Fishing, and Outdoor Adventures

So There Turned Out to Be Four

November 20, 2021 by n.taylor Leave a Comment

Early November along the Colorado Plateau isn’t supposed to be warm, at all. It is supposed to be cold, lacking sunlight, and the hospitality that the area provides in the spring and summer. It may have been good fortune, or the changing climate along the Colorado River and her tributaries but nonetheless, 65° and t-shirts in Lodore Canyon in November is pretty amazing. Because of this, 2021 was the year of not three, but four permits.

7 Participants in 6 Boats
Dutch Oven Breakfast
Hot Breakfast

No ranger to check us in and no one else on the river. We had the entire river to ourselves and every campsite at our disposal. The beach of Pot Creek had a temperature reading of 65 when we pulled into camp. With the sun setting behind the canyon by 4PM we made quick work of setup and made our way up behind camp to catch the last rays of sun before dinner.

  • Pot Creek 1
  • The Beach of Pot Creek 1
  • The Floorless Tipi
  • The Bereg Sputnik
  • First Evening on the River
  • Entering the Canyon of Lodore
  • Sunset at Pot Creek

On day two we spent our last night in the Canyon of Lodore. Running through Triplet and Hells Half Mile without incident we made home at Rippling Brook 2. As we pulled into camp the sun peeked through for five minutes and quickly retreated for the rest of the day. The storm clouds gathered and we spent most of the afternoon and evening hunkered under a tarp hiding from the rain.

  • Our First Rain Protection
  • Moving the Shelter
  • Hells Half Mile
  • Drop into Lucifer
  • Storm Coming

The race to Echo Park before 11 meant we were on the boats and moving by 8:30. Fearful of low flows coupled with the possibility of afternoon winds made for a brisk departure from camp. Our weather turned out to be incredible. We spent time at Steamboat Rock and near the confluence, watching the natural turbid flow of the Yampa combine with the clear dam released water of Flaming Gorge.

I’ve seen oil slicks at Jones before, I was told that fracking operations just outside Dinosaur increase the subterranean pressure throughout the monument. Regardless of if this is true, the slicks illustrate the obvious abundance of natural resources just beneath the surface.

  • Steamboat Rock
  • Panel at Steamboat Rock
  • Yampa Canyon from Steamboat Rock
  • Confluence of the Yampa and Green Rivers
  • Jones Creek
  • Oil Slick at Jones
  • Dads Fish

We had sun drenched mountains both up and downstream. Some epic ramen meticulously prepared with an accompaniment of exquisite inverted pineapple cake. To top it off we melted an aluminum fire pan with the last of our wood. Good evening was had by all. Jones 4 has an amazing beach and great landing zone. While it lacks the unique tree canopy of the upstream Jones camps it makes up for it with its ease of access.

  • Jones Upstream
  • Inverted Pineapple Cake
  • Melted Fire Pans
  • Bulk Ramen
  • Jones Downstream

For future reference, the right channel around Island Park is the only channel you can run. Ask me how I know…The Yampa provided over 500CFS for us that seemed to be the difference as we grazed over sandbars in Island and Rainbow Parks. With the lower water, I was able to finally find the hot spring in Split Mountain Canyon.

  • Split Mountain Hot Springs
  • Bison Petroglyph
  • Split Mountain Canyon
  • Split Mountain Ramp

The solitude of this trip made up for the colder weather and shorter days. With the right equipment, the elements are very manageable. I’ll be back for another one of these low season trips.

Filed Under: Fall Tagged With: Gates of Lodore, Green River, Multi Day, Overnight, Rafting

The Season of Three Permits: Trip 3, Gates of Lodore

September 15, 2021 by n.taylor Leave a Comment

The canyon of Lodore holds a special place in the pantheon of western multi-day trips. John Wesley Powell named it after a famous English poem, “The Cataract of Lodore” which eloquently describes the flow of water over a waterfall, but more importantly just sounds mysterious and cool.

Today, like most permitted rivers, your odds of every seeing this place aren’t great. If you get invited you go. The 4 Rivers Lottery is the only place that publishes all the stats for applications. So while this doesn’t represent Lodore, you get the idea. FYI there are 300 permits given between May 10 & September 10.

4 Rivers Lottery Statistics
May the Odds Be In Your Favor
Entrance in Dinosaur National Monument
Now Leaving Civilization

The tools of the day made many of the obstacles for Powell, recreation for us today. The major rapids of Lodore are far more manageable with consistent flows and rubber boats. The wooden 21 foot boats of Powell’s day coupled with the unknown dangers and flows of a wild river were terrifying to put it mildly.

We run down to the mouth of Yampa River. This has been
a chapter of disasters and toils, notwithstanding which the canon of Ladore
was not devoid of scenic interest, even beyond the power of pen to tell.
The roar of its waters was heard unceasingly from the hour we entered it
until we landed here. No quiet in all that time. But its walls and cliffs,
its peaks and crags, its amphitheaters and alcoves, tell a story of beauty and
grandeur that I hear yet-and shall hear.

J.W. Powell June 17, 1869
Gates of Lodore put in
The “Gates” of Lodore Canyon
Fog in Lodore Canyon
A Rainy Day in the Canyon

Rain persisted for twenty four hours. We traversed from Kolb to Wild Mountain through the storm. Taking time to scout Triplet Falls and Hell’s Half Mile before finding the sanctuary of a single tree at Wild Mountain that provided enough relief for our shrimp fajitas.

  • Wild Mountain Campsite Gates of Lodore
    Covered Kitchen
  • Triplet Falls Beach
    Triplet Falls Scout
  • Scout of Triplet Falls on Gates of Lodore
    Triplet Falls
  • Scout for Hells Half Mile on Gates of Lodore
    Scout for Hells Half Mile
  • Shrimp Fajitas on Cowboy Wok
    Shrimp Fajitas

We made our way through Echo Park and into Rainbow Park where we camped at The Cove. The mud pit that is The Cove wasn’t the greatest campsite I’ve stayed at, but when you’re on Lodore there aren’t bad ones either. We hiked, we rowed, we cooked, and we finished by sitting next to an old ammo can hooked up to a propane tank.

  • The Cove campsites Gates of Lodore
    Last Campsite
  • Last few miles of Lodore Canyon
    The Final Miles of Lodore
  • Pictographs at Jones Hole
    Jones Hole Pictographs
  • Jones Hole Pictographs 2nd Panel
    2nd Panel at Jones Hole
  • Steamboat Rock
    Steamboat Rock
  • Echo Park boat stop for water
    Navigating
  • Fire pit on Gates of Lodore
    Legal Fires…

Our trip included a living legend. Howie recently retired from a lifetime of guiding Grand Canyon adventures. By his own account he has 170+ trips and over six years of sleeping on his boat under the stars. A quiet man, he never offered an opinion unless asked. It took several days for him to finally reveal the breath of his experiences and knowledge, including trips down the canyon in 1983 with flows approaching 100k. On our last night he broke out his favorite scotch, Lagavulin.

  • Utah Colorado Border on US 40
    Back Home
  • Split Mountain Boat Ramp
    Split Mountain
  • Split Mountain section of the Green River in Utah
    Floating Through Split Mountain
  • Lagavulin & Howie
    The Grand Canyon Legend

I may be back this winter…

Filed Under: Fall Tagged With: Gates of Lodore, Green River, Multi Day, Overnight, Rafting

The Season of Three Permits: Trip 2, The Middle Fork

July 9, 2021 by n.taylor Leave a Comment

First off. Holy shit. This was the most incredible experience I’ve ever had, and I’m not sure it’s even close. If you are reading this and get to go on this trip then no matter what is happening in your life, go. It is just incredible.

I’m not going to write a lot about this trip, rather I’m going to post the pics as they tell most of the story. Words can’t really describe this place. The answers to the obvious questions are as follows:

What was the flow? 2ft @ Boundary
When did you launch? June 28
How many people?18
How was the weather? It was 100 everyday
What are the best campsites?Honestly, they’re all good
What would you do different? Uh, get new coolers, a permit, and run the main

Launch Stuff

Gotta get the boats in the water. The launch here is as intimidating as it is elegant. You slide that boat down the ramp and you know that you have 100 miles of whitewater in front of you to get back. Sleep well!

Maps of the Middle Fork
  • Boundary Creek Ramp
  • Launching Boats
  • We Ready?
  • Dropping Down the Hill
  • The June 28 Group…

Food

Delish. Not pictured were some other pretty extravagant offerings by the team. Most all our meals were based around using the wok or “discada.” While heavy, it cut down on all the other kitchen stuff and was really efficient.

  • Egg Sandwiches
  • Taco Tuesday
  • Tacos
  • Pulled Pork Sandwiches
  • Chicken & Veggie Stir Fry
  • Pancake…Egg…Bacon
  • Salmon Crepes
  • Carne Asada
  • Breakfast Tacos
  • Drinks
  • Carne Asada & Shrimp

Campsites

Fear not. Your campsites are not a worry. You will not only be happy, but impressed.

  • View from Above Wilson
  • Happy Hour Wilson Creek
  • Busy Boat Slips
  • Flying B
  • Wilson Creek
  • Relaxation
  • Hors d’oeuvres
  • Pungo Creek
  • Last Camp at Otter Bar
  • Whitey Cox Departure
  • 4th of July Party
  • Night at Sheep Creek
  • Downstream Sheep Creek
  • Ghosts of Whitie Cox

Sights & Springs

Hot springs everyday, scenery in every direction.

  • Scout Hot Springs
  • Upstream Look at Loon
  • Early Morning Soak View
  • View from Veil
  • Veil Falls
  • Mid-Day Hot Springs
  • Bath with a View
  • Pictographs
  • 104 Degrees
  • Moose
  • Hot Shower
  • Loon
  • Whitie Cox
  • Hidden Beneath an Overhang
  • Hike to a Hot Springs

Water & Other Awesomeness

Incredible amount of whitewater over 100 miles. You’ll be doing things the entire time, albeit at 2ft it was more technical than anything. There is a lifetime of exploration here, you can’t even begin to conquer all the hiking and scenery this place has to offer.

  • Scouting Pistol Rapid
    Pistol
  • Jumping into river on Middle Fork
    Laying Out
  • Exit of Pistol Rapid
    Bottom of Pistol
  • Tappan Falls Rapid
    Tappan Falls
  • Sign at Flying B Ranch
    The Flying B
  • Rapids below Flying B Ranch
    Working Towards Wilson Creek
  • Rapid Middle Fork Salmon
    Rapids Below Otter Bar
  • Upstream view from Main Salmon to Middle Fork
    End of the Middle Fork
  • Cramer Creek rapid Main Salmon
    Flip!
  • Take out at Cache Bar for Middle Fork
    Cache Bar

Filed Under: Summer Tagged With: Discada, Food, Hot Springs, Idaho, Middle Fork, Multi Day, Rafting

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