05/08/01:
Got to Hite Crossing about 11:30 after starting out at 6:30am. Driving to Bullfrog Basin was mostly through open range after turning off UT 95. Continuing on UT 95 to Hite Crossing is entirely different. The whole way is through big, red, sandstone cliffs. Then you get a view of the Colorado River several hundred feet down. Great stuff.
05/09/01 Paddling Colorado River:
This morning was in the 70's, a bright sun shining, no wind and no current as I launched and turned north on Lake Powell. The Colorado River runs into Lake Powell a mile or two north of my campground. The sun, while not terribly hot yet, is still very strong. I worry about getting too much sun and tried to keep in the shadows of the cliffs but there seems to be very little shadow anywhere at any time of the day. My paddling gear is pajama like bottoms with long legs, a long sleeve, light weight dress shirt and a big old floppy straw hat. I don't use sun block because I don't think that would be a good thing, day after day after day. So I keep myself covered.
Huge, red, sandstone cliffs line Lake Powell at this point with more cliffs rising higher, a little distance beyond the lake front cliffs. I was surprised to see a few snowy egrets and 25-30 dark gray Ibises flew by too. I scared up a lone coot and a few ducks. I thought I heard the honking of Canadian Geese but didn't see any.
As I neared the confluence of the Colorado River, red, sandstone cliffs were replaced with beige, sandstone cliffs but in some places the red cliffs sat on top of the beige cliffs. 45 minutes brought me to the UT 95 bridge crossing the Colorado on the way to Hite Crossing entrance to Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. Beyond the bridge the river narrowed to 150 feet and the beige cliffs came right to the waters edge and became much steeper. I also noticed a 1 knot current that would vary between .5 and 1.5 knots as I proceeded.
What a great paddle, no boats and no noise except the sound of the paddle blades cutting through the water. Against the current I was only moving about 2.5 mph. The beige colored water was very silty with clouds of silt visible as it slowly swirled around.
I saw my only power boat of the day, slowly moving down stream. Then I got a rude awakening. Have you ever heard low flying fighter jets pass over a canyon 200 feet deep. Not a pleasant experience. After 6 miles I felt the wind freshening at my back. After a quick lunch I turned back and faced a 10-15 mph wind most of the way back. On the way I passed two touring kayaks heading up river for a few days. One had the required porta-potti strapped to the rear deck. Since what shore that does exist is all slickrock, there's no way to dig a cathole.
05/10/01 Paddling Dirty Devil River:
The Dirty Devil River flows into Lake Powell a short distance from where the Colorado River enters. The temperature was in the lower 70's and the sun was out in full force as I headed north on Lake Powell again. The entrance to the Dirty Devil is not obvious from the far shore (at least not to these tired, old eyes) so I paddled over to the north shore where I found it with no trouble.
As I turned into the Dirty Devil River a single engine plane buzzed me a couple of times from 250 feet or so. Probably tourists being shown some of the Utah wildlife.
Steep, red, sandstone cliffs rise up from the west shore. Low, lying beige, domelike rocks meet the east shore backed up by tall sandstone cliffs .25 miles beyond. 1.5 hours brought me to the UT 95 bridge that crosses the Dirty Devil. Beige cliffs rise sharply from the river on both sides to a height of 150 feet or so. The river is green and much cleaner than the Colorado River was yesterday.
Then, around a bend in the river I was greeted with tons of debris from shore to shore. It only extended 100 feet or so, so I plowed through it. On the other side, however, the water turned brown and the paddle blades churned up more silt and mud as I hit bottom. That was enough of that and I turned back. The Dirty Devil River was really dirty. In fact, I think that's how it got its name.
I had seen several egrets, a blue heron and a black and white member of the cormorant and anhinga family but disremember what they're called.
Paddling North Wash is almost directly across from the Hite Crossing boat ramp. Since it was barely noon when I got back from the Dirty Devil River I went exploring up the wash. Am I glad I did. North Wash only goes back about .75 miles but it is encircled by red, sandstone cliffs, pinnacles and other formations. Unfortunately two jet skis decided to follow me back in the wash and of course they had to roar up and down and circle around over and over again. Eventually they left and the peace and quiet settled in again. Other than them, I saw one fishing boat and two different, double kayaks, one couple I had met a day or two before.
05/11/01:
I didn't have a good night last night what with late comers coming in and driving back and forth past my campsite. Before even getting up I'd already my up my mind not to paddle today. Instead I would explore a couple of the back roads leading to nearby campsites. At least on the map, the upper part of Lake Powell I had planned to paddle was also accessible from the nearby Farley Canyon, White Canyon and Blue Notch Canyon camping areas, presuming they had launch facilities of some kind.
I drove down the three mile dirt road to Farley Canyon and found a large primitive camping area with a dirt boat ramp and many RV's and power boats. I passed on White Canyon, 1-2 miles down the road road and went looking for Blue Notch Canyon 4-5 miles further. I didn't see any signs but did see a few dirt roads in the general area. It would have been a 6-7 mile drive down a dirt road and I didn't want to waste time on the wrong road.
So I went back and turned into the White Canyon road which did have a sign saying No Boat Launch. I hoped that to mean no boat ramp which would mean no power boats which should mean no RV's and no generators. Well, this was one rough road but I continued along very slowly so as not to damage the tires or bang the bottom of the truck. It took 30 minutes to make the three mile drive. Then the road turned into two ruts 3-4 inches deep. I got out to check it out only to find dry silt which is much, much finer than the finest sand I'd ever seen. No way was I going any further. So another 30 minutes to get back out to UT 95 and I returned to Farley Canyon.
05/12/01 Paddling White Canyon:
A pleasant night in the 60's but the sun was out in full force as I launched from the Farley Canyon camping area. Paddling out of the canyon, I soon came across the 15 or so teens and younger that had left yesterday in a bunch of canoes and kayaks. They were camped less than a mile from the put in.
While Farley Canyon had a few cliffs rising to 30-40 feet, much of the next stretch was mostly 20 foot rolling hills type rock with the ever present red, sandstone bluffs rising several hundred feet in the background.
White Canyon was much more interesting. Strange rock formations came closer to the water and cliffs rose up close to 100 feet. I spotted numerous large carp swimming against the backdrop of beige ledges. Close to noon I was butt weary and stopped for lunch at the end of a small side canyon with towering walls.
Continuing to the end of White Canyon I passed a long curved wall that gave the impression of being in a basin. I saw the tent of one brave soul that had braved the silt filled ruts at the end of the White Canyon Road. Swirling winds came from every directions as I turned back. Finally they settled at my back and pushed me back to the take out for a change.
05/13/01:
Today was not a good day. The wind was howling last night and still blowing pretty good this morning. I had to be in Page, AZ soon so I drove down today. UT 95 continued to be beautiful as was UT 163. I stopped to go to the bathroom and found my stool to be black again. That's an indication of internal bleeding which means the bleeding ulcer is acting up.
I got to the Lone Rock Primitive Camping Area which is all beach on Lake Powell. And got stuck in the sand. And blew something in the ignition system so the truck wouldn't start. Late on a Sunday afternoon. Sh**!
05/14/01:
Got towed into Page, AZ by 11am after being pulled out of the sand by a 4X4. Both vehicles cost me $150. Sat in garage most of the rest of the day while mechanics scratched their heads over what the problem might be. They're leaning towards the computer being bad since they can't talk to it. Stayed over in a local motel.
Trying to fast because of blood in stool with only fair success. Cut out all medication.
05/15/01:
Testing indicates Crankshaft position sensor. Electrical impulse goes up sensor and back down again to computer. My sensor was burnt out so short circuit to computer.
After installing sensor computer still not working. Replaced computer. At 4pm truck starting but not running right. Stayed over at motel again.