05/03/02 Paddling Lake Powell (Hite Marina):
Arrived in Hite yesterday and found a camp site just east of the Colorado River Bridge and less than a mile from the Hite Marina entrance. This morning in the 60's, bright sunshine and little wind. Little wind and little water. The 4 year drought in Utah has taken its toll on Lake Powell and it is way down. Crossing the Dirty Devil River bridge yesterday I was shocked to see there was no water at all in it.
Launching the sea kayak from the Hite Marina I was confronted with towering, red, sandstone walls rising 200 feet or more across the lake from the boat ramp. Farther back, more walls rise up 100's of feet more.
I turned south figuring when the wind picked up it would be from the south and west and I could ride it back to the take out. Once past the marina it was nothing but those big red walls the entire way. I poked around in several small coves and bays, bypassing North Wash and saving it for another day.
I paddled all the way down to Farley Canyon. A 5-10 mph wind had come up and since I'd paddled out far enough for the first paddle trip in a while, I turned back. Just as well too... I was getting a small ache in my back.
The wind increased somewhat on the way back and a tiny bit of chop started building. Boat traffic was picking up too. On the way out of the marina I passed a whole bunch of boats on trailers on their way in for the weekend. I dunno if I'll paddle or hike tomorrow. Don't need wall to all boats.
05/04/02 Paddling Colorado River:
60's at 8am with no wind. Turned north from Hite Marina to the Colorado River. Lots of sucker fish gulping up surface air, courting, mating or whatever. Not likely you would bathe in or try to drink the water flowing out of the Colorado River into Lake Powell. Thick, swirling silt... like paddling in thin pea soup.
Grasses growing in dried mud banks that weren't there last October. Seems like the river is down 10 feet or so from last year. As I approached the UT-95 bridge spanning the Colorado River I began to notice the 1+knot current I was paddling against. Not much traffic on the bridge on this Saturday morning. 1 hour to the bridge.
Beyond the bridge beige, sandstone walls reach up 100+ feet. Saw a couple of blue herons. Thought I saw a couple of hawks, then I thought they were crows. Turns out they were red headed turkey buzzards or vultures or whatever.
Current became stronger. GPS said I was only paddling 2.2mph. Since I normally paddle at about 3.4mph I thought I was paddling against a 1.2knot current. After another hour my shoulder joints started feeling achy so I turned back.
I drifted most of the way back to the bridge. The GPS said I was drifting between 2.0 and 2.2mph. Nearing the bridge again I found a steady 5mph wind waiting for me. If its not the current its the wind.
Didn't see another boat the entire way. Close to 100 boat trailers at the boat ramp when I left. They must have all headed south on Lake Powell. Cool!
05/04/02 Paddling Dirty Devil River:
60's again this morning, no wind. Bright sun had me reaching for a bandana to use for a face shield. Turned north to the Dirty Devil River from Hite Marina. I saw only a tiny little channel when I crossed the UT-95 bridge over the Dirty Devil so I wasn't expecting a long trip today.
1 hour of leisurely paddling brought me to the mouth of the Dirty Devil, just down river from the Colorado River bridge. I found a cutoff that allowed me to paddle a short ways through narrow canyons. Good stuff but too short.
The Dirty Devil River is not as dirty as the Colorado River, at least not now, maybe because of the current or lack there of. Blue herons and black and white cormorants were back there chowing down on something.
I didn't get much farther than 1/2 mile before the river was filled with debris. Having paddled through it last time, I knew the river would give out beyond it.
On the way back I ran into some stiff 10-15mph winds. I had been planning on paddling the North Wash Bay but gave up on that idea.
Hiking Hog Springs Hog Canyon Trail (2 miles round trip):
Picked up this short trail at the Hog Springs Rest Area. It follows into Hog Canyon along a little trickle of water that got my feet wet several times during crossings. Big, red, sandstone walls rise up 300 feet or so along the way.
An easy, sandy hike brings you to Hog Spring. This is a little trickle dropping 10 feet or so into a fairly large pool under a couple of overhangs. Moss appears on some of the rock and small ferns hang on here and there. Small cottonwood saplings stand in the water making me wonder if the water levels aren't up??
05/06/02 Butler Canyon Trail (7.2 miles round trip):
Camped at the trailhead last night. Right next to UT-95 but not much traffic after 9pm. Didn't take long to get on the trail this morning. 60's and bright sunshine. 5-10mph wind.
I think I hiked into Butler Canyon. Trail Guide says Butler, Stair and Marinus Canyons come together at the trailhead but I saw only one so that's the one I chose.
1.2 miles up a sandy wash I came to a pour off and a nice little pool as described for the Butler Canyon Trail. Then I plunged into a thick growth of willows and struggled through them, cattails and other 6 foot high grasses. Canyon walls are red sandstone, sometimes sheer, sometimes more tallus and ledges.
Half the trail is sand and half slick rock. No wildlife except the gecko lizards. The trail is only supposed to be 3.6 miles long. After 2 hours of averaging 2.5-3.0mph I still hadn't seen the amphitheater that was supposed to end the trail so I turned back.