This was my 2nd time down Deso, but 1st time with high water. My last trip was in late July at 2k cfs.
The Green was flowing about 15,500cfs on launch day. We were a mixed age group 15-60 from CO, TX, MT, and IL with rafts, cats, IK’s and a SOAR canoe.
6/15: Cloudy and overcast. Arrive at Sand Wash @4:30pm to find the ramp a muddy mess with another parties rigged boats occupying the only reasonable launch location. We move to the lower launch. Mosquitos are biblical and we put on bug suits and 100% DEET. 2hrs later most boats are rigged and sitting in the river. Ranger indicates there’s 5 parties launching tomorrow. Dinner is a Dutch oven made treat of 2 giant pork loins, gnocchi and some amazing sauce. We eat in our screen room and then have a brief fire as the bugs leave at dark.
6/16 Overcast day. Up to watch the sunrise and get the boats finally packed. Skeeters rise early today as well We finally get off the beach at 9:30 and are the last group to leave. Row 1 mile downstream and fire up my 3.5hp Tohatsu and get barged up in a power diamond pattern with the SOAR opting to get a workout. After 10 min the motor coughs and sputters and proceeds to flood. (I had tested it for 2 hrs at home on a lake before the trip with no issues). This becomes the theme for the day….drain fuel bowl, pull many times, get it going and then make it about 30 min before I need to refuel. Something is wrong with the motor. Too much fuel. Mosquitos were attacking mid-river all day long even while the motor was running!
We have a floating lunch and eventually I have gone through 3gal of fuel and we’re not even to Rock House canyon. We un-barge and start rowing. We haven’t passed any parties yet. We’re spread out all over the river and when the camps at mile 76 come up, we’re too spread out to even consider checking them out (They looked super buggy FWIW). We eventually get to Jack Creek (our goal for the day) and all the camps are taken. Not to worry…we can get Mushroom…..Nope! It’s full too. I’m kinda bummed we’ll miss the petroglyphs, but I’m getting tired and want a camp. Upper Cedar Ridge is the next goal, surely no one has taken it…that’s 30 miles in on day one. Alas, as we round the bend we find it occupied as well. We finally land at Lower Cedar 1 and proclaim it the best campsite on the Green, because no one is there! Tents are set up, screen room put up, fire is made, and cocktails are out. Chicago Italian Beef sandwiches straight from the windy city are a fine meal. The mosquitos are noticeably less biblical. That evening we decide to layover on night 1 of a 6 night float. 31 miles made today.
6/17 Sunny layover day, but awakened by a lone male jake turkey telling us good morning. He’s promptly given the name Lester the Lonely Turkey. Sometime mid-day the ranger and a volunteer sneak up on our group (why do Rangers always do that?) from Upper Cedar Ridge and inquire about Lester’s behavior. Apparently there were reports he’s aggressive. We found him to be anything but aggressive. He just hung around camp and yelped a lot. An afternoon hike up the wash was a treat for 3.5 miles and had Lester the Lonely Turkey following us the whole way. Dinner that evening was BBQ pork from a trip mate’s hog his kids raised last year. The 4 teens stayed up chatting late into the night and didn’t even raid the beer coolers! Plans were made to get to 3 Canyons for camp the next night’s camp. If you have photos of Lester send them my way, he’s now getting famous on Instagram 0 miles made today
6/18 Sunny with PM winds. We were off the beach by 9am and headed downstream making miles easily until about 11. We stopped at the Flat Canyon petroglyphs for some photos and then had a lunch stop at Rock Creek Ranch. We’d heard of the new Steer Ridge Rock, but it must have been still covered, because we didn’t even see it. Right about 11:30 the ‘W’ started blowing 30mph upstream and stayed that way until with hit lower 3 Canyon. ‘W’ blew most of the evening and kept the skeeters away Dinner was a spicy chicken stir fry. A fun game of Mafia around the lanterns kept us on our toes. Next day’s plans were up in the air as the W was forecast to continue and possibly increase. 16 miles made today.
6/19 Sunny and heavy winds. After some waffling I decided it would be prudent to try and make some miles today. The plan was to just let the river current move us along even with the ‘W’ with only occasional correction strokes….no need for real rowing today. Well…mother nature had other plans and we had a full workout day of back rowing (thank god I have two teens). We scouted Joe Hutch, mainly so the newbies and IKers could find their line. I took left center tongue, our Cat guy hit the meat in his 18er, and IK’s hung right side. Made it to a lovely camp at Upper Wire Fence 2. We found a HUGE black widow the size of a quarter on the path to the groover. It was decided we’d have a 2nd layover the next day as the miles were easy(ish) to make with the higher water level. Dinner was spaghetti and somehow I gout stuck on dish duty 13 miles made today.
6/20 Sunny and no wind. The day was spent crushing beers and telling lies. We scouted Wire Fence and 3 fords just to keep the physical activity level up. Tons of catfish were caught in the eddy. Frogs and lizards were no match for the teen working on a wildlife biology degree. Mid-afternoon naps and river showers left us feeling refreshed. Walking tacos for dinner with 2x strength Palomas. The plan for tomorrow was Nefertiti as it has multiple camp spots and no need to use the groover 0 miles made today
6/21 Sunny and no wind. Off the beach by 8:30. Hit Nefertiti beach at noon. lunch was made, teens swam the rapid and adults practiced their throwbag skills. We decided that it’d be shame to get to Swayseys with any beer left, so yeah, we worked hard on the beach that day. A final game or 2 of Mafia around the fire and it was time for bed. 17 miles made today
6/22 Sunny no wind. Off the beach by 9 and hit Swayseys at 11. 1hr to unpack and then time for a Ray’s burger.
8miles made today
Great trip with 2 layover days! I won’t be going again on the dropping hydrograph. I’ll either go earlier or late summer to avoid the bugs and W.
Wack