Cracking the Tavaputs.

20 minutes of flying, 5 hours of hiking, and 2.5 days of floating.

https://vimeo.com/97942644

Words and stills here:

Cheers,

MC

A couple details…

Current river regulations stipulate a required boat check-in at Sand Wash. If you are nice, the BLM may let you coordinate a special check-in at their Price office. This seemed to go pretty well for us, so be polite and hopefully they will add this as a standard option for future packrafters.

In order to get the “cheap” $145/person flight in with gear from RedTail Aviation, you’ll need 4 people to fill the 6 person plane. They only fly in at 9AM due to strong winds at Sage Brush Flat/ Peter’s Point. So either do the check-in at 8AM in Price and fly in from Price at 9AM or do the check-in the prior day, drive down to Green River, and fly in from Green River. I’d recommend the latter, a more scenic flight.

It might be possible to drive all the way to Sage Brush Flat via Nine Mile and Cottonwood canyons (http://octopup.org/utah2005/horsebench ). Lots of gates, hard to tell which are locked. Let us know if you can!

The only non standard gear I’d recommend are some gaiters to avoid the cheatgrass sock ticklers.

The hike down from the airstrip is pretty straight forward, went from 39.730405,-110.123323 to 39.723521,-110.120597 then down canyon. Jack Creek Rd no longer exists. It’s been eaten by the desert :slight_smile:

Some more pics: https://plus.google.com/photos/111486868647455836782/albums/6023680254973032721

Sweet trip!

No need for the flight. Can drive all but the last 7miles on a newly paved road (Nine Mile Canyon-> Cottonwood Canyon-> Cottonwood Ridge Rd-> Sagebrush Flat-> Jack Creek Rd), thanks to Barrett Oil Co. 53miles, 1.25hrs from the rt 6 turnoff.

Looking at doing this trip next week. Does anyone have information on springs/water to be found enroute?

The best spring water is in the north fork of Firewater canyon by the old moonshiner’s cabin. Head up the left fork following the trail, 1/4 mile. On topos, this is not the main canyon but a short one just north and upstream of the rapids across from Nutters Rock. Next is Rock Creek, although this needs to be treated. Then behind the defunct Ute lodge by the old McPherson ranch just upstream from Florence Creek, another good spring coming out of a pipe. Lastly there’s Range Creek but this is a bit slow and not the best.

Good luck and enjoy!