Anyone in southern AZ?

I am in Tucson. I want to float the Salt or the Gila. Just looking for others in AZ to raft with.

We live in Gold Canyon about 45 minutes east of downtown Phoenix. We have been down the Lower Salt several times this winter. It has been running high and fast at 7000cfs but I see it’s now down to 1500. Looking to get down the Verde also. Have not been on the Gila.

Are there some truly remote/ roadless segments of the Gila River out near Silver City, NM? I would be game for a segment of the Gila that requires a walk in or a walk out. Taking a packraft on a road to road/ bridge to bridge run seem pointless to me. That is what inflatable kayaks (IKs) or small rafts like an Aire Puma are for.

I have not looked in detail at the maps and do not yet know desert river flows since I am just this spring moving from Alaska to Grand Junction, CO. (GJCO).

Hello Everyone!
I’m looking for a packrafting buddy to do as much as possible in the time I have off. I’m planning on actively packrafting from Late February all the way through mid to Late April. I know it’s early season but my next job starts around then. I am between jobs at the moment and have a lot of flexibility in my schedule. I’m seriously down to do anything in the Colorado Plateau, Mogollon Rim and Wasatch Areas. I have a lot of Whitewater experience but also enjoy mellow water as well. The wilder and remoter the scenery the better! I don’t have any specific rivers planned except the Black River in AZ Mid March and the Virgin River (whenever) and Muddy Creek in June. Although its been a marginal season I would love to run the Little Colorado Gorge and the Paria (if miracle flows occur). But again I’m down to do anything.
If anyone is remotely interested, please contact me. I have a 4WD and am really easy to get along with. I also enjoy longs walks on the beach. (I feel like I’m filling out a Match.com profile…)

Greg O’Toole
glo7@nau.edu

Hello Everyone!
I’m looking for a packrafting buddy to do as much as possible in the time I have off. I’m planning on actively packrafting from Late February all the way through mid to Late April. I know it’s early season but my next job starts around then. I am between jobs at the moment and have a lot of flexibility in my schedule. I’m seriously down to do anything in the Colorado Plateau, Mogollon Rim and Wasatch Areas. I have a lot of Whitewater experience but also enjoy mellow water as well. The wilder and remoter the scenery the better! I don’t have any specific rivers planned except the Black River in AZ Mid March and the Virgin River (whenever) and Muddy Creek in June. Although its been a marginal season I would love to run the Little Colorado Gorge and the Paria (if miracle flows occur). But again I’m down to do anything.
If anyone is remotely interested, please contact me. I have a 4WD and am really easy to get along with. I also enjoy longs walks on the beach. (I feel like I’m filling out a Match.com profile…)

Greg O’Toole
glo7@nau.edu

Hi - I am moving from Colorado (Denver)to Scottsdale sometime over the next month or two. I plan on doing as much paddling as I can when I get out there. For starters, I have a permit for the upper Salt with a put in date of April 20th. I am sure the flows will be down, but for our boats I think we’ll be fine. There are already five confirmed packrafters on my permit. Let me know if you are interested.

  • Micah

(Micahruth2003@Yahoo.com)

Seriously! That’s epically awesome! You know I put in 10 permit applications and got zilch, and then I put another 5 permits in after cancellations had been announced with the same result. I don’t know if you realize how lucky you are. I do not recall how many persons constitute the permit limit? (20?) My buddy and I are doing the upper Black River mid March and hoping the water levels are enjoyable. Although the precip for the year has been unimpressive and frankly disappointing I’m sure there will be “sufficient” flows to navigate the Salt. I would love to join you (with my other buddy as well). There is a chance I will have a job by then in AK and may have to cut my packrafting season short. When do you want/need to know by? I’ll pass along that info to my buddy, but only if that’s OK with you. He’s super cool.

I’m currently living in SoCal but am planning on heading out to the Vegas/Mesquite/St. George area late February with friends. I’ve got a few other potential people I’ll be joining while there (i haven’t met them yet). You are more than welcome to join, but there may not be anything flowing sufficiently at that time and I may opt to mountain bike instead.
What is your gear status? If the trip does pan out, I have several extra new boats with spray decks and also some gear that I can lend to others provided they are considerate and don’t beat it up.

Please let me know your plans as they develop and figure it out and hopefully we’ll make something happen. Feel free to call me whenever if that’s easier.

Greg O’Toole
(714) 655-1462