Thanks! I don't remember why the pack size... they didn't seem so big at the time. I think maybe we were just prepared for cold weather. It really is a beautiful place!
@grassstrippilot Hi! Brother-in-Law Rich and I went from Mar. 24-28, 2021. The flow rate was around 120cfs at the start and dipped a little throughout, but stayed in the 105-120cfs range. My inflatable kayak didn't do so well and, being fairly heavily loaded with water, I had to drag it quite a bit. Rich did much better in his 16' canoe and was dragging about much less than me. I would do it again, but probably not with an inflatable unless the flow rate was higher.
Great! Thanks. We are prepping for trip in a couple of weeks. Hopefully the flows stay up. We are planning on flying into the Dirty Devil airstrip, float to the mouth of Happy Canyon, then hike to the Happy Canyon airstrip.
Thanks, YeshuaT-bm6ss! The song used throughout this video is "God You're So Good" by Passion, featuring Kristian Stanfill (ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-7IIZIPtQuW8.html)
From Cindy: "Thanks, Mike!" From Dave: "Cindy set the bar, hiking to bottom 1 year after having both knees replaced. I too had a TKR 3-1/2 months ago and am now also eyeing another trip to the bottom next year. Hope your TKR comeback is successful too!"
Camped there many times as a teen. My grandparents lived in Brandon right on Mill Creek and I spent about 11 summers there and fished all of Mill Creek from the Ruby river to the Branham Lakes.
Thanks! We launched in the Fireman's Cove area on the west side, north entrance. It was noticeably less crowded than the shorelines at the south entrance. maps.app.goo.gl/J67fodUXseLSdGYn9
@@dirtroadtoanywhere3105flow was good for us, not extreme, but higher than normal so not a lot of work involved. We averaged about 4 hours per day on the river. Lorenzo at Tex's predicted that flow rates would increase towards the end of May due to snowmelt.
Thinking about running (2 people in a canoe) the dirty devil in early April. With all the snow this year do think that's a good idea or would we be hitting bottom pulling the canoe for miles? Thanks Aaron
I've only done it once, so I'm no expert but... with all the snow, it seems like you would have a good shot at it. When we went, flow rate was around 120 CFS and we dragged quite a bit. Much less so in Rich:s canoe versus my inflatable kayak, which apparently sat lower in the water. Probably something greater than 120 CFS would be better for you with two people per canoe. Just watch the flow levels and decide when it's time.
@@AaronRashaw We did do our own shuttle in a Jeep Grand Cherokee and a 4Runner. I don't remember using 4WD, but high clearance would be needed. The road wasn't as bad as I was expecting, but could vary each year depending upon rainfall. There were a few deep puddles to go through, but again... only needing high clearance and not 4WD.
Great video! My dad and I completed the same float in March of 2020. Glad to see that more people are out there exploring this little-known corner of the world.
Hi Dave. Yes, you would need an advance permit from Grand Canyon NP. There is a ranger station nearby and it is likely that a ranger would check to make sure that you have a permit. Only 2 of 9 campsites were taken when we were there (on a weekday), so permits may be pretty easy to get. The use area to request is called TCG (Tuweep Camp Ground). Good luck. www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/backcountry-permit.htm
Thanks, Nancy! We ended the trip at Poison Springs Road. CFS was 100-120 and kinda marginal in my inflatable kayak. I spent a lot of time dragging the thing. Brother-in-law Rich did much better in his canoe. I was out of the boat 5x more than he was.
Hi Mike. Seems that there isn't much on the web in the way of descriptions about the Cattle Route. I seem to remember that in 2011, we used the description in the first link below to find the beginning of the route. At that time, we also had a map of the route from someone's GPS track, but darned if I can find it now (sorry). The closest thing I could find would be to use Harvey's map, which isn't high resolution but may be sufficient. There isn't a trail in most places, so you just kinda wing it as you go. www.sixtymile.xyz/GCRoutes/GCCattleTrail.html archive.library.nau.edu/digital/collection/cpa/id/66649
great video , you guys looked like you had alot of fun together. I spent a week upthere with my dad who passed away in 96 and brother from 1979 to 85 it is just like I remember. I have been showing my wife and kids and am planing my return to mystic lake and the grasshopper glacier also I loved the music and seeing the old backpack
+kirk garside Thank you, Kirk! It was a fun trip and my first and only to that area. Living in Phoenix, I am a big fan of desert and canyon; however, Montana is awesome! Can't wait to go back. That old Jansport backpack that Walt is toting is about 30 years old, he says.
Hi Jason, it wasn't much of a problem doing this trip in 3 days. We didn't even get on the trail until about 3pm on the first day due to a freeway closure north of Phoenix. It took us 3 hours to get to our first night's camp at Hanging Gardens. We were moving all day on Days 2 and 3, but not at a particularly fast pace (8 to 12 hours each day). The 3rd day was about 3 hours longer than it needed to be because we didn't do our research and missed the exit point for Trail 17 to Bald Hill (the "normal" exit point would be Bull Pen Ranch but it was closed that year). Our first campsite Hanging Gardens was the best along the route. The waterfall area would also be very good, although we didn't stay there. I didn't mark any waypoints at all for other possible camping areas, since I wasn't really looking until late in the day. There didn't seem to be too many obvious spots in the first 10 miles or so, but a review of my pictures indicate that some may have existed. Here are the few waypoints that I have: N34° 33.661' W111° 31.206' Hanging Gardens N34° 34.018' W111° 34.745' 2nd night camp (acceptable, but not great) N34° 33.874' W111° 35.525' Waterfall area N34° 33.368' W111° 37.148' Trail 17 exit point that we missed (good camping here) Regarding the roads: FR 142, 142A, 142J from highway 260 into the White Box area is rough and slow-going with many bowling-ball sized rocks. Doug's stock Ford Ranger 4WD pickup hit bottom heavily several times on the way in, causing him great consternation. My stock 1997 4Runner had no problems at all. This 8 mile section takes about an 1:20 hours each way. There may (or may not) be easier ways in upstream that would add to the hiking distance.
