Stand Up Paddleboarding the Entire Verde River of Arizona - Episode 1 

@andyfields3248 interesting to hear that history and sad to say the least how depleted it is today. I figured that upper bit had to be run at some point even if during a flash as Tyler and Co did so so much, but again cool to know... I just wanted to do a full continuous descent on SUP which was extremely challenging solo as for safety couldn't leash up, and many other logistical complexity... the original plan was to start as always at Morgan so the timing on nabbing that upper bit when I had planned to run all way to phx was an incredible bonus given the fact as you know that nowadays is typically dry. Good stuff getting this history included in here though, thanks for providing that.

@andyfields3248 question for history sake, I'm trying to picture this as more I think about it more amazing it is.... so before 1966 it started not at Sullivan but down towards prescott at 69, to the south? How many miles if so did it flow before what was the Morgan ranch? When your brother did it in 70s was there enough baseflow to cruise from down by prescott towards Morgan ranch area and or did water still need a flood situation etc? I'm attempting to picture it back then and if it was runnable from down by prescott that's incredible... driving to the put in at Sullivan the waters were flooded all to the south of Sullivan lake and I was wondering if they served as source at all but now, 2023... it seemed to all be coming from Sullivan. Again really cool to know this thanks for the info

I'm sorry highway 89 not 69. I'll include pin drop of the area of the spring. It was a big marsh of huge cattail until the spring died. 34.882683,-112.483145 My brother and I had homemade plywood fiberglass boats made from magazine plans that we used on aria lakes. Sullivan was about half as large as Willow Lake at the time and closest to home. So we spent a lot of time there. My brother went from Sullivan to where we used to call "Pipeline" which is upstream of Perkinsvill bridge.

@andyfields3248 that's super cool especially the homemade boats. Very cool info... excellent on the pin as well I appreciate it. One last question if you get time... I'm assuming no dam was there at Sullivan at all? Was it a portage at all or at higher flows could your brother just paddle directly through? Cheers

@TheCenterfocus The dam was built in the 1930s with FDR's New Deal money. I vaguely remember a marker to the south of the dam near where large tree used to stand, but it's been a minute (or 40+ years) since I was at the dam. Below the dam was normally low flow or even dry. He went during a wet spell but not a flooding. As I understand he had to pull his boat over rocks quite a bit at first. We also used to tube the Chino Valley irrigation ditch from Prescott Airport to our farm in Chino every summer. There is a spot about halfway that is like a log flume we called Slide Gulch.

@nodescriptionavailable3842 that's awesome I'm really glad you can watch this to see what to expect especially for safety etc. I need to get another episode done but be sure to watch the beasley flat to fossil creek sections (not yet made) as those are the prime whitewater bit and the crux in that respect of the journey. If going in low flows as I've also done you will face other issues. This video gives more of an idea of a higher water run especially the upper bits, although on this trip, and due to stalling to allow the dams to come down, I did have flows on normal sides once into the mazatal.... I've used youtube for so many river trips to get an idea what to expect so that's awesome it's being reciprocated community style. If you have any specific questions on the trip and felt you wanted any advice or input just let me know. Thanks for watching!

Cheers for watching! Over so many years I've used youtube to scout rivers before I go and so much of Verde River people have not seen. Even many paddling friends haven't seen many sections so I figured ok im going to finally get a proper video of the entire river... I'm working on Morgan ranch to perkinsville now and will keep pushing them out until the end in Phoenix.

@@alanhelton haha 😄 definetly true....

@Dont_tell_mom thanks! I documented the entire trip, and will get it up on youtube all the way to the Salt. Unfortunately in the only section another joined me (perkinsville to tuzigoot) my buddy flipped losing a second gopro that had additional footage from up by Morgan ranch which was a bit of a bummer, but outside of that I got footage all the way and a couple of tripod shots. It's taking me time to edit this as you know the efforts on that but I hope to start getting more of the trip up soon. Thanks for checking it out!

@DouglasGreen562 that's awesome I know exactly that us mines area and that section your talking about. I ran into the rancher at Morgan Ranch in wilderness on horseback in 2020 going thru there and according to him he sees very few folks go thru that bit. I'm excited viewers of all sorts seem to be watching this but I've got to say it's really extra cool that you understand what you do having been thru there as your spot on regards to strainers and you can imagine 1000cfs pumping in thru there... there are a limited amount of times I'm willing to put myself in that sort of risk, I felt it had to be treated mentally like free solo climbing with an understanding of full commitment. I really did have a great team supporting me, sat comms, beacon etc etc and a good self rescue plan. I stacked all I could safety wise together as well as my 20yr plus local knowledge and support and felt I could with a tiny gamble be safe and mostly it was. I appreciate your take on it though because I guess we all get these tiny moments on earth that may mean not much to others, but to me this was one of the most hardcore missions I knew I would do in my life and it was indeed pretty legit on all fronts as per adventure. Thanks for checking it out.

@mattacedo no first wildlife I came upon were some javelina and beaver and river otter all down below Perkinsville. Obviously a place I'm sure a lot of elk are, but never came upon any on this section of the trip.