We just got back from running Westwater Canyon (which is west of Grand Junction right past the border into Utah) of the Colorado river and had a blast!!! This wasn't a trip where we took kids so we were able to let loose a little bit on how we ran the rapids. Good time were had by all.
Go here for my YouTube of the trip. Please understand that I'm not all that great at YouTube, but you'll get an idea of what the scenery looks like. What's so cool and unique about this canyon is the contrast between the red sandstone walls and the black Pre-Cambrian rock that you get into in the heart of the canyon. I hope you enjoy the video.
Here is a map of the canyon:
Here are some of the pics you'll see on YouTube. And below is a great example of how you don't want to run Skull Rapid at this level. Going left of the rock would have been a better idea. Not having kids in the boat allows for a little bit more excitement!
Above is a good view of Skull Rapid and the "Room of Doom" on river right. At this level (2500 CFS) you can easily enter into the Room of Doom and cruise around. At higher levels it can be difficult to exit due to the circular flows.
More pics of Westwater in the fall.
A storm that came along as we were in the canyon.
Holy smokes it moved in fast! Luckily I was able to dock my raft in a little cave along the bank where I could wait out the storm.
More scenes from the float and a nice campsite:
The river polished Pre-Cambrian Rock is truly a sight to behold.
Indeed there's nothing like life on the river!
It's going to be long off season. Let's hope for a lot of snow this year to fill our lakes, reservoirs and rivers!!! Time to strap on the boards for some skiing.
Best regards,
Bill Strong of Denver on Family Rafting
