Table of Contents
June 14 General Meeting Minutes
Trip Reports
Cecilia Gill: Labor Day on the Sabine River
by Dana Enos
Anne
& John Olden: tandem canoe
Louis Aulbach: solo canoe
Kathleen & Terry Burgess: tandem canoe
Bea & Jim Harrison: tandem canoe
Dean & Matthew Mitchell: tandem canoe
Chuck & Joe Leinweber: wooden boat
Sandra Leinweber: wood boat
Chris & Adam: tandem canoe
Dana Enos: solo canoe
Put in at Mexican Hat, Utah and take out at Clay Hills, Utah. 57 river miles.
River flow records at Bluff, Utah shows approximately 4800 CFM on June 11 dropping to 2800 CFM by June 16. Bluff, Utah is 27 river miles upstream of Mexican Hat.
Weather was good except for high winds on Wednesday. We had clear skies, very warm during the day and cooling to approximately 55-60 degrees at night. River temperature being cool allowed us to cool off in the water.
This trip was through deep canyons with the deepest being approximately 1000 feet consisting of layers of sandstone, limestone and shale.
Louis and I left Houston Thursday June 8 and arrived at Sand Island BLM Campgrounds in Bluff UT on Friday evening. Kathleen & Terry had arrived before us.
Saturday, Kathleen & Terry took Louis and me to a pictograph site called the “Wolfman”. It had the most detailed workmanship of all the pictograph sites I have seen. Everyone else in the group arrived in the campgrounds by 5 PM.
Sunday we packed up and drove to Mexican Hat where we unloaded and cars were taken to the takeout. Chris and Adam had camped at the put in and were waiting for us. After the shuttle, we put in and within a mile we hit the first rapid. Chris and Adam capsized and lost most of their food . They had access to a nearby road so they were able leave our group and get to there car.
Monday, the section we paddled dropped at a rate of 6.7 feet per mile.
Tuesday, we celebrated John Olden’s 65th birthday. Anne supplied the brownies. This section of the river had a drop of 8.6 feet per mile.
Wednesday, Sandra damaged her wooden boat. Fortunately, a Ranger was nearby and he carried her boat on his raft to our next campsite so Chuck could repair it. Today we encountered a rapid that required us to either line through or portage around.
Thursday was a short day on the river and everyone went for a hike up a canyon.
Friday, short paddle and take out. Everyone split up. Louis and I went to Hovenweep National Monument and camped out.
Saturday we left for Houston and arrived Sunday evening.
Good weather, good flow, and good people made for a good trip.