Rafting Cataract Canyon

By Susan Schroer

Rafting is at the top of my “Favorite Things to do in Utah” list.  Whether it’s a thrilling ride on class IV rapids, or a leisurely float through amazing scenery, rafting is a must-do on one’s bucket list.  Cataract Canyon is known for breath-taking scenery, big waves and miles of solitude.  When I first heard of an opportunity to take a late-season trip through “Cat” I thought, ‘Yes! How, when and where do I sign-up?’  Cat would be a new rafting challenge for me, since it’s much more desolate with more technical rapids than what I had previously been through.  There would be new surprises and I couldn’t wait to find out what they would be.

Swimming flat waters of "Cat"

It had been a year since I had last been on the river (I’m spoiled, I know, but a year is a long time for a river rat!) and as I packed my anticipation started to grow.  With all of the essentials gathered into my dry bag, it’s off to meet the rest of the crew.  They seem like a roudy and cheerful bunch that share my enthusiasm for getting on the river.  After a few introductions and cracking open a few PBRs (Poor Boatman’s Refreshments), we start the carpool journey to the Potash put-in just outside of Moab, Utah.  I’ll admit, the carpool ride with 12 other people wasn’t the most pleasant since we didn’t have any air-conditioning, but it was a quick way to get to know the people I’d be spending the next four days with on the river. Some folks were Cat veterans while others had never rafted before and they were trying to figure out which stories were true and which ones were the tall-tales of a river rat. 

The closer we got to Potash, I started to notice a change in the air – the stars appeared to be more abundant, the sounds of other cars seemed to cease to exist and there was a fragrance in the air from the smell of sage brush coming to life after a recent desert rain.  It was past midnight by the time we arrived but no one was tired because we were all too excited about what the next four days had in store for us.  My eagerness for morning to come, much like a kid on Christmas Eve, kept me staring up at the sky.  With everything else around me giving into the night, I finally start to settle down but not before watching a brilliant shooting star blaze across the Milky Way.

View from Dead Horse Point

Morning.   I wake-up in a new world, no longer surrounded by noise, houses or cars but a river, boats and red rock cliffs.  All and any stress and worries I had started to fade with the ripples of the water as my foot lazily hangs off the side of the raft.  Surrounded by sandstone cliffs, each bend in the river offers a new surprise in scenery and rock formations; before long we are meandering through Canyonlands National Park.  At the top of a cliff on our “river right” is Dead Horse Point State Park.  Two years before I was standing at the top of that cliff, looking out at the vast expanse of Canyonlands and gazing down at the Colorado River far below, wishing I was meandering down the water on a raft.  Some dreams come true.

After 28 miles on the river we come to the first campsite.  Dinner is made and we all set-up our camp chairs to face the river.  Great blue herons fly just above the surface of the water as the setting sun casts the sandstone walls from orange to pink to red and finally to purple.  That night it was much easier to fall asleep, once again staring at shooting stars and listening to the Colorado lull me to bed. 

Proposal Cake

The following day is much like the last day, there’s more beautiful scenery and lots of swimming before we arrive at the confluence of the Green and Colorado Rivers. That night, however, was a little different.  As I and a few others were sitting around camp, we started hearing claps and cheers so we turned around to see that another member of our party was down on one knee.  “Big Mike” was proposing to his long-time girlfriend and rafting buddy, Ashley.  Of course she said yes and we celebrated that night by baking them a cake appropriately topped with Bride and Groom rubber duckies (yes, one of the many great things about rafting is that you really can bring just about everything – including a Dutch oven and all needed ingredients to bake a cake).  With the Green and Colorado Rivers meeting behind us, Mike and Ashley also gave a new meaning to confluence.

Day three was an exciting day; it’s the day of all the big rapids.  Not long after leaving camp, we see a sign that reads “Danger.”  The rapids are close.  We all pull-off onto the shore one last time to have a pep and safety talk, re-check all the boats and fasten our personal flotation devices.  There are so many rapids in this section of the river that they are simply numbered rather than named, with the exceptions of Big Drops 1, 2, & 3.  Looking at the river map, there’s an area nick-named mile-long rapid, an area that has a series of rapids and wave trains that feel like they extend for a mile. 

Paddle raft preparing for first small rapids

Rapid One is a great introductory rapid to the next 28 we’ll go through.  We navigate it, almost effortlessly and the confidence as a paddle raft crew grows.  “Let’s hit rapid two!” we cheer.  Some of the rapids get a little bigger and we get a little more excited.  The holes and wave trains are really starting to crash down on us and no matter how hot it is outside, the first cold splash from the Colorado River takes your breath away.

Next we steer into rapid 15 and the area known as mile-long rapid.  To navigate through this one we need to paddle around a huge boulder and then run into the next hole backwards.  We clear the rock but we’re unable to correct the direction of the raft against the strong current and we hit the next rapid a little side-ways.  There’s a jolt when we crash into the rapid and I somersault off the side of the boat.  Down I go into the water but my PFD bobs me back up and my head hits the bottom of the raft, one of my greatest fears come true of being stuck under the boat.  I scramble against the boat and let the current carry me back to the surface.  I gasp for air and the rest of the paddle crew is right beside me to pull me and another boater back into the raft.  It probably all happened in a matter of split-seconds, but when you’re under a boat and in the rapids, it seems much longer. 

We hit two more rapids before we can take a break and all I can do is hold on since I lost my paddle in the spill.  Half-way through the section of rapids, others want to take a try at being on a paddle-raft; drenched and exhausted, I gladly switch spots with someone on an oar-rigged raft.  It’s a good choice as the next rapids we go through are the notorious Big Drops 1, 2, & 3.  Everything I’ve heard about these rapids lived up to the hype of being fast, big, a little scary, very thrilling and each one gets bigger than the last.  Before hitting Big Drop 3, we stop and scout the situation (Legend has it that Major John Wesley Powell ordered his crew to portage around it when they were the first to navigate this canyon). 

Looking back on Big Drop 3

This rapid is huge.  I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little scared.  My boat is the first to go through the rapid.  We hit a hole that’s seems at least four times the size of our boat.  I yell as if I’m on a roller-coaster ride.  We make it through unscathed and I yell cheers of conquering the notorious Big Drop 3.  We turn around and cheer on the rest of the boats in our party.  The paddle raft almost flips, sending six people swimming.  After rescuing other crew members, we go through one more rapid that seems like a ripple compared to the Big Drops.        

That night we camp close to the cliffs.  There’s almost a full-moon and as it rises, it casts eerie shadows that are constantly changing along the canyon walls.  Exhausted from the day’s adventures, my sleeping-bag becomes my new best friend.     

Hitting a wave in "Corkscrew" rapid

The next morning we load-up one last time.  We all take our time loading as we all know that the day’s end will mark our time to get off the river and head home.  Reluctantly, we shove off shore one last time.  During late-season trips, the water levels are low enough that the river actually gives way to a few more rapids that are hidden during high-water runs.  We hit “cork-screw” rapid before spilling into the start of Lake Powell.  After all of the excitement and roar of the river, everything is now calm and still.  Hite Marina is off in the distance and so are our modern-day vans to take us back home to much-needed showers.

As we load-up and leave, we’re all tired, sun-burnt, a little stinky and bruised but we all silently look back at the river and lake behind us and know that we’d all jump back onto a raft tomorrow if the opportunity arises.     

Right now, as I sit at my desk and think back on this trip, I gaze up to the mountains.  The rafting season is over, but a new cycle has just begun - snow has started to fall and I pray for a big snow pack this year in hopes of a lot of run-off and day-dream of bigger rapids to come next season.    

Plenty of Off-Slope Snow Opportunities in Utah

I have a confession to make that has been weighing on me for awhile now: I live in Utah, but I don’t ski or snowboard.

Whew, I feel much better now that I got that off my chest. Now, I know what you all are thinking; I must be crazy to live in Utah and not ski or snowboard. While my mental soundness is up for debate, let me just say that I still enjoy “The Greatest Snow on Earth®” and there’s a certain level of excitement that rises up in me when my boots start to crunch on top of a fresh layer of snow.

Utah’s powder is world-famous for skiing and boarding opportunities, but it also yields several other chances to get outside and enjoy the state’s great outdoors. From snowshoeing through national forests, to drinking hot cocoa in a yurt at the bottom of a tubing hill, Utah’s winters offer something for everyone.

Even though I said that I don’t ski – at least not in the traditional sense of downhill skiing – I do love cross-country skiing. When I tell ski enthusiasts this, I am usually met with looks of confusion and comments of, “Are you crazy? Cross-country skiing is so much more work.” While this may be true, cross-country skiing is easier on my knees and I welcome the unique exercise. I also welcome the solitude and scenery that cross-country skiing offers. To me, there’s no better way to spend a Saturday than by enjoying a blue-bird day at the Solitude Nordic Center, surrounded by mountains and observing a moose off in the distance.

When I feel like mixing-up the terrain, I’ll head over to Soldier Hollow. The tracks here are long and plentiful and were home to many 2002 Winter Olympic events. Last, but not least, I also enjoy Mountain Dell. Here the groomed trails vary from short and flat to long and gently rolling with several chances to enjoy the surroundings and its abundant wildlife watching opportunities. After a good workout at Mountain Dell, I’ll take a scenic drive back to the city through Emigration Canyon and refuel at Ruth’s Diner – a favorite dining spot for locals.

When I need a break from cross-country skiing, I grab a pair of snowshoes and head out to some nearby trails for a quick getaway from the city. A short drive up Millcreek Canyon offers numerous trails and terrain. I always remember to bring a camera as there have been moose and elk sightings on more than one occasion. If you’re feeling a little more adventurous, take a full-moon snowshoe hike around the Spruces Campground in Big Cottonwood Canyon. During a full moon, the snow reflects enough to illuminate the surroundings while calls of the wild bounce off the mountainsides.

For kids and those young at heart, tubing can offer lots of fun. Let gravity do the work for you when tubing down the foothills at Utah’s tubing areas. Tow-ropes will pull you and your tube up various hills before you, your friends and family race back down the slopes. Tubing locations can be found at Soldier Hollow and at Gorgoza Park in Jeremy Ranch. After spending some time tubing, I enjoy warming up inside Gorgoza Park’s Yurt with some hot cocoa.

So, whether you’re a ski bum or not, Utah offers plenty of ways to enjoy “The Greatest Snow on Earth®”

Snowcats and Powderhounds in the Northland

Powder Mountain, situated some 20 miles northeast of Ogden, UT, is internationally-known for its all-natural powder skiing. The resort encompasses 7,000 acres and has an average annual snowfall of 500 inches. 3,000 acres of its terrain are lift accessed, with the remainder being reserved for true powder hounds.




One of the best parts about enjoying the off piste skiing at “PoMo” is that you don’t have to hike for most of it – 1,200 acres of the resort makes up an area known as “Powder Country.” You can check out Powder Country on either side of the canyon road on the drive to the ski resort. This terrain is fully accessible from two of the resort’s lifts. At the top of these lifts, traverse away from the traditional runs and follow signs pointing the way to terrain that often stays deep and untracked for days, even a week or more, following snowstorms.



As you follow the ridgeline on either side of the canyon, the forested slopes below lead back to the canyon road. After bounding through endless pillows of deep powder and widely spread pine trees, the slope funnels skiers and riders to a bus pickup. A vintage bus arrives, very reliably, every 30 minutes and drops off at a lower and upper parking lot, where you can do it all over again.



The “old-school bus”- accessed terrain is just part of PoMo’s unconventional approach to getting skiers and riders to the top, standing and drooling at loads of terrain, which tracks out very slowly. Their snowcat services Lightning Ridge, 700 acres of terrain characterized by trees, chutes, and wide open bowl skiing, depending on your choice of starting points. Some of it is just a short jaunt after stepping off the snowcat. James Peak, featuring the open bowl skiing, chutes, and wide open snowfields, is an additional 20 to 30 minute hike.



A few friends and I skied and snowboarded Powder Mountain on Sunday, February 7th, my first day of riding during the 2010 season (what a shame!). Although there had not been a significant snowstorm in the area for the better part of a week, we found our fair share of pristine powder to leave our tracks in. Lightning Ridge provided some of the best of it. But, surprisingly, we encountered plenty of good untracked turns within the bounds of the lift-served terrain, as well – a testament to the resort’s apt choice in names.



For complete information, other snowcat options at Powder Mountain, check out: http://www.powdermountain.com/

UOT Call Center Archives: BLM Camping Rules

I received a call from a person who wanted to know the rules in Utah with regard to camping on BLM (Bureau of Land Management) land. I asked the caller where, specifically, he was interested in camping. He explained that he was interested in camping on BLM land near Otter Creek State Park. In order to answer the caller’s question accurately, I asked him to give me a little time to research the question and call him back with more information. Here's what I learned ---


How to obtain rules for camping on BLM land:

Determine which BLM district oversees the land you are interested in camping on. If you are unfamiliar with the BLM and how it divides Utah’s wilderness, go to: www.blm.gov, and click on the state of Utah. On the right side of the page, you will see a map of Utah divided into 11 districts.

The BLM land near Otter Creek State Park is located within the Color Country BLM district. Click on the Color Country District. You will be taken to a page titled, Richfield, which is where the Color Country BLM Field Office is located. The contact information, including the address and phone number is listed on the bottom of the page. The same is true for all BLM districts.

I called the Richfield Field Office and they explained the following rules for camping on all BLM designated land.

Three Most Common Rules for Camping on BLM Land

1) All wilderness camping is “hike in/hike out.” Motorized vehicles are not allowed in wilderness areas.

2) Leave no trace camping techniques are required. For more information on “leave no trace camping,” go to: http://wikitravel.org/en/Leave-no-trace_camping or http://www.camping.com/community/camp-styles/1298

3) 14 day maximum stay in any location.

Some BLM rules are uniform, but there are unique rules in certain BLM districts. Therefore, it’s always a good idea to check with the BLM Field Office in charge of the land you’re interested in camping on before you go.

Utah BLM Field Offices:

Bureau of Land Management

BLM Utah State Office

P.O. Box 45155

Salt Lake City, Utah 84145-0155

440 West 200 South, Suite 500

Salt Lake City, Utah 84101

Phone: (801) 539-4001

Fax: (801) 539-4013

utsomail@blm.gov

West Desert District:

2370 South 2300 West

Salt Lake City, UT 84119

District Manager: Glenn Carpenter

Phone: (801) 977-4300

Fax: (801) 977-4397

utslmail@blm.gov

Green River District:

170 South 500 East

Vernal, UT 84078

District Manager: Bill Stringer

Phone: (435) 781-4400

Fax: (435) 781-4410

utvnmail@blm.gov

Fillmore District:

35 East 500 North

Fillmore, UT 84631

Field Office Manager: Micki Bailey

Phone: (435) 743-3100

Fax: (435) 743-3135

utfmmail@blm.gov

Color Country District:

150 East 900 North

Richfield, UT 84701

Field Office Manager: Cornell Christensen

Phone: (435) 896-1500

Fax: (435) 896-1550

utrfmail@blm.gov

Price District:

Price Field Office

125 South 600 West

Price, UT 84501

Field Office Manager: Jerry Kenczka

Phone: (435) 636-3600

Fax (435) 636-3657

utprmail@blm.gov

Moab District:

Moab Field Office

82 East Dogwood

Moab, Utah 84532

Field Office Manager: Lynn Jackson

Phone: (435) 259-2100

Fax: (435) 259-2106

utmbmail@blm.gov

Cedar City District:

Cedar City Field Office

176 East D.L. Sargent Drive

Cedar City, UT 84721

Field Office Manager: RandyTrujillo

Phone: (435) 586-2401

Fax: (435) 865-3058

utccmail@blm.gov

Canyon Country District:

82 East Dogwood

Moab, Utah 84532

District Manager: Shelley Smith

Phone: (435) 259-2100

Fax: (435) 259-2106

utmbmail@blm.gov

St. George District:

St. George Field Office

345 East Riverside Drive

St. George, UT 84790

Field Office Manager: Jimmy Tyree

Phone (435) 688-3200

Fax (435) 688-3252

utsgmail@blm.gov

Kanab District:

Kanab Field Office

318 North 100 East

Kanab, UT 84741

Field Office Manager: Harry Barber

Phone: (435) 644-4600

Fax: (435) 644-4620

utknmail@blm.gov

Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument

Monument Manager: Rene Berkhout

190 E. Center Street

Kanab, UT 84741

Phone: 435) 644-4300

Fax: (435) 644-4350

escalante_interagency@blm.gov

Utah Offers Accessible Powder for All

Visitors from across the nation and around the world come to Utah every winter to enjoy some of the World’s greatest skiing and snowboarding adventures. Powder enthusiasts vary from families on vacation to “ski bums” to athletes in training. But did you know that the state that lays claim to “The Greatest Snow on Earth®” is also home to numerous adaptive sport programs?

Every ski and snowboard season, people with disabilities also converge on Utah’s mountain tops to enjoy some of the finest winter adventures that Mother Nature has to offer. For people with a hearing/vision loss, a spinal cord injury or intellectual disability, Utah has an array of adaptive winter programs that have been helping people of all ability levels carve their own turns in the white mountainsides. A one-hour drive from the Salt Lake International Airport will get you to three distinct, exciting, affordable and adaptive organizations. All of these organizations have decades of experience in helping people with disabilities enjoy their winter vacations to the slopes.

How do these programs get thousands of people with physical and intellectual disabilities on ski runs every year? With the help of highly-trained staff and community volunteers that have a passion for getting people onto Utah’s famous powder. Each program also has top-of-the-line adaptive equipment that includes mono-skis, bi-skis and Nordic sit-skis. The programs have also formed a special partnership with local ski resorts that go the extra mile to help people and their adaptive equipment on and off the lifts as well as set aside extra space so the adaptive programs and their participants can have their own area to practice runs and techniques.

Headquartered at Snowbird, Wasatch Adaptive Sports (WAS) offers several adaptive skiing opportunities including downhill and cross-country skiing. Let their staff set you up with the appropriate training and adaptive equipment before hitting the beginner run, Chickadee. If you plan on doing more than one day of skiing, book an on-site stay at The Cliff Lodge & Spa where they have fully accessible rooms. Be sure to book your ski lessons and rooms early as spaces fill up fast! Contact them through their website or call (801) 933-2188.

Started in 1985, the National Ability Center (NAC) takes their skiing and snowboarding programs to the Park City Mountain Resort where participants learn techniques and gain skills to ski independently and/or with their family and friends. Be sure to also ask about their equipment rental, sled hockey programs and new shuttle service from Salt Lake to Park City. Lessons fill-up fast, so book early and plan on staying at the NAC’s private lodge and ranch that is located five minutes from down-town Park City, filled with good shopping, entertainment and dining. Call (435) 200-0987 or visit their website for more information.

Last, but not least, is Common Ground Outdoor Adventures. Located in Logan, Common Ground enjoys the mountain life without the crowds of the city. Have the whole family come and check out Common Ground’s newest program: the Beaver Adaptive Ski Evolution (B.A.S.E.) program at Beaver Mountain. When you’re not taking an adaptive ski lesson, ask the staff about guided nature tours at nearby migratory bird pathways and nature centers. For more information call (435) 713-0288 or visit their website.

Whatever you choose, you and your family will be sure to have a fun time surrounded by gorgeous snow-covered mountains while creating memories for a lifetime.

Antelope Island State Park and its Stunning Sunset Evenings

Sand and birds and sky and a silver inland sea surrounding you from horizon’s edge to horizon’s edge; jagged rocks reaching into the mirror-like waters reflecting the sky and its colors back to the sky and making the only edge of distance the silhouettes of far-off mountains; no sound save the call of seagulls – this is the picture I found at Bridger Bay on the north coast of Antelope Island. As the sun sets behind the distant peaks, it seems to intensify the Great Salt Lake’s colors. In an almost grandiose last gasp like a yawn before sleep, the sun reminds lucky viewers of its glory and power to create unparalleled beauty, each beam reaching skyward one last time as the blanket of night competes for dominance. But it’s not a battle, really. In this magical hour, a symphony or dance commences in which each, day and night, compliment the other in a perfect harmony and transcend each other, more magnificent than either one alone.

I took my boys, of course. We brought our bikes and rode on the beach, often stopping to admire the show.

As the blanket of night envelopes and dominates the sky, the colors recede to the distance and unifies to a sliver of fiery orange just above the horizon, a grand finale before the memories of yesterday and the dreams of tomorrow lulls the earth to quietude.

I recommend a blanket, good crackers, something tasty to drink, and a nice cheese. Maybe you’d prefer peanuts, popcorn, and a tall soda. Whatever your pleasure, it’s a good show.



Two thumbs up!



http://stateparks.utah.gov/parks/antelope-island

10-05-2009!!!

Achtung! Winter sports enthusiasts, winter continues to tantalize and tempt us with more of what we like.... need I say it...... SNOW!