River Trip Planning - Labyrinth Canyon in May

[Unimog]

When we went in June, the water was high and it took lots of time to find good campsites.

We were in a group of 9. We definite filtered water without much problem. We just let 5 gal bucket to let the water settle and used an msr, which is super- easy to clean, which we had to do every 10 liters or so. I'm not sure I would try it with my sawyer.

 

[DrNed]

I'm doing this in the first week of June. I was originally planning on putting in at Green River Park . . . it sounds like it's better to skip those first 20 miles and go to Ruby Ranch to launch.For those who have floated this stretch before, which would would choose Ruby Ranch to Mineral Bottom or Mineral Bottom through Stillwater Canyon to the confluence? Or is it possible to do both in a week?I know there are outfitters that will pick up, but is possible to do yourself, especially at the confluence? To save costs we really would like to avoid the pick up services, but looking at pictures around the confluence it doesn't appear as though you would have any option. Is there a public put in/take out at the confluence or due to topography must one use the outfitter return boat service?

 

[steve]

The permit fees for running the section below Mineral Bottom makes it much more expensive. That alone shouldn't be reason to avoid it, but just know that going in.

 

[Nick]

If you go to the confluence, you HAVE to pay for a shuttle to get your boats out (unless you happen to have a big ass jet boat sitting around). No roads to pull out down there. I haven't run Mineral to Confluence yet but from what I do know, it deserves at least as much time as Ruby to Mineral (4+ days).

 

[DrNed]

I know Ruby Ranch is private - is there a parking lot you can leave a vehicle or is it drop off and get the #$%@! off my land? Are their fees to enter here? Other hassles?

 

[steve]

I believe there's a $10 fee.

 

[DrNed]

What about pulling out at Mineral Bottoms? Is it fairly easy to access with a 4x4 vehicle?

 

[Nick]

The fees at Ruby Ranch are per person and per boat and more if you want to stay the night at the launch. When we went it cost us around $50 for 4 people and 3 boats (2 yaks, 1 canoe). This is the fee schedule:

$10 per boat +
$5 per person +
$5 per person for overnight camping on the ranch

There is great camping outside of the ranch so I wouldn't recommend camping there.

 

[Nick]

Mineral Bottom is easily accessed but does involve a pretty long drive on dirt roads and then driving down the switchbacks which are a little scary but easy to drive.

 

[DrNed]

@Nick - thanks. That's just what I needed to know.

 

[gnwatts]

I would skip the Green River park to Ruby. All private land and not very scenic. You could do it in a week from Ruby to the confluence easy, especially in June with the runoff, but there is a lot to see. When we did the Stillwater section we had to start at Spring Canyon, 18 miles up from Mineral Bottom ( http://backcountrypost.com/forum/th...n-a-little-bit-of-labyrinth-green-river.2259/ ) due to the road to Mineral being washed out, and we did it in 3 days to the confluence, a hard paddle with a canoe. What kind of boat will you be using? Like I said, you could easily do the 95 miles in a week depending on the boat, but you are not going to get a lot exploring done. Stillwater Canyon is a sublime place, worth spending time in. 8 days would be a lot better IMO. If you use Tex's, they will shuttle you to Ruby, you park in their lot and they take care of the rest. No driving!

 

[DrNed]

@gnwatts We're going to be about 6 Boy Scouts and 3 dads. I've got an 8 man raft that will be mostly for gear, 3 self made kayaks, and a couple of canoes.Being Boy Scouts they can get an award for a 50 mile+ float. That's the big reason for starting at Green River park - that 20+ miles cut starting at Ruby Ranch. (If I measure correctly, and it's 68 miles total from the park to Mineral Bottoms) So we would drive to Mineral Bottoms, leave a vehicle, drive back up to the park and launch. Do that stretch in 5-6 days.I ask about Stillwater because of the many pictures I've seen. It appears to be a beautiful area. But the more I think about it I'd rather do a shorter distance on the river and spend more time exploring then vice versa.

 

[gnwatts]

Or you could do what we did - Spring Canyon to the confluence - in 7 days and not 3, and it is 68 miles. You would need to do your own shuttle to Spring Canyon. The stretch from Green River isn't that scenic, but any trip down this river is going to be great.
The distance from Mineral Bottom to the confluence is 52 miles......... wouldn't that get them their award?

 

[steve]

Anyone done Meander Canyon? How does it compare to Labyrinth and Stillwater?

 

[DrNed]

The distance from Mineral Bottom to the confluence is 52 miles......... wouldn't that get them their award?

Yes! I've run the rapids several times on the Snake River, but I've never done anything like this before, so you're input is greatly appreciated! Thanks

 

[gnwatts]

You will find more people on the Green, a lot more. I have done Meander 3 times, and with the exception of the jet boats (which average about every other day) we saw hardly anyone. Another advantage is that the jet boat can pick you up wherever you end up, so you don't need to make it to the confluence. The last time I did Meander in September of last year I was the only person that came off of the Colorado, everyone else on the boat came down the Green.

 

[steve]

hm... that's tempting. After seeing the rates to shuttle, I'm thinking a packraft might be the ticket for me after all.

 

[Riggs]

Yeah, it is possible to do it without the jet boat shuttle. It's been 20 years since I did, but am thinking about doing it again this June so ran across your thread. We went from Green River to Lower Red Rock Canyon. We shuttled a 4x4 with a mountain bike over Elephant Hill in Needles, rode the bike back to the car that couldn't do that road. Then we packed our inflatable kayak and small raft (crude cheap version way before packrafts, but not some Walmart quality thing) out Red Rock canyon. One guy made 2 trips, so he did about 15 miles total. It's about 5 miles, I think around 1000ft elevation to get out there. Adds to the adventure!

Some of my concerns are bugs in early June, glad to hear some haven't had a big problem. And campsites in high water. I remember even 20 years ago the dang Tamarisk was thick enough to make finding campsites tough. The rest is getting harder to remember, haha.

 

[DrNed]

I'm looking to get this river guide book. Does anyone have it and recommend it? I would like to have an idea of where my potential camp spots are. I hate passing a spot hoping for something better and not finding it - and of course on the river you can't go back. I'm concerned that there will be high traffic (first week of summer break for the kidos) and spots maybe hard to come by.Does anyone have a map or a map you recommend that shows camp spots on the river?
Thanks

 

[Nick]

I haven't used that one but the Belknaps maps and guides are really good. They look old and cheesy on the cover, but the info inside is nicely done and quite up to date.