Rio Chama, New Mexico Aug 21-23
Put In: Coopers El Vado Ranch just below El Vado Reservoir
Take Out: Big Eddy just above Abiquiu Reservoir
Along on this trip: My friend Amber Scheurer and 12 members of the DDRC
I make many trips over the course of the year to many bodies of water and rivers always have a special place to stir my soul, this one rates as my top. For this trip I had along a friend of mine, Amber Scheurer so I used my 16ft SOAR inflatable canoe so I could pack enough for a comfortable and relaxing trip down the gorgeous Chama Valley.
Most of our group arrived the evening before and we had a nice potluck dinner in the yard and we camped the night with some in cabins and others in the yard of the cabins. I made a bed from flipping my SOAR upside down and sleeping on it, very comfortable and I was able to really enjoy the star lit night far from nowhere. The next morning we ran our shuttles about 6am and then got some quick breakfast, loaded boats and were on the water by 9:30am. That first stroke of the paddle through the water is for me like an instant soothing in my soul where all of my other concerns vanish and puts me in a trance filled with utter enjoyment.
Friday Aug 21
The flow was pretty good at around 730cfs with morning temps in the 50s. Our first destination is the hot spring about an hour downriver on river left, I call it the hot tub. After the hot tub we meandered downriver and I began to notice all the washouts on both sides of the river with some significant rocks slides pushed out into the river. They must have had some pinpoint downpours along the river earlier in the year to push rocks that large, must have been a sight. I think I will go back and look at the gages and see if I can determine when this happened. This was observed all along the entire 30 mile stretch. This was my 8th year down this river and I had never seen it before on this river.
We made a stop around noon for some lunch and watch all the rafts from guides come by. We made Aragon Falls about 1:30 and quickly got camp set up. Some of the rafters came and stopped for lunch and to scout the rapid. One of their dogs quickly flushed out a rattlesnake hiding along the river foot path. We left him be and he crawled back under a rock never to be seen or heard again. I found a secluded spot for Amber’s tent and the rest of the group made a site for our kitchen and fire. I had really wanted to get out on my hike with destination Galina peak about 2.5 miles to the west and about 2400ft elevation gain to 8970ft. There is no trail only bush whacking but it was not too bad. Myself, Jaws, and a few other set out about 2:30 and got within 1 mile and 1600 ft. of the top but knew we would run out of daylight if we made the attempt and end up camping in the woods without any equipment and minimal food. I also would have left Amber on her own for dinner, no way to treat a guest. We turned around about 4:45 and made camp about 6pm.
I got dinner started, grilled salmon fillets, rice, pineapple, and salads. Well, everything came out great except I managed to first undercook those thick salmon fillets on the grill I had set up on the fire pan then I proceeded to burn them when trying to get them cooked in a skillet. After a few drinks (to many for me) around the fire and some fun talk and joking I made it to my bed, the bottom side of my SOAR.
Saturday Aug 22
I got up about 4:45 and got my first coffee made without too much noise then sat by the river watching daylight filter into the canyon and others one by one start to stir. I cooked some omelets with, bacon, cheese, mushrooms, onions, peppers with toast jelly and OJ, better than the dinner the night before. Amber picked up her camp and we started loading up and the group was mostly on the river by 10:40. After a nice riverside lunch and some beautiful scenery down the canyon we made camp (Huckabay) about 1:30pm. Once folks had their camps setup and rested a bit most of us took off on a short hike to a box canyon. A really neat semi-rugged climb through rocks and a wash to reach a place where the water flows over a cliff side when it rains into this sandstone canyon.
Dinner that night would be steak quesadillas with steak, cheese, mushrooms, onions, peppers, with sides of sour cream and guacamole. I managed to get a plate full of much improved dinner and a cold beer to Amber sitting by the fire without burning this night. Our camps for this site were a bit more crowded but not too bad. Amber was in the tent and I was about 15ft away in my hammock. I had put up two tarps before dark as there were some nice thunderstorms off to the north so we were prepared for it even though it never came. Amber retired about 9pm and I sat by the fire with others again getting in some good laughs and being a bit loud with some great company, then finally giving in and retiring about 11pm.
Sunday Aug 23
I got up about 4:30 and made my first cup of coffee but think I awoke Amber as I could hear her shifting around in the tent. Breakfast again was some great omelets, toast and OJ. We were in no big hurry to pick up as others seemed to be moving slowly so we took our time and sat down to enjoy the morning by the river. I saw an animal I had not seen before running through the woods. It was larger than squirrels I had seen before but smaller than a badger or skunk. I only got a quick look at its body and tail. After researching upon my return I think it was an Albert Squirrel. Amber and I got it all picked up and loaded into the boat with everyone getting on the river about 9:30. We made the monastery by about 11am where the river is slow and gentle prior to a series of class III rapids, with beautiful views as the canyon walls separate from about half a mile to more than 10 in the course of about 6 miles down the river. We all stopped for lunch just prior to the rapids to refuel and regroup. The rapids were quick and fun and Amber did a great job of helping maneuver around the many rocks. We only hit one which was my lack of attention but came off of it unscathed. We made the take out about 2:30 along with the many others that were on the river also. We were unloaded and packed up by 4pm and had to carry everything to the truck in the parking lot as the ramp was way too busy to even attempt getting the truck down there. We had to run Tom Taylor back upstream to his truck so we did not get the truck pointed south for our 12 hr. drive back to Dallas until about 5:30pm. Amber did a great job with her phone and found a great Mexican place to stop for dinner in Santa Fe called Maria's. My dinner was pretty good and Amber really like hers also, we will both be back and next time partake in their famous margaritas. We noticed the parking lot had two things, plates from at least 12 different states, and it was full. After some great dinner and conversation we were ready to hit the road and we made Dallas about 5:45am Monday with both of us needing to be at work that day.
Another excellent trip on a gorgeous river. My guest was most helpful packing up gear, helping me load the boat and great company. I can tell the smart savvy engineer in her was at work as she can fold a tent like I have never seen and had some helpful pointers for me hanging a tarp one day. I think next time we will let her take swing at driving the boat down the river.
Here are some pictures of our trip
The Hot Tub
Carolee coming through a rapid
Amber Scheurer at Lunch Sunday
Sunday as we are coming by the monastery
More Sunday scenery
Amber and Alan sitting in the Box Canyon
The group in the Box Canyon
More of the rowdy crowd
All eddied out at Aragon Falls awaiting on the rest
Alan at Aragon Falls
Nadine trying her best not to run over Alan
More Aragon Falls
Amber Scheurer chilling by the river
Jaws and his brother
First nights camp by Aragon Falls
Now off to Yosemite National Park in a couple of weeks for 5 days in the backcountry.
SYOTW,
Earl