Colorado River, Arizona/Nevada

Paddling Upriver - The Mighty Colorado in October

Colorado River - Just Below Hoover Dam

A Great Way to Spend Fall Break
If you want to see the Hoover Dam from the water, you can only do so by hiring a licensed and approved outfitter that is permitted to launch just below the dam. But if you're willing to put in some heavy-duty paddling, you can start downriver and spend a full day getting to the dam. A year ago, I read a blog post by Scott Bideau, a photographer out of Steamboat Springs, Colorado, who did just that. He inspired me to try paddling the mighty Colorado upstream in my sit-on-top Perception Tribe, with my dog, Sissy, to keep me company.

Camping Out the Night Before
We tent-camped overnight at the Willow Beach Marina and Campground. The campsite wasn't shaded, but it was nice and level and had a picnic table, hammock poles, and a fire ring. There are hot showers and clean bathrooms available to campers. Since it was just "camping" for a place to sleep overnight, next time I'll sleep in my car in the parking area close to the launch ramp. That way I can get on the water faster without having to pack up a tent in the morning.

Packed Up and Heading Out from Willow Beach Marina

First Time for Camping via Kayak
I was a little slow getting gone in the morning because I didn't know what I was doing loading up the kayak. I did know enough to strap everything down so nothing would sink if we capsized. But figuring out where to put the tent, sleeping bag, and cooler (not to mention the dog), keep everything balanced, and still have room for my feet, was tricky. I wasn't a complete dummy, as I did know enough to put all the equipment in dry bags and I had calculated how much weight I could safely carry. It was about 9am when we finally got on the water and started upstream.

The Colorado River - Sometimes Like Glass, Sometimes Kinda Rough

A Few Minutes of Easy Sailing, and Then . . .
The first 45 minutes of paddling, the river was glassy and smooth. Then the wind picked up, blowing directly into my face, and that was all she wrote. I paddled against the wind the rest of the day - seven hours to go nine miles! I quickly learned that stopping to take photos meant I would have to re-paddle the same distance, so I decided to do my picture taking on the return trip. It was still doable, though, since I was in good "kayak shape." Sometimes, I found myself laughing out loud at the absurdity of being on the Colorado River, just me and my dog, no cell service and no one around, the wind blowing spray over the bow of the boat, having no real idea where I would end up, and making very slow progress. Oh yeah, and it just happened to be my birthday! Sissy napped up front, occasionally popping open one eye to look at me like, "Where the heck are we and why are we doing this?"

Just Me and Sissy on the Colorado River

Camping on the Colorado
Scott Bideau had written that he camped about nine miles up river, then did the last three miles to the dam the next morning. Sounded like a good plan to me. I unloaded the kayak at Arizona Hot Spring, pulled it a few yards onto dry sand, and tied it to some trees for safe keeping. There were a few other kayakers also camping there, but it wasn't crowded. I pitched the tent well away from the water, which turned out to be a good thing. There was a significant water release from the dam overnight and the river level rose over a foot, with seepage from the river extending just a few feet from my tent. It was a beautiful night for sleeping outdoors, and I was back on the river the next morning by 7am and ready for the last big paddle to the dam.

Not So Fast, Girl!
Did I say I was ready to paddle upstream? Well, the river had other plans. All the water released from the dam overnight made the current twice as fast as it had been. Even without the wind from the day before and giving it my best effort, I was going nowhere. As I dug the paddle in for all I was worth, I heard some guy on shore say to his buddy, "Is she trying to go upstream? She ain't gonna make it!" The buddy replied, "Wa'll now, maybe she's just out there tryin' to get a good picture." So to save face, I pulled out my camera, took one last picture facing North, and turned tail downstream! Going all the way to Hoover Dam would have to wait for another day.

Colorado River - Smooth Sailing, All the Way Home

We Didn't Get to the Dam, But It Was Still a Fantastic Trip
The trip that took seven hours the day before, took three hours the next. The water was smooth, the sun was out, there was no wind, we were going with the current. Most of the time, I just floated along and let the river do the work. Not another human around - pure Heaven! I was able to take pictures of the sunrise, the weeping rocks, the precarious walkway that the water gauger used to get from his house to the river, and the gondola that carried him across the water to the gauging station. I kept my sleeping pad partially inflated and put it in the front of the kayak so Sissy would have a more comfortable perch (you can see that she appreciated it). It really was a glorious morning!

Last Night in Arizona
Before heading back to Utah, we went a little further south to a tiny house AirBnb in Sandy Valley, Nevada. It was the perfect ending to my Fall Break - a hot shower, fresh coffee, room for Sissy to run, and a super comfy bed. I lay there that night, listening to the coyotes howling across the desert and watching the Milky Way drift past the windows, making plans to do this again. I still want to see the Hoover Dam from the Colorado River and now that I know what I'm doing, next time I'll start earlier and go all the way on day one. And there will definitely be a next time!