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Show Gordon Pace, local sportsman sports-man and outdoor enthusiast, left on Wednesday of the past week with five companions for his first river trip. Accompanying Ac-companying Mr. Pace were Bill George, Bill Whitehead and Al Shilling of Salt Lake City and Max Blackbum and Wayne Blackburn of Pleasant Grove. THE FIVE, still clinging to that adventurous spirit, returned re-turned home Monday evening after spending five days and nights in Desolation Canyon of the Green River. What started out as a pleasure and hunting trip turned out to be quite an experience. As they began their trip aboard a 25 foot pontoon raft, they noticed ice floating in the river, but decided to continue. On the evening of the second day they came to a large ice jam. UNLOADING their raft which has an inner platform with a combined weight of 1000 pounds, and all their personal supplies, they carried this to a place down the river about 300 yards where they camped for the night. The next morning they found they were between two ice jams and had no means of getting word out for rescue, so they decided to portage their raft across the ice on Saturday, the fourth day. THEY ARRIVED at the old abandoned Rock Creek Ranch, and to their surprise a small plane was parked on the runway. Two men had flown in from Green River to hunt chukars. They were still out hunting, and not desiring to wait, left a note as to where their next destination destina-tion would be. The six decided to try for McPherson Ranch, about three hours away. The note to the pilot requested notifying family members that they were safe, although overdue, and also notify their guide who was to pick them up in Green River that they would be late getting out. ABOUT an hour later they came to another ice jam, larger than the other two put together. They were about two hours away from the old ranch (where Butch Cassidy used to ride) so they went to work again, transporting everything across. It took them 3'2 hours. At this time the plane passed overhead and signaled that their message mes-sage had been received. As the six were ready to begin another try at the river, darkness had set in, but they wanted to reach the ranch if at all possible. It was quite a thrill running the Green River rapids in the dark with ice floating. AT ONE point they were hung up on a larger rock in one rapid which took 30 minutes to break loose. From that point on, there was no further trouble until they reached the ranch. The Indians have built a beautiful lodge at McPherson Ranch, and the car takers were still there, planning on closing it for the winter season, the very next day. THEY HAD a truck setting with the motor idleing because they had trouble getting get-ting it started, and would let it run through the night. They M also said they woiuh k. totaketoesixZ'l1 thefoI,owirnZrthe The next mo s. ,iV! flew into the ranrh J plan 8 landing strip waf. J"1" thf sothe8pi,o,Pdptgh, asking if thev u a nte thep&upoTit1"'3' guidetocpmeavC nal which was 115 rn ? er,,N rough road torn w location. A siBnT,Presenl M: turned that they8',,"38 by pickup. reycouldgou, THE PICKUP wa In iSIfi with what could tet,0 ed and the group They had goiaKfMe. when they had two natT and the motor quit. The - thing left to do was walk to the lodge. Walkba! When the group was n0gh heard from again that dav Mr. George's wife notified S,, Ri: sheriff in Vernal at mi Sunday nigh, ."nd'i and rescue group arrived a a.m. Monday morning Vf. were safe in Vernal about V ' p.m. Monday evening. ALTHOUGH Mr p,S' v explained they were never3 C really in serious trouble tL-e : cold weather and constant5 problems did cause conce He noted that the next riveUl I run would be done in th, 1 wanner time of the year. rsLe |
