Show i i 1 II i r THE COLORADO RIVER Moab's Untapped Recreation Skippers Give Impressions of Boat Trip on Green Greenl Colorado Down in the Southeastern corner corner corn er of Utah is that fabulous awe Inspiring UTAH ful land of the Utes this Four Corner area arca tremendously wealthy in to uranium oil and gas Is Rich Richin in a boating way water-way the Colorado and Green rivers Two Hundred miles of rugged thundering river boating Through desert canyon mining Indian and oil country Upon dumping In at Green River Utah a friendly friendlytown friendlytown town with plenty of tourist facilities facilities fa It Is very likely that you may go miles downstream on the Green and 68 miles upstream upstream upstream up up- stream on the Colorado without seeing a living person All this time however you see trails of man From the Prospector of I 1957 back through trails of 7 years or more to the famous Indian You may float noat or power boat downstream by the famous Robbers Robbers Robbers Rob bers Roost country Past active Geysers and on into the BowKnot BowKnot BowKnot Bow Knot Here the bends are so sharp you could throw a rock into the thc river a mile downstream save for the fact that you are in canyon walls over one thousand thousand and feet high After Arter a leisurely travel the first day you may stop and camp at atthe atthe atthe the beautiful Spring Canyon Modem mining operations are taking place just steps from Indian Indian Indian In In- dian writings on en the canyon walls watts There is an old ferrybridge ferry ferrybridge bridge here at the spring fresh water camping space and fishIng fishing fishing fish fish- ing off the bank The second day the canyon walls gat got more spectacular more red and closer in Here you are virtually in a crack in the earths earth's surface e If you could come out on top you would be beon beon beon on a hl high h plateau Your next stop will be Mineral Canyon Again Indian cowboy rustler I and prospector trails entwine Off a side canyon you may find cliff dwellings and glory holes the miners made Horse Thief Canyon is just jug around the corn corn- er Leading up out of it It Is a most spectacular road built over the dim trails of rustlers coming down off the tha rim from the rangelands rangelands rangelands range- range lands to the east Another hour or two and you come upon Fort Bottom and make a big bend to the left In Inthis Inthis Inthis this bend on a high rocky pinnacle pinnacle pinnacle pin pin- nacle Is the rock Tock fort built by bythe bythe bythe the Indians hundreds of years ago Indian lore is still ant On downstream you will pass Millard Bottom on the left This Is the last of the roads that will lead out of the canyon From here on down the Green and up the Colorado for or fifty miles you are on the only HIWay HIWay HiWay HI Way the river Farther downstream on the right you come upon a field of corn com perhaps in centuries past this was Indian corn com Now how how- ever It is that of a on the river Below Delow this only a short distance the cliffs turn buff and broy brown in color If you will look closely high up on the ledges you see seethe seethe seethe the remains of houses and storage bins Now you are arc drawing near the end of your second days day's travel and also nearing the confluence of the Green and Colorado rivers After leaving the ruins on onI I the left the best bet for a camping spot is on the right about six miles down This spot is about three miles from the junction where a canyon comes in usually running water You I will know it by the Doble type walled mouth It Is possible at most times Imes to work a boat up In to the protected water for a quarter of a mile or more This canyon too is rich in Indian lore Rest here and enjoy yourself for truly the best is yet to come Fifteen minutes out of camp In the morning you will hit the junction of the rivers thundering and pounding in Here at the junction you see the Colorado Colorado Colorado Colo Colo- rado take the current and dominating dominating dominating domin domin- the flow This spot can be bevery bevery bevery very dangerous at times and if you are In any way underpowered ered keep to the left bank Five or six miles upstream you come to the slide If H tt is high highwater highwater highwater water it is a dangerous spot if there are logs and trash Inthe in inthe inthe the river you should beach and send one of the party to the higher ground to spot for or you Salt Wash Is the nex next canyon on your right a stretch of water particularly beautifully with big bit loops in the river and cliffs red and high Around these loops you you hit Indian Creek so named for forthe forthe forthe the lore and trails found in the early days now oil rigs just over ithe the rim Coming up the river you pass 1000 foot red palisades stripped with white you come into Lockhart Lockhart Lockhart Lock- Lock hart Basin a great cattle country country country coun coun- try and then into a honeycomb of rock formations always with a white cap Now here Is a sight gigantic and spectacular Dead Horse Point Youre You're Inthe in inthe inthe the home stretch the oil wells the Jug Handle the Billboards Billboards Billboards Bill Bill- boards Bull Canyon and out Into the Spanish Valley and then Moab I These last two days should I have cost you about three rolls of ot film Every bend Is jg different every bend and you want to take another shot It is a great feeling of satisfaction to master the river You have been out of this world and back Some tips on an the trip should b bo be included When in Green River go to the Green River Drug Store or to Halland's Texaco Texaco Texaco Tex Tex- aco Station and report that you are going down and what day and time you expect to return Ask too for water conditions Take plenty of food water and fuel When you reach Moab please report in person or by phone to Moab Boat Club Bob McKee phone 3 pr Chamber Chamb r of Commerce Mil phone 3 Hoping to be of further service service service ser ser- ser ser- vice we wish you HAPPY BOATING I If I t p I 1 t I LAST JUNE This was the start of the Class C Utility marathon marathon marathon mara mara- thon race held on the Colorado river last June and won by Arnold mold Feller Teller of Grand Junction This race which was viewed by several hundred people and brought boaters from Utah and Colorado gave ga rise to the belief bellef that a n mile mlle marathon between Green River and Moab could be successfully staged Although the forthcoming two river race Is' Is still nearly six months away enthusiasm is already running high Spearheaded by the Moab boat club The Grand Canyon Skippers the Moab Chamber of Commerce and the Green River Chamber of Commerce Commerce Commerce Com Com- merce the event which will be planned annually has been sanctioned by the American Power Boat Association and should draw water racing enthusiasts from all over the west Potential |