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INTRODUCTION |
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For some people the "triple Ps" of permits, payments, and popularity on the San Juan might detract from an otherwise quality wilderness float. The voyage is presented as a sample trip because there is simply no better way to experience so much of the wild splendor of the complex, provided ample time is allowed for savoring the river gorge and a few of its remote side canyons. The average party takes six days to float from Sand Island to Clay Hills, but on one leisurely eight-day trip we all wished that it had been longer. The choices are to takeout at Mexican Hat 26.5 miles downstream or, preferably, to continue on for another 57 miles to Clay Hills, which is a remote takeout with no facilities. The river is equally suitable for rafts, kayaks, and canoes, depending on number of people, amount of gear, and river running experience. When planning a San Juan River float latch onto a permit and information packet from the BLM and then get a hold of San Juan Canyons, A River Runner's Guide by Baars and Stevenson, which has a detailed river log and maps. Permits are issued only through advance reservation to applicants at least 18 years old. Contact BLM, San Juan Resource Area, Box 7 (435 N. Main), Monticello, UT 84535, or call 801-587-2144 between 8 A.M. and 12 noon Mountain time, Monday through Friday. A launch reservation during the main season of April 1 through October 31 can be obtained by: (1) pre-season drawing (the best way to go); (2) post-drawing telephone reservation; or (3) post-drawing waiting list. The entire fee payment of $13 per person for floating Sand Island to Clay Hills must be received by the San Juan Resource Area at least 30 days before the launch date. Permits are also required for the non-fee season of November 1 through March 31 and are processed in the order of submission starting the first business day of the calendar year. The same limits and stipulations are in effect, some of which include no camping at the Butler Wash Petroglyph Site (mile 4.2), no trespassing on 1.7 miles of private land between the petroglyph panel and the River House Ruin, one-night camping limit at the five Slickhorn campsites and single Grand Gulch site, and no pets on river trips between Mexican Hat and Clay Hills. Remember also that the left side from the middle of the river south is on the Navajo Indian Reservation and that alcoholic beverages are prohibited. In order to hike and camp on the reservation apply for a permit at least three weeks in advance to: Navajo Parks and Recreation Dept., Box 9000, Window Rock, AZ 86515. Now, with permits firmly in hand, an equipment check at Sand Island by BLM, at least a week to let the world go by, and a thirst for adventure, you're ready to launch. Following is a bit of background and a few highlights to enhance your journey. The enchanting San Juan winds its twisting, deeply eroded path from southern Colorado's lofty San Juan Mountains, through New Mexico, where it pauses behind the Navajo Dam, and then rolls into Utah near Four Corners before ending at Lake Powell. Some of the river's strangest features are 3- to 8-foot high sand waves that suddenly break the surface and roll upstream during high water in the spring. These harmless but entertaining waves are caused by fast currents on the sandy bottom. Downstream from Bluff the river cuts dramatically through ancient sedimentary rocks and anticlines with walls up to 800 feet high. The first class III rapid (with 4-foot waves) is encountered at mile 11.5, followed by a rapid with 8-foot waves at mile 17.0 in the Narrows. This upper stretch parallels the 13,200-acre Sugarloaf roadless area on the north bank from Comb Wash to Mexican Hat. The country is distinguished by a huge river meander crowned by monumental 5,535-foot Sugarloaf Butte, which can be climbed southward from Utah Highway 163 for rarely seen vistas downriver. Mexican Hat is reached at mile 26.5, the last supply point during the next nearly 60 miles of wilderness waterway to Clay Hills. The famed gorge of the Goosenecks begins at mile 38 below the Second Narrows. The 139,800-acre Grand Gulch roadless area joins Glen Canyon National Recreation Area wildlands bordering the north shore from above John's Canyon all the way down to Clay Hills Crossing. Ross Rapids break the surface at mile 52.5. These and other rocky San Juan rapids are easy to negotiate by alert floaters, but having dumped a canoe on the San Juan we can attest that they are potentially hazardous. John's Canyon is bound by Cutler formation sandstone walls up to 1,000 feet high and can easily be hiked from its mouth. Don't miss the spellbinding multi-hued beauty of Slickhorn Canyon (mile 66.3 on the right). Slickhorn is extremely rugged, with Garden of Eden pools and waterfalls. The deepest canyon in Slickhorn is closest to the river. The 52-mile Grand Gulch enters below at mile 70.1 (on the right) with its treasure trove of intriguing side canyons, rock art, and Indian ruins. Although most people float the distance it is possible to hike the 4 miles along the river between Slickhorn and Grand Gulch. The San Juan drops an amazing 11.6 feet per mile through this part of the gorge compared with 8 feet per mile in the Grand Canyon. Sheer sedimentary walls are a cemented blend of sand, mud, and fossils. Crowded conditions in Grand Gulch can be reduced by hiking during the edge of the season in March or November. Lesser known side canyons also offer quality solitude, such as Steer Gulch and Whirlwind Draw (north shore) only a few miles upriver from the Clay Hills takeout. These lightly visited canyons toward the end prove the old adage that it ain't over till it's over.
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