More Moab Planning

Kayak Camping To-do list

Ultralight tent: must pack down small and be light weight --> or get bivvy sack --> more research
Tent foot print/tarp (have this)
Sleeping pad (have shitty one, friend letting me borrow hers)
Small folding chair (ask friend to borrow his?)
Cutting Board (have this)
Stove (have this)
Propane (have 2, may need to check if still good)
Spork (have this)
Camelpak/water bladder (have this)
Collapsible water bladder (2) 2 gal each?

Water filter (ask to borrow)
Water filter tabs (have this)
Bandana to filter water (have this)
Poop bucket/wag bags (or double doodie bags)

Trash bag
Ash pan
Headlamp (have this)
Spare paddle (see if borrow one)
Pelican case for diabetic supplies/money/IDs (have this)
Various sized dry bags (have friend will let me borrow)
Ultra small sleeping bag --> more research, mine is too big and only goes to 40F
Small pillow (have this)
GPS (ask if can borrow one)
Solar power for cell phone/photos --> research this
First Aid kit (have supplies, need to gather them together and put in Pelican case)
Re-activate SPOT finder
Mountain House meals
Paracord/rope to moor/anchor kayak and tie tarp
Hiking shoes
Trekking poles (also use as tarp stakes)

Camping/Hiking spots:
Put in @Mineral Bottom ~mp 52
Horsethief Canyon: mp 45.5
Fort Bottom (outlaw cabin): mp 40.5 --> hike
Queen Anne Bottom: mp 34.5 --> hike (across river is White Rim Trail)
Anderson Bottom: mp 31 (abandoned meander here)
Sphinx: mp 27.5 --> sight see
Turks Head: mp 24.5 to 21 (in meander) --> ruins here
Horse Canyon: mp 14.3 --> hike/rock scrabble/boulder
Jasper Canyon: mp 9.5 --> hike/ruins
Shot Canyon: mp 4.5 --> camp (last spot before confluence)
Past Confluence:
Mp 214.5 camping registry/sand channel to camp on
Spanish Bottom: mp 213 (busy) --> camping and hiking to The Doll House

Bivy Sack Reviews/Info:
https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/bivy-sack.html
Cottage Industry article: http://www.wildbackpacker.com/backpacking-gear/articles/the-cottage-industry/
OWARE products: http://shop.bivysack.com/Bivysacks_c2.htm
Titanium Goat: http://www.titaniumgoat.com/products.html

Badass tent!  $225: https://www.tarptent.com/protrail.html

Info provided by Tag-a-Long Expeditions in the reservation email they sent me:

Mileage Schedule:

RECOMMENDED DURATION IN DAYS TO MILES:

Green River

• Green River - Confluence; 120 miles 7-10 days
• Ruby Ranch -- Confluence; 97 miles 8-5 days
• Mineral Bottom - Confluence; 52 miles 3-6 days

Cash put in fees apply at Green River State Park ($4 per person) and Ruby Ranch ($5 per person, $10 per boat)

Colorado River

• Moab Dock - Confluence; 64 miles 3-6 days
• Potash - Confluence; 47 miles 3-6 days - The slide at mile 1.5 on the Colorado River may need portaging.

In planning your trip, consider that an average of 20 miles per day in a canoe is a good day on the river. Upstream breezes will affect your progress and speed down river. At low water stages the current speed approximates 2 to 4 miles per hour and high water stages may measure 7 to 10 miles per hour.

The Confluence

The Confluence is the Green and Colorado Rivers joining. USE EXTREME CAUTION WHEN CANOEING BELOW THE CONFLUENCE TO SPANISH BOTTOM. There may be dangerous whirlpools and eddies during various water levels throughout this stretch. The rapids of Cataract Canyon begin four miles below the Confluence of the Green and Colorado Rivers. DO NOT ENTER THE RAPIDS. The jet boat will locate you on a beach within these four miles. Be prepared to pass your bundled equipment onto the jet boat at the designated pick up time. Canoes and kayaks are loaded on a roof rack. Rafts must be taken apart and rolled up.

Helpful Planning

• Belknaps River Guide to Canyonlands National Park: $21.50, add $5.00 postage/handling or purchase upon arrival.
• River Guide to Canyonlands and Surrounding Area: $17.95, add $5 postage/handling, or purchase upon arrival.
• Check water levels: http://waterdata.usgs.gov/ut/nwis/rt .
• Weather history: http://www.wunderground.com/ Zip code (84532)

Drinking Water

A gallon of water or more per person for each day of your trip is recommended. The surest way to insure that drinking water is safe to consume is to bring your own. If your original supply of safe water runs out, river water may be used. Collect river water from the center of the main channel of the river and allow it to settle overnight. Treatment for killing or removing disease-causing organisms: boil river water for 3 minutes or utilize mechanical filtration plus chemical disaffection. Idea: Use settled river water for cooking, coffee or other hot beverages. Bring powdered drink mix, juice concentrates to mask chemically treated drinking water. Reserve your containers of safe water for hiking. 2 teaspoons of Aluminum Sulfate Powder mixed to 5 gallons river water will help settle sediment quicker. Warning: filters clog rapidly if water is not allowed to settle first.

Campsites

There are no designated campsites along the river. We recommend sandbar camping when water levels permit to minimize environmental impacts. Spring high water will erase traces of your occupancy. Practice Leave No Trace.

Toilet Systems

Your toilet system must be designed to empty into a sewer system like Recreational Vehicles utilize. Pack your toilet so it is readily available for day use, too. Burying is not permissible. Burning tissue is to be avoided. When hiking, contain tissue and feminine hygiene products in a zip-lock bag. Maintain a wet burlap bag atop the toilet to help reduce sun’s effect and gas build up.

We rent toilets. We clean our rental toilets upon return. We determine the size your group will need depending on the number of people and the number of days. Toilet paper is not included in the rental.

Fire Pan

Required whether you plan to build a fire or not. We rent fire pans. All ash and remains must be carried out with your trash. Be sure it is cool before you dump it in the trash bag!

Garbage – PACK IT IN • PACK IT OUT

Remove even the small scraps of food. Small scraps attract pesky ants, flies, and mice. Chip in and pack out extra debris others may have accidentally left behind. Consider separating organic trash and recyclable items. Canned drinks can be crushed after consumption to save space.

EMERGENCY EVACUATION

Hospitals are not immediately available to you in this wilderness area. Hiking away from the river can be dangerous. It requires adequate water, accurate maps, strong physical condition, and dessert-travel-on-foot-sensibility. Whistles are a great tool. Others in your group must know your plan and route. It is recommended to travel using the buddy system. Temperatures will soar crossing the desert. Do not complicate your situation adding lost or injured hikers to your original difficulty. Assess your situation to determine it is an emergency and not a whim or discomfort. THE COST FOR EVACUATION WILL BE EXPENSIVE. You may encounter park rangers on patrol and request assistance. Another option is to remain on the river and signal aircraft with a signal mirror or laying out a large “X” pattern on a visible-from-the-sky-surface. The “X” can be created with a weighted arrangement of orange-side-up life jackets or two international orange panels of plastic or fabric. Cell phones are unreliable in the canyons. Satellite phones are better. Do not depend on phones; have other plans too.

CARE

The Green & Colorado Rivers belong to the people of the United States. Recreational use can be harmful to the back-country. EVERYONE must do their part to take care of the land and related resources to continue to have the opportunity to enjoy it. Know the regulations, observe proper camping and hiking practices, do not add graffiti, and leave the back-country in a pristine condition with your passage. This is a wonderful legacy to leave for future generations.

Excellent trip report:http://wildernessvagabond.com/stillwater09/stillwater09.htm

Moab Trip Planning

You know what stresses me out most in life?  No, not being injured at work, which has a very high probability.  Money.  Money stresses me out so much to the point that I refuse to look at my bank account amount and as a result, tend to over draft.  My stress skyrockets every time I think about money and bills and not having enough to pay for the bills.  Today I now owe almost $150 in overdraft fees.  Wonderful.  And you know what sucks about that?  There was enough money in my savings account.  I do not understand why banks do not simply transfer the money (free of charge) from one account to the other.  I have two accounts for safety reasons (in case my debit card is lost or stolen).  But lately I am thinking that I should just have one account to avoid all these stupid overdraft fees.  I also wish my bank had alerts like the big banks I used to be a member of, to let me know when my account reached a certain level.  *sigh*  I really do hate money.

We live our lives working our asses off.  With little to no appreciation for what we do.  Only to earn barely enough money to survive on.  Yeah, I know I could go find a better paying job.  But after working this job for over six years, I still love what I do.  I know that I am making a difference.  Each day is different.  I am out, being active.  Educating and doling consequences as warranted.  I just wish jobs in the public sector paid accordingly.  I know that will not happen.  I know jobs like IT where you sit on your bum and have little job hazards yet have high demand will pay boatloads more than my job.  It is a capitalist society.  Demand and profit.  That’s what our society is based off of.  Blargh.  I can still bitch about it though, even though I know it will do no good.  I just get sad thinking I am never getting another promotion or raise ever again after working my bum off *cough aside from my 10yr anniversary cough*

But enough about that dreck and rant.  Now on to more exciting things.  Like planning my adventure to Moab next month.

My planned itinerary:
Saturday 05/21: leave for SLC after work (dep ~1800h-ish)
Sunday 05/22: mountain bike in SLC with Xterra friend.  Drive the rest of the way to Moab.  Check in to room in condo price-shared with friends (from all over U.S., Nissan-owning associates).  Check in to goneMOAB event (http://gonemoab.com/). ; Mingle.
Monday 05/23: Hells Revenge --> may skip this one and bike or kayak Colorado River instead (
Tues 05/24: Elephant Hill --> long day, go bike/run in the morning (bum fuck early, ugh)
Weds 05/25: Strike Ravine (trail leader)
Thurs 05/26: Sevenmile Rim --> already done this trail 2x.  Skip and do mountain bike day.
Fri 05/27: Steelbender
Sat 05/28: Take shuttle to put-in on Green River (either at Green River, UT or Mineral Bottom).
Sun 05/29: kayak Green River (15-20mi)
Mon 05/30: kayak Green River (15-20mi)
Tues 05/31: take out (either at Mineral Bottom or confluence with Colorado River- jet boat needed for this).  Drive to SLC, or….
Weds 06/01: take out this day and drive all the way home (10h drive)

[Labyrinth Canyon Mileage]

Note on River Use Stipulations as written by BLM for Labyrinth Canyon part of the Green River (http://www.blm.gov/ut/st/en/fo/moab/recreation/River_Recreation/LabyrinthCanyon/river_use.html):

1.  The permittee must allow rangers to inspect the permit and required equipment, and to orient the participants about river safety and etiquette. Upon request, the permittee must present the non-transferable permit along with a photo ID.
2.  The permit must list any sponsor, affiliated organization (e.g., scout troop, school, etc.) associated with the trip.
3.  The trip must be non-commercial. No person or organization may make money or increase their net worth as a result of this trip. No fees may be collected in excess of actual trip expenses.
4.  The permittee must have:
A. a group size of 25 or less,
B. a washable, leak-proof, reusable toilet system that allows for the carry-out and disposal of human feces via an authorized sewer system. The toilet(s) must be of adequate size for the group size and trip length, and
C. a durable metal fire pan at least 12-inches wide, with at least a 1.5 inch lip around the outer edge and sufficient to contain fire and remains. Fire pans must be carried on all overnight trips.
5.  There shall be a proper-size, serviceable Type I, II, III or V PFD readily available for each person.  Persons 12 years and under must wear their PFD at all times on the water.
6.  Each vessel shall have a spare means of propulsion. Low capacity vessels under 16-feet in length (kayaks, canoes, inflatable kayaks) carry spare paddles as follows:  1-3 vessels require 1 spare paddle, 4-6 vessels require 2 spare paddles, 7 to 9 vessels require 3 spare paddles, etc.
7.  A bailing bucket or bilge pump (does not apply to self-bailing boats, kayaks with spray skirts and inflatable kayaks).
8.  Each boat 16-feet long or longer must have immediately available a Type IV throwable PFD or a commercially made river throw bag with a minimum 40 feet of line.
9.  Adhere to the Utah Boating Act (Title 73, Chapter 18) including registration of motorized boats, required equipment, and operational requirements.
10.  The permittee must ensure that all trip participants:
A. carry all charcoal, fire ash, garbage, trash, human and pet feces out of the canyon. Leaving human or pet feces in the canyon, or dumping it into restrooms or trash receptacles at public facilities is prohibited. Gray water, strained free of solids, and urine should be discharged into the main stream of the river.
B. do not remove, damage or destroy archaeological, historical or ecological resources or mark or deface any rock surface, trees or other vegetation.
C. launch, travel (stay in visual contact), and camp together as a group.  Groups launching separately may not camp together if such action would result in more than 25 persons occupying a camp.
D. limit firewood gathering to river driftwood only and keep fully contained fires in the fire pan.

**Note to self: need to borrow the following items for this trip:

•         Dry bags for gear (esp sleeping bag and food)

•         Poop bucket

•         Ash pan

•         Extra paddle

•         GPS

•         Water filter
Need to activate my Spot Finder.
Need to buy solar mobile charger for phone.
Need to buy gloves to avoid blisters on hands from paddle.
Get permits from BLM (http://www.blm.gov/ut/st/en/fo/moab/recreation/River_Recreation/LabyrinthCanyon.html) and NPS (https://www.nps.gov/cany/planyourvisit/riverpermits.htm) $50????

I contacted the Tag-a-long Guides: http://tagalong.com/region/green-river/ to see about setting up a shuttle service and what their prices are.  I also asked them a boatload (*snicker*) of questions about the trip.  I also bought: Belknap's Waterproof Canyonlands River Guide All New Edition
by Buzz Belknap/Loie Belknap Evans
•         Paperback: 80 pages
•         Publisher: Westwater Books (April 15, 2013)
•         Language: English
•         ISBN-10: 0916370178
•         ISBN-13: 978-0916370176
Which is a pretty cool book.  I quite like it.  I also found a trip report on a paddling forum on the Green River in Labyrinth Canyon area: http://www.paddling.net/places/showReport.html?119

Map of the area: http://www.blm.gov/style/medialib/blm/ut/moab_fo/campgrounds/river_recreation.Par.74694.File.dat/LabyrinthCanyonRiverMap6.pdf
Mountain biking links to trails:
http://www.mtbproject.com/directory/8010576/moab
http://www.discovermoab.com/biking.htm
http://www.utahmountainbiking.com/trails/idx-moab.htm

My adventure buddy had to cancel on me.  So I am doing this event solo.  I am honestly not very comfortable mountain biking or kayaking so remotely by myself.  But I am not having any luck in finding a replacement.  I also cannot afford the room in the condo for the week by myself ($500).  I am REALLY hoping to find someone to bring along and help with the costs and share in my adventures.  I already posted on Facebook, the goneMOAB forum and Couchsurfing looking for a buddy.  Alas.  I feel that this monumental event of badassery shall be solo. :(  I will still do it no matter what.  Solo will not stop me.  It just means that less photos will be taken, and I shall have to be more conservative in my adventuring choices.  BOOOOOO!

Any takers?  Bueller?  Bueller?

Update!...a few months late

Two realisations occurred today (or at least in the last day):

1.       Last night it occurred to me that I had not showered in more than three days.  Now, this may not be anything significant, except for the fact that I have done a multitude of athletic activities in between the time since my last bathing experience.  It should also be mentioned that I was so busy during those unwashed days that it did not occur to me that I had forgotten to shower.  I guess it helps that I do not have a useable shower in my residence during non-sweltering summer months.  In all, it had been more than four days since my last shower before I did so again today.  In that time, I rock climbed, mountain biked 3x, ran and hiked a foothill peak (among other things).  I do not think I even smelled.  Score!

2.       As I was walking from the bathroom stall to the shower stall at work, being naked in doing so, I had a brief revelation.  There are mirrors across from the bathroom stalls, therefore I saw myself entirely naked exiting the stall.  Today, for the briefest of seconds, I did not recognize the person exiting the stall.  That naked woman.  That fit toned body.  That sun burned/tanned skin with hair completely askew.  The body sweaty sheened and covered in dirt from climbing Cervidae.  That was me!  I did not recognize my own nude body.  And that makes me ever so happy.  I have worked so hard to be so active and fit that sometimes I miss the changes to my body as a result of my lifestyle.  Yay!  I’m hot!

I make it a point to be as busy as possible on my days off.  I do not like idle time.  That is what sleep is for.  Most of my time is spent outside.  Usually doing some athletic type activity.  And I love it.  I also realized that I love my life.  I love the life I have created for myself and the way I lead it currently.  I am not so sure that I want to be in a relationship.  I have a very structured life.  Things are planned.  I go do things when and how I want.  My friends are my family and I love them dearly.  Do I have time for a significant other?  Sometimes I think not.  Unless he can keep up with my hectic lifestyle.  And I am not at the point in my life to give up those things or significantly alter them to fit someone in my life.  Huh.  I just want a physical buddy that can do fun athletic/adventuresome things with me.  But I have discovered that many men find that idea appealing but are not able to carry through with it.  I’m just too badass for the masses of single men out there.  And I am totally fine with that.  I can wait.

Since it has been so long since my last post…my apologies.  My internet completely died at home.  I have not turned on my computer in months.  I should update you on shit that I have done.

•         Zion Half Marathon (http://thezionhalf.com/): walked it since my leg was not totally run-able from my injury in Jan.

o   Went there with my adventure friend.  We arrived a day early.  Brought our mountain bikes and camped in Springdale, UT.  It was AWESOME!  We hiked Angel’s Landing (https://www.nps.gov/zion/learn/photosmultimedia/angels-landing-ehike.htm) the day after.  Biked around the park in the areas we were permitted to.  Hiked the Emerald Pools and other shorter hikes (https://www.nps.gov/zion/planyourvisit/hiking-in-zion.htm). ; I nearly pooed myself on Angel’s Landing.  That is a total mind fuck of a hike.  We hiked at Castle Rock State Park in Idaho on the way out of town.  And we biked Gooseberry Mesa on our way leaving Zion area.  Fantastic trip!!

•         Mountain Biking:  I bought a Haro DoublePeak Trail 29” tire hardtail mountain bike (https://www.harobikes.com/mtb/bikes/doublepeak-29/double-peak-trail-2015) before leaving for Zion.  Since then, I try to get on the trails at least 2x a week.  I have improved greatly in the last month.  I still have a looooooong way to go.  I already biffed it on my first real outing, hahaha!  I really enjoy mountain biking and am oh so thankful for living in an area that is so outdoor oriented for those kinds of activities.  I am excited to begin to understand the Ridge to Rivers trails layout and trail names.  It makes me feel kinda like a veteran of the foothills *snort/rolls eyes*.  I am really working hard on hill climbs.  Downhill still scares the shit out of me and I am not comfortable enough to really go fast or let my hands off from pressing the brakes the whole time.

•         Rock climbing:  I do not this activity as often as I would like.  Many of my climbing friends are either not really interested in doing it anymore, have drifted off from being common friends or life has distracted them too much to continue doing it.  I wish I still went multiple times a week, but I do not have a regular climbing friend any more.  This makes me sad as I really enjoy doing the activity and REALLY want to improve my outdoor climbing game.  I now go once a week with the poly guy I went on a date with back in February.  I’ve been friend zoned with him.  Which is fine.  But he’s also not an experienced climber, so I am not truly challenged as much as I would like.

•         Mountaineering: this activity is my main goal for this summer.  I would like to learn how to climb mountains in a safe and healthy manner.  I have a friend that has introduced me to an Idaho climbing group.  I have my first event with them in two weeks.  I am beyond elated for it.  I will not summit the peak (~11,400’) since I do not have the proper equipment (crampons, ice axe) or the experience to do it.  But I plan to go to base camp (~8,200’) and hike in that area to acclimate myself to that elevation and see how I handle exercise.  My ultimate goal is to summit Mt Borah, Idaho’s highest peak at ~12,669’ this year (http://www.idahoaclimbingguide.com/borah-guide/).

•         Race to Robie (http://robiecreek.com/): ; Yes, Friends, I am now a true Boisean.  I have accomplished this event.  I participated in the 39th annual Race to Robie half marathon.  I decided to do it the week before the event.  Bought a fellow RWBer’s bib that could not participate.  Fuck.  Fuckfuckfuck.  That event is not easy.  At all.  I ran the first 3-ish miles.  Then I power walked the shit out of the rest of the 8.5mi of incline (gain ~1,500-1,700’).  At mile 7, the road decided that it wanted to vastly increase its elevation…for the next 1.5mi.  Fuck.  Seven to 8.5mi nearly broke me.  I refused to stop.  My badass fast walk turned more glacial at that point.  But then I made it to 8.5mi and it was all downhill after that.  I ran the rest of that shit.  I made it to the top at 8.5mi @2h07m.  I crossed the finish line (sprinted the last 0.25mi) @3h03m --> 1864 or 2178 participants.  I am quite pleased with my performance.  I passed more people than passed me (in the back of the pack original start assumption).  So I felt super good about that.  Yay!
My results:
Place

Name

City

Bib No

Age

Gender

Rnk

Time

Pace

Rnk

Time

Pace

Back

Time

Time

Diff

Pace

1864

Melanie Barkalow

Nampa ID

2531

32

F

1856

2:06:28.7

14:44/M

1852

57:20.5

12:28/M

1:30:06.6

3:02:32.1

3:03:49.2

1:17.1

13:56/M