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