Last of the San Juan (for now)

An overhang above the river where ancient people had built
a structure of stone, as they often did.

Sand-blown. It was rather windy on our first night.
This is how my bedroll looked in the morning. I don't
sleep in a tent if I can help it, but perhaps would have
if I'd known about this.....!

Mouth of Slickhorn Gulch from upstream

Pool in Slickhorn Gulch

Two rafts--my Hyside and Smiths' Adventurer

Detail, shoreline. Water and wet rocks.

Even More San Juan

Richard and Nancy Bob run Ross Rapid.

Richard and Nancy Bob Smith--this was
a three-person, two-boat trip.

Limestone detail

Government Rapid
Was this Shane? It was a different group.

Government Rapid. An easy run used to be on the
right here, against the cliff. But a landslide occured and
that route is now blocked. See the boulders that now
block the way. So you dodge rocks down the middle.

Beach near Eight Foot Rapid

Eight Foot Rapid seen from near our camp just below.

More San Juan River, July 2008

The "First Narrows" is just a little into the first canyon,
well before Eight Foot Rapid.

The highway bridge immediately after the Sand Island launch site.
This photo is out of order. Sorry about that. I'm working late.

The same rock wall as below, about a mile below the launch.

A multicolored wall soon after our launch.
The colors, of course, are from higher water on the rock.

Soon after we launched in the morning, two paragliders
(powered parachutes) flew upriver. The Bluff airport wasn't far away.
These guys were enjoying the river just like we were. I envied their
view. Maybe they were out flying before going to work. I did that
a lot when I had my Piper Tripacer.

About the San Juan Photos

The preceding three photos were taken this May along the nine miles of river, from the Sand Island launch to where the river enters the first canyon. These are the first few miles of a beautiful trip. On this day we got away early, making it even more beautiful.