A group of paddlers from DDRC and Adventure Club San Antonio, along with friends from California, Colorado and Illinois, will be going to the Lower Canyons of the Rio Grande for a 7-day wilderness expedition river trip over the Thanksgiving week. The trip will depart for Big Bend on Saturday, November 22, arriving late Saturday evening to camp overnight at the Stillwell Store Campground on FM 2627 in Brewster County. We will get shuttles from Stillwell Store to drive paddlers, boats and gear to Heath Canyon Ranch at the Gerstacker Bridge (now closed to all traffic) between Texas and La Linda, Mexico, where we will launch on Sunday morning.
We will paddle for three days, camping along the river, before stopping for a layover day at San Rocendo Canyon (Mexico) from Tuesday evening until Thursday morning, then paddle for another four days to John's Marina at Dryden Pass, where our vehicles will be waiting. At the end of the trip those who need to get back home for work on Monday, or other commitments, can depart immediately upon packing their vehicles. Others who wish to return on Monday (or later) can return to Stillwell Store or into Big Bend National Park (provided camping space is available) and camp overnight.
This is a rugged, wilderness expedition trip. Requirements for participation are as follows:
You MUST have wilderness expedition experience with demonstrated skills in paddling a fully-loaded canoe in Class III whitewater;
You MUST be able to carry all your own camping gear, as well as some of the community gear (kitchen, toilet system, etc.) and food on your canoe. Expect a load of at least 200-250 pounds plus paddler weight;
You SHOULD have Swiftwater Rescue and First Aid training, though neither is absolutely required. Several members of the group will have both. You should have a substantial First Aid kit with you in your boat;
You MUST have at least one extra paddle and one extra PFD in your boat. Bring along a plastic tarp that can be cut, and duct tape to secure it in making a spray cover to help shed water in the larger rapids;
Do NOT take cellphones or similar electronic communications equipment with you. Cellphones will not work, they take up space, add weight and are useless. Only satellite phones can be used, and we can rent one before heading out to Big Bend, sharing the cost between members of the group;
Take everything you need, but leave behind anything that you do not absolutely need! Your boat will be heavily loaded, and there is no extra room for unnecessary gear. We will determine what we need in the way of community gear, then assign each person the items they are to bring. You will definitely want a tent, ground pad, sleeping bag, camp chair, headlamp or flashlight, hat or cap, sunscreen, lip balm, camp clothing and dry shoes for wearing in camp;
If you pack it in, then you pack it out, regardless of its state when you leave. Only liquid waste may be left behind, and it should be put into the river, not on land;
Take clothing for hot, cold, wet and dry conditions - you NEVER know what Mother Nature will throw at you on a Lower Canyons trip;
All chores and duties in camp, including preparing the group Thanksgiving meal, cleaning up and managing the toilet system will be shared by all members of the group;
All trip expenses will be equally shared by participants except personal fuel and food expenses getting to and from the river;
Ride sharing to and from the river is strongly recommended. All vehicles should be high clearance, and 4-wheel drive is recommended, though not absolutely necessary. The drive out from the river to US Highway 90 at the end of the trip takes about 1.5 to 2.5 hours to go 21 miles over very unimproved desert ranch roads with hills, ruts, sharp rocks and other obstacles that make it impassible for a low clearance vehicle;
All vehicles should have a good condition spare tire (having two is recommended), lug wrench, can of Fix-a-Flat, 2 gallons of water, motor oil, transmission fluid, a funnel, a basic toolkit with wrenches and sockets, and other items that could be necessary for emergency repairs. This is no place to be broken down and inoperable!;
Take plenty of drinking water. The Rio Grande has heavy metal contamination that probably will NOT filter out regardless of how good you may think your water filtration system to be. If you hard freeze two 2.5 gallon water jugs and use then for refrigeration in your cooler, then you can drink that water after it melts, but carry additional water, as well;
This is mountain lion and black bear country! There is a current warning of a black bear with cubs in Big Bend National Park, and some trails and campsites are closed to the public. The bears may not know that they are supposed to only harass park visitors, so leave behind any fragrances including scented deodorant, toothpaste, mouthwash or other toiletry that may smell like food to bears and lions. For the record, I have made nine trips to the Rio Grande in the past five years alone, and have never seen either a bear or a lion, though I have seen evidence of both having been there recently. They will know that you are there long before you are aware of their presence. We will cover protocols for dealing with bear or lion sightings before beginning the trip. Pets are NOT ALLOWED by BBNP regulation, so please leave Fido at home;
Maximum group size for this trip is 20 people. PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS TRIP IS CLOSED! We have a group of 18 signed up to go, and alternates will be notified if openings become available. An Upper Canyons trip is being considered for early February, so if you cannot get in on this one, then that trip is one you might want to make. Be sure to reserve your space early - Rio Grande trips usually fill up fairly quickly!
The drive from Dallas is about 11-12 hours, and from San Antonio it is probably about 9-10 hours. We will have a mandatory pre-trip meeting to reiterate some basic considerations on the night before the trip. Let's plan on meeting at Stillwell Store no later than 7 PM so that we can set up camp and have a meeting before turning in for the night. There are limited supplies, including ice and gasoline at Stillwell Store, and it is the last opportunity for a shower and flush toilet before the trip ends.
Driving Directions from Dallas: (~ 542 miles)
IH 20 West to SH 18 South at Monahans (~ 388 miles)
SH 18 South to US Hwy. 385 South at Fort Stockton (~ 50 miles)
US Hwy. 385 South through Marathon (~ 58 miles) to FM 2627 (~ 39 miles), then left
FM 2627 to Stillwell Store (~ 7 miles)
Driving Directions from San Antonio: (~ 423 miles)
IH 10 West to US Hwy. 385 South at Fort Stockton (~ 320 miles)
US Hwy. 385 South through Marathon (~ 58 miles) to FM 2627 (~ 39 miles), then left
FM 2627 to Stillwell Store (~ 7 miles)
To participate in this trip please contact Marc McCord at canoeman@canoeman.com, or call 214-221-1290 (Nsyst Technologies Inc.). We need a general commitment ASAP, and a firm commitment no later than November 8, 2006. |
