Cataract Canyon via the 'Doom Direct' route.

[mikesee]

I had a funny idea a few months ago: Colorado and Utah are at the low ebb of a 10-year drought cycle, meaning our trails are dessicated and our rivers low.

Thinking proactively, it occurred to me that this would be an *ideal* time to use fatbikes to access Cataract Canyon, taking advantage of the low flows therein to float it with packrafts.

Last weekend that's exactly what we did. The idea may have been mine, but the route was pure Doom, and we wouldn't have had half the laughs we did without Moe in the picture.

We rode from Cathedral Butte down to Bobby's Hole, stashing the bikes and hiking Cross Canyon past dark on the first night.

Second day we hiked upriver to Brown Betty rapids, putting in just below them in the interest of expediency: They didn't look hard or even that much fun, and we wanted all the daylight we could salvage for the later rapids that day. It took 'til nearly dark to finish the rapids, largely because we scouted bunches.

Third day we hiked straight up from the river (~2000' in the first mile) and followed Imperial Canyon back to where we intersected our outbound route. Back to the bikes early PM, then we rode til sunset to close the loop.



Video by Moe.

Incredible 3-day trip that I'll certainly be repeating.

Cheers,

MC

P.S. Tender ears alert--if profanity ain't your thing, mute it through the float!!

[nvphatty]

thats some good stuff.

[SJJ28]

Awesome!

[iamkeith]

Awesome! So who carried the groover?

[SJJ28]

Actually all your videos are AWESOME.. Autoplay FTW. Im hating living in Chicago now. Thanks!

[Drew Diller]

Good use of that song, it carried really well with some parts.

Profanity? That dude speaks my inner monologue.

[mikesee]

Awesome! So who carried the groover?

Two words: Wag bags.

[mikesee]

You know what makes me smile?

Getting neg repped for a 'passion' post like this one.

You know why it makes me smile?

Pity. For someone whose life is so miserable that they can't see a way out, can only hope to drag others down with them.

I'd help if I could, but you have to be willing to accept that you need it first...

MC

[sryanak]

You know what makes me smile?

Getting neg repped for a 'passion' post like this one.

You know why it makes me smile?

Pity. For someone whose life is so miserable that they can't see a way out, can only hope to drag others down with them.

I'd help if I could, but you have to be willing to accept that you need it first...

MC

Neg rep is an interesting activity. I've had a few posts where I deserved it but the one time I got it was when I truly was trying to be helpful. I guess it averages out in the end.

Keep the posts coming Mike, they are always entertaining and often inspiring. Thanks Steve

[coldbike]

Neg rep? This post made me want to go ride my fatbike and go rafting.
Must be jealousy. Or they accidentally hit the hate instead of the like button.
I would like to be in these posts, but if I can't then I still want to see them.

[ionsmuse]

P.S. Tender ears alert--if profanity ain't your thing, mute it through the float!!

I thought you were gonna eat it pretty good too. Nice save.

[mikesee]

I thought you were gonna eat it pretty good too. Nice save.

Wish I could take credit for what happened, but I was just along for the ride.

Still working on my vid from the 3-days out. For now, here's my view of *that* moment:

[mikesee]

On the ride in we had semi-hardpacked conditions, making me think the fatbikes were overkill.  But while we were hiking and floating there must have been lots of jeep/atv traffic through the Needles, because on our homeward ride the sand was deep and dry enough to warrant plump tires.  In short, they were neither necessary nor superfluous: They were simply convenient.

[ionsmuse]

Thought about neg repping (wtf did that come along?) because you're doing that while up here it's raining up to 6 or 7k, but decided against it.

[iamkeith]

You know what makes me smile?

Getting neg repped for a 'passion' post like this one.

You know why it makes me smile?

Pity. For someone whose life is so miserable that they can't see a way out, can only hope to drag others down with them.

I'd help if I could, but you have to be willing to accept that you need it first...

MC

Geesh. I hope it wasn't me who accidentally neg. repped you. If it was, please PM me. The only things I love more than mountain biking are whitewater rafting and the utah desert, so I've watched your video a couple of times now, inculding on my mobile device, and could have easily hit the little rep button on accident. But for the record: yeah, your life is better than mine at the moment, and I AM envious!

[SJJ28]

STILL so Sweet!!!!

[mikesee]

Thought about neg repping (wtf did that come along?) because you're doing that while up here it's raining up to 6 or 7k, but decided against it.

I think that's one of the few acceptable reasons *for* neg reps.

Ick.

[mikesee]

Geesh. I hope it wasn't me who accidentally neg. repped you. If it was, please PM me. The only things I love more than mountain biking are whitewater rafting and the utah desert, so I've watched your video a couple of times now, inculding on my mobile device, and could have easily hit the little rep button on accident. But for the record: yeah, your life is better than mine at the moment, and I AM envious!

The coward that did it knew what(s)he was doing--even added a quite nonsensical verbal jab to it.

[Bearbait]

Bravo!