Rafting in AZ during OCT-NOV?

[hulagu79]

Does anyone now a place to go rafting besides Grand Canyon in AZ during this season?
I am looking for level 2-4 type rivers with enough water flow. I heard about fossil springs but not sure if there is enough water there.
I am planning to rent the gear from hiking shack (30$ a day) Are there any other places that rents rafting boats?(not looking for hardshell kayaks)
Anyone interested with rafting can add me as a friend and maybe we can plan a trip together.

[azbackpackr]

Not happening in the fall. You can do a lot of flat water kayaking on various lakes, and all along the lower Colorado River below Hoover Dam, Davis Dam, Parker Dam, Palo Verde Dam, Imperial Dam, Laguna Dam, etc. But I have never heard of any one going white water rafting in the fall. There just isn't enough water. The lower Colorado begins to be fun for multiday flatwater trips with good current, in the fall, because the weather gets nicer down there!

Watch the river data website and you'll see:
http://waterdata.usgs.gov/az/nwis/current/?type=flow

Looking at this, I see that the Upper Salt River (Chrysotile), which has Class II to IV in the spring is now running at a disappointing 110 cfs. The lower Verde, discussed elsewhere, looks more promising, but people were saying you can't go along by the Indian reservation. The Lower Salt also looks promising, at over 900--at least you can float it at that level!

As you can see, it's only BELOW dams that these rivers have any cfs at all.

Now for the San Juan, Green, and upper Colorado Rivers, we have to go to Utah: http://waterdata.usgs.gov/ut/nwis/current/?type=flow Looks like the Green and Colorado Rivers are happening, but the San Juan is low, at 477. I don't know if you can kayak it at that level. I kayak the lower Colorado by downtown Yuma at that level and lower, but it's pretty shallow. If you hit a sandbar, you get out and wade!

In New Mexico, the Rio Grande and Rio Chama seem to be running at very modest levels, but may be floatable: http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nm/nwis/current/?type=flow

Right now, if I wanted to do a multiday trip, I'd put in above Blythe CA, below Parker Dam, and canoe/kayak to Squaw Lake CA, or Martinez Lake, AZ. Both lakes are just north of Yuma. It's over 125 miles of big flat water, with huge current, fluctuating daily between about 5,000 and 11,000 cubic feet per second. (Gotta irrigate all that lettuce!) Info from Yuma BLM: http://www.blm.gov/az/st/en/fo/yuma_field_office.html

Pretty good Lower Colorado River map with boat-in camping areas shown: http://www.fishnmap.com/catalogframe.php Punch in "Arizona" and "Lower Colorado River."

You can tell I'm daydreaming of this trip! It's popular with Boy Scouts, by the way. You'll see flotillas of Grumman aluminum canoes on the river at Thanksgiving, Christmas break and Washington's birthday weekend. They get their "50 Miles Afoot-Afloat" patch canoeing the river. Since most Arizonans don't acknowledge the Lower Colorado River region as being part of their state, most of the Scouts I've talked to are from California.

[PaleoRob]

San Juan at 477 in a raft, you'll be dragging it over gravel bars all the time.

[gringoantonio]

I don't think anyone in the entire valley, other than AHS, rents boats. I found a guy in Mesa or Chandler (can't remember which) who calls himself "Captain" something... who rents IKs out of his home. But not boats. And they're Aire Tomcats, which are nowhere in the same league (in terms of performance) as the NRS Maveriks you can get at AHS. Also, AHS has cheaper rates, better pumps and includes a dry bag with the rental. AHS is pretty much one of the best outdoor gear stores in AZ. Definitely the best in the valley. By far.

Right now, the Lower Verde below Bartlett Dam is at 611cfs, which is very fun for that stretch. Not really much whitewater, but it is very scenic and isolated. There's plenty of swimming holes, a rope swing, cliff jumps and even one small waterfall (more of a low head dam/rollover type of fall vs. a drop). Bartlett dam to Box Bar Rd. is about 7-8 miles. If you want to continue through the res, as far as I know you pretty much have to be friends with a tribal member. I have yet to find a way to get permission. If you can, I heard there's a fun class II rapid on the stretch through the res. Also, if you start at Bartlett, it's well over 20 miles to the Salt, so you can make it an over nighter.

If you're willing to drive to Moab, you can do the daily. You can rent a full setup at Canyon Voyages http://www.canyonvoyages.com/. They're super friendly and have the awesome setups and the best rates. I have no idea what the river is like right now, but if you call CV, they'll tell you. I went in July, when the river was at 22,000 cfs and had a blast. If you want to camp, check out Onion Creek. It's on river right (no car access) and has some great hiking in the maze of red rocks behind camp.

[gringoantonio]

Lower Verde is now at 920cfs!