HikeArizona.COM

If anyone is interested in joining me and several other folks, we're doing two day trips on the lower Colorado River, and a campout!

Friday Jan 24 you will have to get yourself to Yuma and camp or get a motel. If you contact me via private message, I may be able to help you with this part.

Sat Jan 25--We will meet at the upper parking lot above Gateway Park, by the bridges, at 7:00 a.m.. From 1st Street, turn north on Madison Avenue, going towards Hilton Garden Inn. Veer to the right to enter the parking lot for Gateway Park. We'll then begin the process of setting up shuttle. Note: we are NOT launching from Gateway Park. Kayak from Ollie's Beach, (below Laguna Dam) to West Wetlands Park, about 12-15 miles (with some current to pull you along).

Sat Jan 25--Camping at Squaw Lake Campground: http://www.blm.gov/az/st/en/prog/recrea ... round.html
(or nearby if campground is full. Lots of room in the area)

Sun Jan 26, 8 a.m. Squaw Lake to Colorado River paddle, pretty easy, need hard shell kayak. Meet at "car top boat ramp" at Squaw Lake Campground. We'll paddle across the lake to a side channel that parallels the Colorado river, go up that side channel, explore a bit. Then to an exit into the river. Float down the river to the main entrance of Squaw Lake, and back to boat ramp. We should be finished by about lunchtime. Last time I went: http://hikearizona.com/photoset=14169

You'll need to PM me if you are interested. I don't do a lot of handholding, but we do have a specific time and place we are meeting up on Saturday to start the shuttling of cars. Please, no blimpy inflatables on the Squaw Lake trip unless they are something like a Folbot. Blimpy inflatables probably okay on the Saturday trip because there is current.

I need my hand held.

Rental boats probably are going to be made available, if people need one.

We've got about 9 people (including the two organizers, myself and TrailHappy) signed up for this thing from three different groups. Rental kayaks are available for the first day only, via a participant who is also an outfitter from Bullhead City. She's doing only the first day, as far as I know. She wants $40 to include boat, gear and shuttle. We have tried to find other rentals in Yuma, but so far we find only those who have kayaks for taking people on tours.

Looks like great weather for this two-day event. We have about 13 people including myself and the other organizer. We can take a few more, though! Weather forecast is great, too. We have folks coming from San Diego, Yuma, Bullhead, Scottsdale and Tucson!

@azbackpackr
I realize this is an old post but I'm interested in finding out the exact site where you guys launched. Where exactly is Ollie's Beach? Do you have GPS coordinates or general directions?
Thanks

@LowelllH
I'm sure azbackpackr can give you all the details, but in the meantime, you might check out the triplog, photos, and GPS route she posted from that trip:
[ photoset ]

Thanks Chumbley, I just stumbled on the GPS coordinates at https://paddling.com/paddle/locations/o ... 37&zoom=14. The coordinates are 32.81371200, -114.51363100.
I didn't notice the GPS route she posted, but will check back on that. Thanks again.

@LowelllH
It's where the trailer park used to be, below Laguna Dam. However there's another place upriver from there we used this past November. I will try to get you some info when I'm on my laptop.

@chumley
Thanks. I'm without reliable internet this season.

@azbackpackr Thanks azbackpackr, Lowell

azbackpackr wrote:It's where the trailer park used to be

Uh-oh, those are officially geriatric directions. Don't feel bad, I absorbed directions in my mom's hometown from my grandparents, who spoke mainly in terms of landmarks that were gone before I was born. I could give a good historical tour of that place.

@big_load
@chumley