​​In The Shadow of Longs Peak

Colorado River,  Ruby Horsethief Canyon

September 2006

Thursday, ​07 September 2006
We arrived around sunset and stayed at Highline Reservoir State Park;  We did not have reservations but we were about the only ones there.

Friday, September 08, 2006
We arrived at the Loma Boat Ramp at 8:30 or so and were packed and ready to do the shuttle at 10:00 AM, then on the water at 11:30 or so.  We were hiking up rattlesnake Canyon at 2:30 or so, after unloading the boats and setting up camp.  We hiked till 5 PM, without seeing the Arches.  The plan now is to come back and hike down from the top.  The weather was gloomy today and it did rain for a bit but the temperature was warm.  I did get a little cold while paddling and wished I had my gloves.

Saturday, September 09, 2006
We woke up to warm sunshine – life is good - and paddled away from camp at 11:10.  We reached Mee Canyon – 13.7 miles from Loma and 10.4 miles below Rattlesnake Canyon -- in 2 ½ hours or so at 1:45;  As a note, ½ mile past Rattlesnake Canyon, there is another camping spot called Bull Canyon that looked good.  Going downstream, Carol liked the look of the Lower Cottonwood stop.  Mee Canyon also looks like a nice camping spot and there is a trail that looks to be a good day hike.  We continued on and camped across from Macdonald Canyon.

Sunday, September 10, 2006
We paddled across and worked hard to get upstream to hike up MacDonald Canyon where there are a couple of very nice specimens of rock art.

From our last trip I remember Salt Creek – where the train comes in – is very very mucky, almost quick sand like, and definitely not a place to try going ashore.  Another note:  Black Rock camp site 6 looks to be the best of the Black Rock areas and best of all, it includes a cave for swimming…

​I do not have any photographs of this outing