Gates of Lodore - Green River Rafting

Gates of Lodore on the Green River

My brother-in-law pulled the permit for May 11-15, 2023! Woot woot!!

THE CREW: 10 people BOAT 1: brother-in-law, sister-in-law + their 2 girls (ages 11 + 9) BOAT 2: father-in-law, father-in-laws brother BOAT 3: husband, myself + our 2 girls (ages 9 + 8) "Cuzzies" refers to the 4 girl cousins.

GEAR: 3 rafts (1 - 14' RMR and 2 - 15' Bris all pumped to 2-2.5 and floors to 2.5), 3 spare oars, 3 large coolers, 3 "day size" coolers, 4 tents (the cuzzies shared 1), 10 personal large dry bags, 12 life vests (1 extra adult size and 1 extra kid size), 10 helmets, 10 sets of splash gear (our family did Grundens bib pants (and jackets for the girls)), 10 pairs of neoprene gloves, 10 large water bottles (our family used Hydro Flask), 6 folding chairs, 2 hammocks, 1 major medical kit, 3 smaller medical kits, 3 boat repair kits, 3 air pumps, 2 groovers (rented), 2 rescue kits (Z-Drag kit), 3 throw bags, Fireside Outdoor pop-up fire pit with fire blanket, firewood (which we were glad to have in a couple campsites, but we did overpack), my brother-in-laws boat carried the required paperwork.

Boats at launch.

KITCHEN GEAR: 5 - 5 gallon water jugs (we were out of water the last day), 2 collapsible tables, 2 stoves, dutch oven, big pan with lid/spatula/tongs, french press, olive oil, 3 kitchen bins [personal dishes and utensils, dish drying bag, large mesh strainer, propane bottles, lighter, 2 washing bins/soap/scrubber, 3 rolls paper towels, coffee + cups, ground tarp, 5 large black trash bags (1 per day), cutting board and knife, ziplock bags].

MY PERSONAL DRY BAG: 1 sleeping bag, 1 sleeping pad, 1 pillow with silk pillowcase, 1 headlamp, 1 charging block (I took a ton of photos and videos), 2 swim suits, 1 baseball cap, 1 winter hat, 5 undies, 5 pairs cozy socks, 1 fleece zip up jacket, 1 rain jacket, 1 sweatshirt, 1 pair sweatpants, 2 tank tops, 2 t-shirts, 2 sun guard long sleeve shirts, 2 NRS sun guard dresses, 1 pair shorts, 4 pairs leggings, 1 pair sneakers, 1 pair sandals, 1 pair muck boots, 2 extra large ziplock bags (labeled! 1 for wet clothing, 1 for dirty clothes), Tylenol, 1 book, 1 journal, playing cards, deodorant, biodegradable body wipes, razor, face wipes, lotion, sunscreen, and bug repellent (never used).

SIDE NOTES: •Something that every single one of us said we wished we would have brought more of was a heavier duty hand lotion. Every day at camp our hands would be so dry and chapped.  •Our weather was fairly consistent every day...warm to start then cooled down with mild rain and windy. Then as the sun would set it would clear back up. We brought gear for blazing hot and also snow pants and snow jackets, but ended up leaving that all at the vehicles.  •I actually put all our clothes in ziplock bags which was really helpful!  •Some of the gear is required - be sure to check requirements as this was inspected at launch.

FOOD: Each boat was on their own for lunches. Our family had sandwiches, wraps, pasta salad, and snack foods! Snacks: chips, dried mangoes, trail mix, granola bars, pre-cut fruit

breakfast burrito prep then frozen

Day 1 Dinner: baby back ribs (pre-cooked just needed heated), baked beans, corn, cucumber/tomato/red onion/Italian dressing salad, lemon blueberry loaf with cherry sauce

Day 2 Breakfast: breakfast burritos and pre-cut fruit

Day 2 Dinner: chicken Cuban bowls

Day 3 Breakfast: pre-cooked potatoes and bacon with fried eggs on top *Would have been better to have the pre-made breakfast burritos!*

Day 3 Dinner: pulled pork sandwiches, coleslaw, pasta salad, carrots/cucumbers and homemade ranch dip, bbq chips, pineapple upside down cake in the dutch oven

Day 4 Breakfast: breakfast burritos

Day 4 Dinner: homemade hamburger helper, green beans, applesauce

Day 5 Breakfast: breakfast burritos

Day 5 Dinner: a restaurant in Vernal

RAFTING:

Day One [on the river]: LAUNCH DAY! The sheer vastness of the cliffs was incredibly breathtaking. The red rocks were endless that first day.

The river was bony, and rocks were extremely difficult to see until we were basically on top of them.

Our first stop was a muddy pullover just across the river where we launched. We did a quick steep incline jaunt in order to get close to a dead bull elk, whom we lovingly named Bruce. The smell was wretched and I didn’t take any photos because..gross.

A little later the cuzzies jumped out and skipped along a white sand beach.

The whole crew (all 10 of us) hopped out at Winnie’s Grotto.

The mud suctioned our shoes down deep. I spent a good 10 minutes washing our girls and my sandals and then we joined everyone but the two oldest gentleman for a hike to the grotto. There was some snow, a dead mouse, and a squeeze through a rock which required taking off my life vest to fit.

Our campsite was Pot Creek. Aww, camp that first night was magic. Right next to the loud rushing creek and Uncle Steve’s ribs that melted off the bone. A most lovely first day.

Winnie's Grotto

Pot Creek

Day Two [on the river]: I woke up at 4:30am, laid in my sleeping bag listening to the rushing creek and finally decided to emerge around 5:30am. I was the first one up (well out of the tents at least). I started coffee and built the fire. Breakfast burritos hit the spot! We tore down camp, loaded the boats, did a final walk around and we were off.

Lots of baby geese, more mud, a few rapids. River was still bony, and rocks were still hard to see. One rapid is called Hell’s Half Mile and Lucifer’s Rock got us. Zach’s oar launched out of its lock, the boat spun 180° and we proceeded to drop down the rapid, backwards with one oar! We lurched side to side, pinging off boulders into what felt like a waterfall. I was forced out of my seat, pushed the girls bodies down into the boat, and somehow we all stayed in. Thankfully the oar ring saved our oar and Zach was able to grab it once we were out of the rapids.

The book 'Down the Great Unknown' calls 'Hell's Half Mile' one of the most technical whitewater rapids...and I believe it! Even with scouting and watching two boats go before us we still had a heck of a time! Oof. But we were through the worst of it for that day. Or so we thought! Coming around a bend we saw Isaac trying to dislodge a stuck oar (that bent and broke), while they were pinned on a massive boulder. Eventually Meg and their girls climbed out of the boat and up on top of the large rock. My husband got us to shore, grabbed the rescue bag, and booked it down river to help. Isaac had got the boat off the rock and was pulling it back up river for his girls to climb back in, so rescue wasn't needed.

It was a wild day on the river.

Meg’s amazing Cuban Bowls for dinner were just what the crew needed to fill up after the long day.

Limestone was our campsite, which was much quieter so I had a rough time sleeping.

Limestone

Day Three [on the river]: My father-in-law was the first one up. I joined him by the fire, made coffee, and then once the other adults emerged from their tents I made my version of Trader’s Taters.

It’s hard to believe so much was packed into this day…the Yampa River merged in! Where the river had been bony, and we got stuck on a few rocks, now the water was moving much quicker with little interferences in our way.

We did a short hike up to some petroglyphs, and then went across the river and perused Echo Park. A few of us hiked to a “cave” and my oh my were their elk droppings everywhere! This whole day might be my most favorite landscape…Steamboat Rock towering above was not only impressive but utterly jaw-dropping!

The girls and I sang The Star Spangled Banner and some Christmas songs (the acoustics were better than the shower).

Headwinds and whirlpools before lunch.

Another stunning red rock canyon and then camp at Jones Hole.

I made pulled pork sandwiches with all the fixings. Meg made a pineapple upside down cake in the dutch oven for dessert.

I had massive anxiety this day/night and didn’t fall asleep until close to 5:30am.

Steamboat Rock

Echo Park

Jones Hole

Day Four [on the river]: I was the last adult up. The water was boiling and when it whistled I made the french press. Zach and I cooked the breakfast burritos I had made. It started raining and the wind really picked up. We moved the stoves to a sheltered area and finished cooking them. My sister-in-law said, “happy Mother’s Day, Nicole” and whoa! I had totally forgot. The cuzzies emerged from their tent clearly holding something behind their backs…the most lovely homemade cards.

Packed up camp, and onto the river we go!

A couple minutes after launch and we were in the biggest roller-rapids I’ve ever experienced! A few felt like we were on the ocean! Not only were we nose-diving but some waves came from the side which made the boat swoosh and lots of water spilled in.

Our campsite was only an hour away. The Cove welcomed us with blazing heat and little shade. I immediately set up our tent, sleeping pads, pillows, and sleeping bags. Gathered my razor and dipped for a shave.

A storm rolled in. Wind, rain, cold, and 15 minutes later it was gone.

Isaac, Meg, Zach, and I all took our girls on a 1/4 mile walk to a slot-ish canyon.

Meg made homemade hamburger helper, and the youngest three made a sugar charcuterie for dessert.

A lovely sunset and we were off to bed.

really cold + rainy

sugar charcuterie

The Cove

Day Five [on the river]: Final day! I was ready to have a real shower, but it was also bittersweet to be packing up camp for the last time. I think we all had our systems down at this point so breaking down camp went quickly.

We rafted past Island Park and stopped at Ruple Ranch where the girls found a snake. Then we rowed almost directly across the river to see the bison petroglyph. From there it was a lovely mellow float to Rainbow Park where we stopped for lunch.

The final 8 mile stretch was filled with huge whitewater rapids (class II + III). The first drop into Moonshine felt like the boat was on the ocean (we were later told we completely disappeared below the wave). And then it was on to the next and the next which they call “wave train” rapids. The raft was rolling up and down, over and through. Water came spilling in from the nose and sides. The girls and I held on tight as we hooted and hollered! It was the most thrilling stretch of river I’ve ever been on. And then it was over too soon and we took out at Split Mountain.

Ruple Ranch

Bison Petroglyph

Rainbow Park

Split Mountain - Take Out!

We unpacked the rafts, loaded boats onto the trailers, and drove out of Dinosaur National Monument and back to Vernal. To the hotel for showers and then spoiled ourselves with dinner at a restaurant.

So grateful for the experience of rafting the Gates of Lodore!