A Fly Fishing Trip Becomes an Adventure

About a month ago, Jeff Stelzner, his brother Dan, Campbell, Ryan, and I set out for a fly fishing trip in the black canyon. It looked as though the weather was going to be very cold and rainy, but we went anyway.

We had to take Jeff's truck, because from what he remembered, we would need 4 wheel drive, especially if it was raining. On the way out there, as we traveled over the mountains, it was literally snowing. I started to wonder if I was well enough prepared for this trip, but was comforted when we descended in altitude and the snow turned to rain.

There is a 7 mile dirt road that leads to the trail head, but because of all the rain it was extremely muddy. Jeff drove the seven miles with extreme care. We were all nervously looking out the windshield. There were a few times when Jeff would turn the wheel and the truck would continue to go straight. Not a good thing when you're driving into a canyon.

We made it to the trail head (barely) and camped under some of the picnic shelters.Jeff's truck the next morning

It was wet, cold, and rainy but we all stayed dry. In the morning, we ate a quick breakfast, and set out for the bottom of the canyon.

From everything we could tell before the trip, the water levels in the river were going to be higher than normal. Maybe up to 2000 cubic feet/second where as 800 seems to be pretty normal. However, when we reached the bottom of the canyon, we quickly realized that it was more like 3500-4000cfs. The river was very high. In fact, the trail that we were going to follow up to the campsite was completely submerged.

We traveled up as far as we could, but eventually couldn't go any farther. Jeff had brought a small inflatable raft and some string (to pull it back) in case we'd need to cross the river. We decided to cross to the other side where there appeared to be a great campsite.

Inflating the boat

Each guy would get in the raft with his own backpack and cross the fast moving river. Jeff crossed the river with ease, laying on his back in the raft and paddling backwards. Dan had a more difficult time with that method, and as the string was exiting my hands, I had to quickly tie on section of rope so that it would reach the other side. In the end, we had to let go of the rope. To my surprise, the knot held, but even with two sections of rope, we didn't have enough for Dan to make it all the way across. In the end Jeff had to re-cross the river to bring us the boat.

When it was my turn to cross, I decided to lay on my stomach and paddle forward. Campbell and Ryan used the same method. We all made it to the other side swiftly and safely.

The fishing wasn't great, but just being down in the canyon was incredible. If I ever got frustrated with the fishing, I would just sit and take in the view. The canyon walls were 800-1000 feet above where I was standing. The river was a beautiful green color. It was simply amazing. It was pretty rainy at first, but cleared up as the day went on.

By the end of the day, I had somehow caught 2 fish. Everyone else caught one except for Ryan who had napped in the sun for most of the day. As far as I was concerned, the fishing was just a bonus to an already incredible experience.

Me in the black canyon

casting

The next day we woke up early and fished for a few hours before we needed to cross over the river and head back. We started crossing about 12.

I made it over much more easily than the first time, as did Ryan. Dan tried laying on his stomach this time. It was easier for him than the first time, but still difficult to make it across. Jeff was holding the rope on the other side and had to run down the river with the boat so that the rope wouldn't run out.

Jeff retrieving the boat after Ryan's crossing

By the time Dan made it over, Jeff had let out all the string and was into the rope that I had tied on during the last crossing experience.

Dan's crossing, Ryan and I on the other side

As Dan pushed the raft out into the river, the knot in the string and rope failed. We had never checked it. None of us thought we would need to. The raft started floating down river.

Jeff immediately took off after it, scrambling to the best of his ability down the side of the river. I did the same on my side. I was wearing waders, so I could jump into the water and trudge through. Jeff eventually came to an impasse, and jumped into the water. He realized it was futile, and headed back to the shore.

I continued on until I slipped on a rock (full speed) and banged my hip on another rock in the water. I decided that I was finished running, and would simply watch, hoping that the raft would get beached or stuck on something. To my dismay, I watched as the raft disappeared over the rapids. It was gone.

As it was, Ryan, Dan and I were on the correct side of the river. Campbell and Jeff were stuck on the other side. Now we were faced with the task of figuring out how to get Campbell and Jeff...and their backpacks...back to the proper side. I yelled out a few ideas, but for the most part it was up to them. They started brainstorming.

They decided to make a raft out of wood and thermarest sleeping pads.

Raft of wood and thermarest mattresses

As I waited for them to build the raft, I decided to move downstream. What was mere hours, seemed like days as I waited for them to execute their plan. I tried to think of any other way for them to cross but came up with nothing. The best I could do was wait downstream. That way if they lost hold of their gear, I could jump in to save it as a last line of defense.

I probably waited there for 30 minutes before Ryan started heading my way. As he neared me, he yelled something. I couldn't understand him over the rushing water. "What? I can't hear you..." I kept saying. Finally I heard him say "KAYAKERS!" and point towards the trail. I turned around but saw nothing. "WHERE?" I yelled. He answered but once again I couldn't make out what he was saying. I kept looking to where he was pointing but saw nothing. Finally, a flash of red came from behind some of the brush. Ryan was right, there were people over there. Kayakers. Maybe they could help. I put my waders back on and started making my way towards them.

I soon realized that they were only minutes away from paddling down the rapids. I had to run again. Rock scrambling, running through the water in my waders, and occasionally finding some solid ground. I was about 50 feet from where I could see the kayakers, when I slipped again (at full speed), this time banging my shin on a rock. I hobbled through the rest of the brush, and yelled to the kayakers, just as two of them were entering the rapids.

The other two paddled up to me. In between gasping breaths, I explained the situation. The young woman, asked the guy if he minded going down the rapids alone. He reluctantly agreed, and she agreed to help in whatever way she could.

She paddled up stream and Ryan directed her to Campbell and Jeff. I limped back to where Ryan was, and sat down. I could finally breathe. It seemed as though we had a solution to our problem.

More time passed. I didn't know what could be taking so long. I kept looking nervously upstream for some sign of something happening. I would have walked up there, but my shin was throbbing me. It felt like someone had hit it with a hammer. I was content in that I felt like my part in all of this was finished. I had done what I could.

As I saw the kayaker paddling across the river, I realized that they had tied their makeshift raft to the back of her kayak, and she was towing it across. In a burst of excitement, I ran back up to meet her on the other side of the river.

I helped her untie the gear, gratefully thanked her, and pulled out the video camera. I got some great footage as Campbell and Jeff dove in the freezing water and swam across.

We made our way to the trailhead and I took off my waders. Apparently when I had hit my shin, my knee had split open. The waders were fine, but my knee was bleeding and stuff was hanging out. No wonder it had been hurting so badly.

My knee after the injury

Jeff (an EMT) bandaged me up, and I hobbled my way up the trail with a 30 lb pack. Our adventure was over.