Virgin Narrows

Is anyone interested in running the Virgin Narrows? I have a very flexible schedule and would love to get down there while there is water. If interested reply or call. Bryan 435-655-1657

That's been on my list for a while, but I haven't done it before. Have you? I heard you have to put on at like 6 a.m. if you want there to be water on the top half. I could do any Monday/Tuesday and definitely can't do Friday/Saturdays, but let me know when you're going and I'll try to call off work or something. 801-910-6948

I really want to do this as well. I could do next Sunday or Monday if the flows cooperate.
Brighton
8o168o2six56

Hi Brightonb

Lets watch the flows and see if it is possible. It has to stay below six hundred for 24 hrs before they will issue a permit. Right now it seems to be bumping up to around 700 at night and then coming down to around five twenty during the day.

Also, I think I may have paddled with you up on the Murtaugh a couple of years ago. I went to Boise to buy a creek boat and then met up with you and a friend the next morning. I hope you are doing well.

Have a great one,

Bryan

I could be down for Sunday on the narrows... unless boxes/murtaugh happens this weekend

how about a Virgin narrows and Boxes weekend?
two of the most outrageously cool desert river gorges anywhere

i have the next 3 days off, did you guys ever go? it's down to 340 now, is that almost too low?

yes (we went yesterday) and yes 340 is pretty low. That being said, you want to look at the peak flow values, because if you do it right, you'll put on right you put on real early in the morning and get the higher flows (the way that river works, peaks are in the morning and the flow drops off throughout the day). but if you look at the history plot, we had about 450 yesterday when we put on and that was definitely on the low side until the deep creek confluence. I wouldn't want to go with much less (read: any less) water than we had...

Was there a lot of wood?

not bad. we portaged 9 (?) times before the confluence, and had a couple "almost" portages (a bit more water... or a bit less willingness to get up close and personal with logs in relatively mellow water).

Fairly quickly into the run there is a barbed wire fence across the river, which you obviously portage. Less obvious is that just a little bit further down there is a drop where the river kinda cuts off toward the left, and there is some woody debris... about halfway through this is a chest height metal cable strong across the river that made for some excitement. It's pretty hard to see from above.

I have to add a little excitement to Ben's report. Several in the group agree that this is one of the most amazing runs we have ever done. Easily. The non stop walls through much of the run are nothing short of mind blowing. The upper six miles were very bony, but for the first time in my life, I didn't mind that. Unlike the common perception, there was no hiking. Even though the latter half of the run doesn't have singularly tough rapids, only solid class 4 boaters should be in there. Lots can go wrong quickly. I took a bow to the crowds at the very end of the run after an outstanding hole ride. My boat decided to keep on putting on a show after I chose to opt out after several solo recirculations. I still was all smiles after such a great day.

sounds awesome! If anyone is ever down for a midweek trip, I would LOVE to go.