Find myself without hope of drawing a spring or early summer San Juan River permit. The only chance is to reserve a late October launch when that opens up. Even that has become very iffy, but worked again for the second year in a row. Mike Watts, Mark Foster, David Solomon, and I drove up two days before the permit launch date. The plan was to do some exploring-hiking the day before the launch. Mike Bronson was already at Sand Island and joined the group that first evening. Two catarafts, one raft, one IK, and the home built 'Chick Magnet' made up the flotilla. We were hoping for at least 500 CFS but expecting 700. The snow beside the road through Flagstaff indicated we would have more than that. Flow peaked at ~7000 the day before the launch. We launched at 3500, second day was 4000, and takeout was 1900. It was fast and easy with water the look of thin concrete. I'll quote Mark Foster: "With the mud, the heavy dew, and the silt from the Juan, it was one of the slimiest river trips I've ever been on".

Camps were pre-launch two nights at Butler Wash, then Desecration and Lime Creek. We ran our own shuttle for two vehicles and Mike B had Valerie move his. The major hike was an unexpected stroll up to Procession Panel. Due to an unresolved lower leg clot for the last few months, I was incredibly out of shape. The hike just whipped me. Enough so that it along with the general effort required of a major river trip, brought the realization I am old and done. Maybe the last one. The commute just gets longer and longer. Thanks Mike for driving the entire return.

Weather was the expected nippy high-thirties for the most part but the surprise was just how pleasant the days were. And how heavy the night-time dew was. It was like a slow rain. The fall colors golden with the skies just spectacular as they were crystal clear. Just great lighting. Mark Foster added a photo trip report of his own. He and Mike Watts added any photos that I did not. His trip report can be found under Google Photos at: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4.