Pool toy

[Anton Solovyev]

Would this pool toy work for flat water, like Labyrinth Canyon?

http://www.amazon.com/Intex-58330EP-Explorer-200-Boat/dp/B000RZFBKW/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1400029269&sr=8-2&keywords=explorer+200

A $1000 for Alpacka is too expensive for now, that will come later.

How about Escalante? It would probably last half a mile? Yet, I know I can walk out at any point between Fence and Coyote (I have hiked about half of that stretch).

(we were planning to float Escalante as a part of Hayduke section hike, but had to postpone; the float idea refuses to go away)

[Mitchell Ebbott]

According to this thread you might get some good use out of a slightly higher end Intex raft, the Seahawk. Amazon has it for $50 with oars and a pump.

[Anton Solovyev]

Thanks! Seahawk is heavier and discontinued…

[Brendan Swihart]

A half mile is probably pretty accurate for how long that'd last on the Escalante. Not even worth the trouble to carry down to the water IMO. It'd fare better in Labyrinth, but failure would still be a pretty serious risk and bailing would be trickier. That section of the colorado would be hell to walk.

If you can't do an alpacka, I'd spring for one of the options from Flyweight designs, Supai, or Klymit. I'm no expert, but I've done a fair number of packrafting trips in Utah over the past year and a half and I'd say durability is pretty much the #1 requirement for canyon country packrafting.

[Anton Solovyev]

So, I floated from Fence canyon to Twentyfive Mile Wash (6 miles) in about 4 hours. Walked out back to Egypt trailhead the next day. Note to self: careful trusting Steve Allen books. They were researched so long ago (25 years?), that character of canyons have changed in some cases. 25 mile is a tamarisk fest now.

Punctured boat once by slamming on sharp branches sticking out of the side of the watercourse. The vinyl boat turned out to be pretty tough, considering that I dragged my butt on rocks dozens of times. Repaired with gorilla tape. With more water could have floated further. Sitting too low and getting spray from paddle inside was a main annoyance. Also, not being able to effectively paddle and navigate due to shallow water.

Was not half bad. Feeling the boat skip over little riffles was a lot of fun. Next year, with more water and a better boat. I'd post pictures, had a camera, but managed to forget the memory card.

The rest of the long weekend was walking fun in Coyote Gulch.

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