September 17, 2022 - Utah Flight
Green River - Desolation Canyon
Got up early, drove to the airport in the dark, and were on the ramp at daybreak.
   
Looks like we're gonna have a good weather day.
   
Chuck's RV-7A.  You bring a lot of stuff on a trip like this:  clothes, camping gear, emergency equipment, etc.  I was bringing most of the tools in my plane, for everyone's use if need be.
   
Mark's RV-8.  The RV-8's tend to look more organized, since all of their baggage carrying areas are in compartments.
   
Mugsy's RV-8.
   
We took off and transited towards the Dinosaur Monument area.
   
Brown's Park was covered in a low layer of fog.
   
Another view of Gates of Lodore.
   
 
   
Following the Green River through the Dinosaur National Monument again.
   
 
   
 
   
 
   
P26
   
The heart of Dinosaur National Monument.  Steamboat Rock is left center.
   
 
   
Closeup of Steamboat Rock.
   
You can really see the confluence of the Green River (from the top) and Yampa River (from the right) in this picture.
   
 
   
 
   
Continuing west down the Green River.
   
 
   
Entering Split Rock Canyon.
   
A nice shot of Split Rock Canyon.
   
Exiting Split Rock Canyon.
   
This time we will follow the Green River into the big valley.
   
Looking right at the area where they actually found the dinosaur fossils.  The Visitors Center and a Fossil Quarry Museum is in there somewhere.
   
Descending to the Green River.
   
 
   
There's very few flying opportunites better than flying the Green River through this big valley early in the morning when the winds are calm and the sun is lighting everything up.
   
Yanking and banking low on the river.
   
No civilization to worry about.
   
Shadow.
   
 
   
 
   
 
   
Rounding the bend over a sandbar.
   
 
   
 
   
 
   
 
   
The surrounding terrain starts to change.
   
 
   
Civilization!  It's a dirt boat ramp named Sand Wash launch Area at the end of a dirt road called Sand Wash, which runs parallel and north of Nine Mile Canyon Road and Nine Mile Creek.  I learned all this from Google Maps.  The interesting thing is Google Maps shows a dirt airstrip called Sand Wash Airstrip alongside Nine Mile Canyon Road and a short distance from the boat ramp pictured below.  This airstrip is not on the Sectional or listed in AirNav.com.
   
Pretty cliffs.
   
This is a very remote area.
   
The only green is where the river runs through.
   
Now we are entering what is known as Desolation Canyon, aptly named by the Powell expedition in 1869.
   
I have been through Desolation Canyon once before and know that it is navigable by airplane with no wires to worry about.
   
 
   
Each year during the spring, summer, and fall months, many boaters make the 83-mile trip through Desolation and Gray canyons from Sand Wash to Swasey's Rapid, just upstream of the city of Green River.  Over 60 named class two and three rapids challenge boaters, and the gradual increase in size and difficulty of rapids make it an ideal place for beginner to intermediate boaters to develop their skills.
   
 
   
 
   
 
   
The canyon walls got taller and redder, and covered with green scrub.
 
   
At its deepest point, a relief of over 5,000 feet exists from river level to the unseen rim of the Tavaputs Plateau.
   
At one point, I was heading towards a massive rock wall, but it was in the shadow and I couldn't really see it.  I knew it was there, though, and I made the next turn as close to the other side, clearly visible in the sun.  Even I was getting a little stressed so I was glad when Desolation finally began to open up and the canyon walls get lower.
   
 
   
At one point, we saw a Yellow Cub fly below us, right on the deck.  Must have been a local who really knew the river.
   
Almost at the end with the flat valley ahead in sight.
   
Passing by a large butte which guards the southern entrance to Desolation Canyon.
   
It's very dry when you get away from the river.
   
 
   
We emerged into the vast desert valley, and proceeded northwest direct to Huntington Municipal Airport (69V) for a break and refueling.
   
 
   
Passing by Cedar Mountain -- which is more like a large plateau -- on the left.
   
Very colorful.
   
That gateway through the rock below right is called "The Door".
   
There are so many remarkable formations in this area that even something like this doesn't have a name.
   
Huntington Muni Airport is visible at center.  Surprisingly, there are a couple of lakes in this area which explains the greenery.
   
Parked on the ramp at Huntington.  This is a nice little airport outside a very small town.  But the airport has self-serve fuel at a decent price, a courtesy car and a pilot lounge.  Hindsight being 20/20, we probably should have stayed here overnight instead of Price (Carbon County Airport) for reasons I will explain later.
   
You can also camp at this airport, by that shelter just to the right of my plane.  However, it's kind of out in the open, visible to everyone and not the ideal camping spot.
   
 
   
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