Yampa Canyon

We'll meet around 11am on day 1 at GOALS world headquarters in Evergreen, CO (1250 Bergen Parkway, Suite B-220). Please arrive with a belly full of lunch. We’ll drive about 6 hours to our campsite at Deerlodge Camp in Dinosaur National Monument, where we spend the night before our river launch. Following a picnic dinner—and maybe some frisbee or yard games in the campsite—we will begin the GOALS curriculum around our first evening campfire, then settle in for a good night’s sleep—wondering what lies downstream.

The exceptional walls of Yampa Canyon begin towering above us just downstream of our launch—growing taller as we pass two small drainages—Disappointment Draw (river left) and Vale of Tears (river right). These historic names speak to the hardships that the region's early settlers faced. From this point forward, the river's gradient (and thereby speed) increases slightly. For those most interested in geology, the river crosses the Weber Limestone layer (about 280 million years old) that dips steeply at the canyon's entrance and flows through the Morgan (about 305 million years old) and Round Valley Limestone (about 310 million years old) formations—which form the canyon walls for the next 24 miles. There aren't many rapids on day 1 of the Yampa—so those who'd like to try paddling a ducky (inflatable kayak) can do so comfortably today—as we marvel at the way we're being enveloped by the walls that the free-flowing Yampa has carved throughout millions of years of time.

Day 3 of a Yampa expedition offers several class II and III rapids (Teepee, Little Joe, Five Springs, and Big Joe). Depending on the timing of our day, there is also a fantastic opportunity to hike from Harding Hole Camp to the Wagon Wheel Overlook—an incredible hike that leads from river level to the rim of the canyon, and provides an incredible view of the surrounding area. The chance to stretch our legs is always appreciated on river expeditions, as we spend time sitting and using our upper bodies to propel boats—but our legs deserve the chance to get a work out, too!

Today is a very exciting day—full of great hiking opportunities and the biggest rapid of the trip. Just downstream from camp, there's a short hike to "Signature Cave"—a large cave whose name is derived from the early river runners who left their signatures there—please don't feel compelled to leave your own. Another 8 miles downstream, we find Mantle Ranch—one of the last private inholdings within Dinosaur National Monument (the US government has acquired almost all others). Charles & Evelyn Mantle settled the property in 1919, and it remained in their family until someone from Rock Springs, WY bought it in 2004 for just over $6 million. The Mantle family and the NPS had argued for years over the property's value—and the NPS had never offered as much as half of what the property eventually sold for. Just past the ranch, we come to Mantle Cave—a large shelter cave rich in archaeological artifacts. Indigenous people used it as a storage site, but don't appear to have occupied the area. In 1989, the NPS stabilized the area and installed interpretive signs. Just a few miles further downstream, we come to the famous "Tiger Wall"—which should be kissed for good luck before navigating our largest rapid of the trip—"Warm Springs." Tonight's camp is likely just beyond warm springs, but before the confluence of the Yampa and Green Rivers in Echo Park.

Today, we'll confluence with the larger Green River—floating through Echo Park & imagining the awe that John Wesley Powell and his team of brave explorers must have felt when they first navigated the region in 1869. We'll learn about the proposed dam site in Echo Park that would have entirely altered the canyon's character, then we'll cross into Utah and—if time allows—enjoy a fantastic hike to some beautiful pictographs and a fantastic place to cool off—Ely Creek Falls. Our final night in the canyon will likely be spent in Island Park- where wide open skies allow indescribable star gazing opportunities, esp. since Dinosaur is certified as a Dark Sky Park.

Today, we’ll paddle through Rainbow Park and toward the exciting culmination of a Yampa expedition in the whitewater of Split Mountain Canyon. The speed of the river increases as we enter Split Mountain, taking on Moonshine, SOB, Schoolboy, and Inglesby rapids—one right after the next. Following a successful run through Inglesby, we’ll pull over for one last riverside lunch with our guide team, then float down to the Split Mountain take-out ramp. Our vehicles will be waiting for us there, and after helping our guides load gear onto the trailers, we’ll head for camp in Clifton, CO—dividing the drive home in half and allowing our team the chance to enjoy one final night together before parting ways.

This morning, we'll rise a bit later than we have been on the river—moving at a somewhat slower pace in order to soak up every last minute we get to spend together as a group. After morning coffee and breakfast in town, we'll hit the road—arriving back to "GOALS World Headquarters" in the early afternoon—likely sometime between 1 and 2pm. Our leaders will be in touch with updates from the road to provide parents with an accurate ETA / arrival time for pickup. Remember...don't cry because it's over—smile because it happened!!