Loma to Westwater

[gringorio]

Hey ya'll,

Last month I did a float from Loma to Westwater - it was my first river trip on a raft (not first river trip ever) and it was a blast. The trip was organized by Friends of McInnis Canyons National Conservation Area and the BLM and the point for us 'volunteers' who signed on was to plant cottonwood tree saplings at Black Rocks campsite - an area where the BLM has done a lot of Tamarisk mitigation (cutting it down).

:naughty:
Enjoy!
Greg


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_5pnu0c-AQ

Photos:
Troy and Katie address all of us crazy volunteers, explaining why there is a need to plant cottonwoods and how to plant them in a way that gives them the best opportunity to become established:
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u317/WildMagnolia/Loma%20to%20Westwater%20October%202009/DSC_0339cottonwood.jpg

Troy demonstrates how to plant the Fremont cottonwood saplings:
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u317/WildMagnolia/Loma%20to%20Westwater%20October%202009/DSC_0346cottonwood.jpg

This is a sapling that was self-established on the beach where the nursery-grown saplings were also planted:
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u317/WildMagnolia/Loma%20to%20Westwater%20October%202009/DSC_0334cottonwood.jpg

A Fremont cottonwood sapling ready to be planted by volunteers:
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u317/WildMagnolia/Loma%20to%20Westwater%20October%202009/DSC_0337cottonwood.jpg

Volunteers spread out across the beach to plant the little saplings:
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u317/WildMagnolia/Loma%20to%20Westwater%20October%202009/DSC_0355cottenwood.jpg

Volunteers wish a freshly planted sapling the best of luck:
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u317/WildMagnolia/Loma%20to%20Westwater%20October%202009/DSC_0353cottonwood.jpg

Gearing up in the cold morning air:
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u317/WildMagnolia/Loma%20to%20Westwater%20October%202009/DSC_0247gearingup.jpg

On the river with beautiful fall colors and new friends:
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u317/WildMagnolia/Loma%20to%20Westwater%20October%202009/DSC_0280nowind.jpg

The wind began to blow, but it was still beautiful:
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u317/WildMagnolia/Loma%20to%20Westwater%20October%202009/DSC_0309onthewater.jpg

Some fall colors:
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u317/WildMagnolia/Loma%20to%20Westwater%20October%202009/DSC_0530falllayers.jpg

A bald eagle:
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u317/WildMagnolia/Loma%20to%20Westwater%20October%202009/DSC_0507BaldEagle-1.jpg

Approaching Black Rocks:
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u317/WildMagnolia/Loma%20to%20Westwater%20October%202009/DSC_0325blackrocks.jpg

Black Rocks:
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u317/WildMagnolia/Loma%20to%20Westwater%20October%202009/DSC_0411blackrockscamp.jpg

Funny plant:
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u317/WildMagnolia/Loma%20to%20Westwater%20October%202009/DSC_4857plant.jpg

Black Rocks Camp:
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u317/WildMagnolia/Loma%20to%20Westwater%20October%202009/DSC_0384blackrockscamp.jpg

A new cactus:
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u317/WildMagnolia/Loma%20to%20Westwater%20October%202009/DSC_4863cacti.jpg

Evening after dinner - jokes, beer, trains and fun company:
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u317/WildMagnolia/Loma%20to%20Westwater%20October%202009/DSC_0427firetrainblackrocks.jpg

Beaver sign:
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u317/WildMagnolia/Loma%20to%20Westwater%20October%202009/DSC_0529beaver.jpg

I lichen it!
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u317/WildMagnolia/Loma%20to%20Westwater%20October%202009/DSC_4865lichen.jpg

How to behave on the river:
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u317/WildMagnolia/Loma%20to%20Westwater%20October%202009/DSC_0236copy.jpg

Yellow fall flower:
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u317/WildMagnolia/Loma%20to%20Westwater%20October%202009/DSC_4856flower.jpg

[Sombeech]

Awesome. :2thumbs:

[Alex]

Awesome, I really enjoyed that stretch of the river!

[denaliguide]

horsethief and ruby canyons are beatiful. there used to be some good goose hunting there in the fall too.

[CarpeyBiggs]

thanks for the work on those cottonwoods. we saw the efforts a couple weeks later when we went through. hope they take root. :2thumbs:

[Alex]

Great video, I just saw it, brought back good memories.... I miss the river already :(

[gringorio]

Thanks everyone... Now that we are in the depths of winter I can hardly wait for the next 90 degree day, not that we had any on this short trip... For me rivers should be enjoyed on the hottest of days with topped-out cumulus clouds and blazing red sunsets...

:naughty:

greg