The Chute of Muddy Creek, Memorial day weekend

[plutacratic77]

Hey folks,

First post here! What an awesome site! Here's probably my first inquiry of many:

I'm heading down with some folks to do the Chute over Memorial Day weekend. From what I've gathered (mostly from Climb-Utah), the creek becomes daunting when flowing over 150 cfs, which makes perfect sense to me. But does anyone know exactly how difficult it becomes above 150? Is it impossible to do at that level (or higher)? I don't mind some swimming, we've got the gear to handle that. Or does the flow become too swift for passage without a kayak? I don't mind a challenge, but don't really want to get into anything dangerous. Right now it's flowing at 200 cfs. If it stays at that level by Memorial Day, should we find something else to do?

Many thanks!

[MPH]

I know people have floated it around 200 cfs...I do know someone trying to float it this weekend.

I have hiked the Chute numerous times and it is enjoyable when it is ankle to knee deep and you can hike/explore without the fear of being swept away:)

Personally, I think you should plan on floating it...or some other hike. If you are down in the area. Ramp and Cistern make a great loop hike.

[Iceaxe]

Right now it's flowing at 200 cfs. If it stays at that level by Memorial Day, should we find something else to do?

YES!

Or consider kayaking or tubing the river. But hiking it would be a bitch.

[plutacratic77]

Thanks for the replies. I'm not sure if the group will be into a float, so I'll look into the Ramp and Cistern suggestion.

[jhillock]

Just got back from Hidden Splendor. There was another group camped there that had kayaks with them and I am guessing they were kayaking the chute. Take that for what its worth....if its worth anything.

[canyoncaver]

We ran the Chute last year in boats and tubes at about 170cfs. I don't think you would want to try and hike it at those levels. It is a wall-to-wall river in a slot canyon. While in most places the water is not that deep, it is swift and brown so you can't see the rocks and deep holes. It would be much better to float it. If you did hike, you should wear pfd for when you inevitably get swept off your feet. This weekend it is likely to be above 200cfs.

There are three of us planning on running it one day this weekend and I know of another group of four that will be there. There are lots of people across Utah, Wyoming, and Colorado that are keeping a close eye on the Muddy Creek gauge right now.

[Iceaxe]

There are lots of people across Utah, Wyoming, and Colorado that are keeping a close eye on the Muddy Creek gauge right now.

When the Muddy hits good runnable levels it can see some traffic. I've witnessed approximately 100 boats or more run the Chute on a good Saturday.

[evanslowande]

Trying to put together a Muddy trip May 26 or after...looking for another boat or two to run from I 70 to Hanksville or the takeout by the Hidden Splendor Mine. Would like to spend as many days as possible. Also, does anyone know who might run a shuttle for the Muddy?

[ajroadtrips]

Last weekend several groups floated it. Saturday the gauge read around 160-180CFS, but we found seemingly much less. We ball parked it around 120, so perhaps some diversion is going on up stream, or our estimates were off.

We bailed part way in, but another group behind us continued in inflatables. It apparently took them until dark, with much boat dragging.

Up to about 200-250CFS, Cristina and I agreed we'd hike it with inner tubes, and plan on tubing the Chute proper, but hiking the rest. That would be a good way to do it.

At supposedly 160-180, we found ankle deep to knee deep for the first few miles.

[evanslowande]

Thank you for the trip report. We saw a couple of groups driving down the Hidden Splendor Mine Rd. with boats on their vehicles last weekend so we assumed that the level was OK...but it sounds like it was very low. The USGS site says that the Muddy is running at 354 cfs today and the NOAA prediction site says it will probably continue at that level for the next ten days. So we are going to try it either in our whitewater canoe or inflatables...not sure yet. If you're interested in joining us send us an email at evanslowande@msn.com. We are open to when we go but would like to spend at least 3-4 days and go the take-out below Hidden Splendor Mine Rd.

[Scott P]

We hiked it at 180 cfs (supposedly) one year in the 1990's. We were planning to canoe it, but there was too much boat dragging right off the bat so we hiked it (with life jackets). There was no swimming, but was some chest deep water. Luckily where it was deep, the water was also calm (this was several year ago though and things change!). We could have gotten away with canoeing it since once the canyon narrows, the water is deep enough.

We are thinking of giving it another try memorial day weekend (by boat), but it's just a thought.

[evanslowande]

Just got back from a 5 day float on the Muddy. It was great! The flows were very good. We started on Sunday pm at I 70 and took off on Thursday pm at Factory Butte Road. The river dropped a little every day but we still had enough water. We saw a lot of other boaters on the Chute section but only two other groups on the other sections. There is a shuttle service out of Hanksville for floating and hiking. She is experienced and did a great job. Her name is Irene and if you would like to have her phone contact let me know.

[CarpeyBiggs]

evanslowande - this demands a TR with photos dude. sounds awesome! :hail2thechief:

[ratagonia]

Just got back from a 5 day float on the Muddy. It was great! The flows were very good. We started on Sunday pm at I 70 and took off on Thursday pm at Factory Butte Road. The river dropped a little every day but we still had enough water. We saw a lot of other boaters on the Chute section but only two other groups on the other sections. There is a shuttle service out of Hanksville for floating and hiking. She is experienced and did a great job. Her name is Irene and if you would like to have her phone contact let me know.

Please post her phone/contact info here - I'm sure she would appreciate it.

Tom

[Petzl_Pretzel]

Hey folks,
...But does anyone know exactly how difficult it becomes above 150? Is it impossible to do at that level (or higher)? I don't mind some swimming, we've got the gear to handle that. Or does the flow become too swift for passage without a kayak? I don't mind a challenge, but don't really want to get into anything dangerous. Right now it's flowing at 200 cfs. If it stays at that level by Memorial Day, should we find something else to do?

Many thanks!

A close friend married to the former director of utah whitewater ran it (kayak) this past holiday weekend...said it was gnar... she also said they only run it every x number of years and the last time was 1996...so they'd been waiting a while for it to all come together... did you end up in there or somewhere else? just curios...

[evanslowande]

Please post her phone/contact info here - I'm sure she would appreciate it.

Tom

The cell number for Irene's Shuttle service out of Hanksville is: 307-690-5048 She runs shuttles for river runners, hikers etc. She is an experienced shuttle service provider and does a great job. We were very happy to find her.

[holstejohn]

Hey everyone, I'm new on the website and had a question for those who have been out on Muddy Creek recently:

Last fall I camped at Tomsich Butte and hiked down into the Chute and back. We wondered at the time if it was possible to float down the Chute, and low and behold it is (we just happened to get very lucky this year).

We were initially planning to just float down on innertubes this coming weekend, but I've noticed that in the last few days the gauge is running around 400 cfs. I'm wondering if anyone knows when the creek becomes unsafe for tubing and/or floating at all. My initial guess was that anything over 500 cfs would be unsafe for tubing, but I know that here in Boulder the creek closes to tubers at 700 cfs.

Any input would be great, especially from anyone who has been in the last two weeks (who I might also add, am quite jealous of!).

Thanks ahead of time for the help!
-John

[canyoncaver]

Hi John, welcome to Bogley!

My crew ran the Muddy over Memorial Day and we had so much fun we are looking at going again this weekend. This year we ran it in duckies and one-man rafts, but last year we had some hard boats and four dudes on tubes. It is definitely better to be up on something inflatable than tea-bagging on a tube but it is do-able. I don't want to comment on if tubing is safe at these levels, but we thought the tubes were reasonably safe last year at 170 or so cfs. In boats it kind of seems like the higher the better, but don't want to necessarily say that for tubes.

Here's what I will say for tubes:
Bring extra ones and have some way of blowing them up. Our 4 guys on tubes last year started with 6 tubes and ended with 3. One guy had to hike out the last three miles. I would bring one extra for each person. Wetsuits may be advisable for anyone in tubes. If it is hot out, you may not need them, but our guys were very happy to have them when the clouds rolled in and the sun was gone for the second half. The water is cold snowmelt. I would also advise building a wooden seat in each tube. (think circle of wood with radial holes lashed onto the tube with a rope) Otherwise there is a LOT of hitting your a$$ on rocks the whole way. Lifejackets would be mandatory by my standards.

I would try to get your hands on some inflatable kayaks if you can. If you can't, you would most likely survive on the tubes. I would wait to hear from someone that has tubed it at high levels before deciding.

[moabmatt]

We ran it yesterday and it's flowing nicely. The USGS gauge has been kinda screwy this spring with erratic cfs readings. The gage height readings, however, appear to be more consistent and are showing steadily rising flows. I'd say it was around 250-300 cfs yesterday. The forecast shows the flow to remain at this level for another couple weeks at least. http://www.cbrfc.noaa.gov/

Tubing would suck, in my opinion. There are many corners with overhanging brush that'd you'd likely get pushed into since tubes don't offer you much control. At the current level there are no real serious strainer issues to worry about, it'd just be really annoying.

[holstejohn]

Thanks for the info guys, we've changed plans and upgraded to some duckies, and plan to run from Tomsich Butte to Hidden Splendor on Sunday.

If anyone else is planning to run Muddy Creek this weekend, let me know (Still considering it canyoncaver?), I'd be interested in working out a shuttle system. Otherwise it looks like we might need to contact the shuttle service mentioned a few posts above or take two vehicles (last choice).

[canyoncaver]

We're still going but we're gonna run on Saturday and stay at Tomsich that night. So, I don't think that helps you out too much, sorry. We could offer a ride to the top on Sat. afternoon but that's about it. I wouldn't fret though, there should be other folks around that you could hit up. Plus, I think the mtn. bike option is only 16 miles or so. I thought if I had to bike it, there'd be a pretty good chance of getting a ride somewhere along the way. Good luck and let me know if we can help, we just don't want to drive to Hidden Splendor again on Sunday if we don't have to, some of our crew has got to get back home that afternoon.