Buckskin/Paria Flooding Effects

Can anyone help provide a little more detail to this report from the Arizona BLM:

WARNING: There were multiple 50-100 year floods between April and November of 2010 through Buckskin Gulch, Wire Pass and Paria Canyon that have removed high water campsites, added obstructions (trees, stumps, or boulders) and changed the river bed. It is highly suggested your party brings rope in case you come across an obstruction that has not been mapped. Do not depend on high water campsites downstream from your location if anyone in your party is tired as the campsite may no longer exist; for example, the big campsite at the confluence of Wire Pass and Buckskin Gulch is gone as is the one across from the confluence. The only safe site remaining is the one further downstream from the confluence just before it narrows up again.

Are those campsites truly gone, or are they just not as high as before?

Going the first part of June and would love some condition reports.

Thanks,

I hiked down to the confluence of the buckskin/wirepass at the first of March this year and thought that you could camp on a sweet grassy ledge there... Not sure it this is the camp spot or not you're talking about as this was my first time there.

Here's a pic of the ledge:
Attachment 43709
Attachment 43710

Thanks, this answers the first question. By the wording in their post it sounds as though the campsite is gone at the confluence of Paria/Buckskin. Anyone know anything about that site?

I don't know if you count the tiny sandbar just north of the confluence on the Paria as a 'campsite' or not but I am sure with flooding it is gone. There are plenty of places to Bivy if you are not picky.. I would think that the campsite in Buckskin just before the Confluence is still there but some of the 'approved' sites along the Paria are not that big and a decent flood season could have easily taken them out..


In short.. don't be picky and just crash on one of the many sandbars :haha:

I just hiked down the upper Buckskin on Sat 23 and had lunch on the the campsite river right below Wire pass. Plenty of room to set a camp. Just a busy place on Easter weekend. Can't help you out on the Paria.

Thanks. DOSS, yeah, I'm not too picky and concerned about where we camp. It's called common sense. I just have a few noobies I'm taking down there and they're afraid they will have to cut off their arms to get out. I'm trying to assuage any fears and if I can make sure we're camping on somewhat higher ground it will lessen the potential paranoia that will come by camping on a sandbar.

I am assuming you are planning to hike wirepass to white house? If so I suggest planning on camping at the site just west of the confluence still in Buckskin.. if that area is gone then you will most likely be on small sandbars because that camp area is rather large. That will put you near some water seeps as well as what I think in the best place to camp along that route :) The next day just hike on out and enjoy :)

Wish I were planning a trip down buckskin in June - :crazy:

Oh and if you want to freak out your noobs the first time a plane flys over head in the evening yell and run for high ground saying it is a flash flood coming down the canyon :)

MJday
We did Wirepass to Lee's Ferry April 2-4 and posted a trip report. I posted a similar question and got sage advice from Ram: "It will be as it everwas," or something to that effect. Our trip was muddy thorough Buckskin, but in that first day day we made it from Wirepass to the campsite at the 10 mile mark on the Paria where the first fault is with generous flowing spring water. As others have noted here, there are camping options before reaching the paria confluence. If you go this route, carry plenty of water, settling the river water is a pain. Also on your last day for the hike out, get up early, it can be a scorcher! I usually carry 6 liters of water for the hike out and drink almost all of that. One other note, at that time of year the deerflies can be plentiful and a head net, long pants, long sleeve shirt, and repellant are very helpful to fight them off. YMMV.

Ken