Notes

Mountain-climbing the Lower Salt River: An Patio Adventure Through Arizona's Lower Salt Lake Canyon
Experience majestic desert scenery, rich riparian nature and enjoy an exciting day of fantastic fun and out-of-doors adventure kayaking lower the Lower Salt River. Only a brief drive from Phoenix arizona, the Lower Salt River is some sort of very popular vacation spot for Arizonans buying a way to cool off with "tubing" a widely well-liked activity for many people in the course of the long, sizzling summer months. Nevertheless in case you consider on your own an outdoors explorer and you're willing to try a thing new, then I actually recommend taking some sort of day trip mountain-climbing down the More affordable Salt River. Even if you've never been kayaking before, the mild plus gentle Lower Salt River is the excellent place to start, even if you're a new beginner.

I acquired never been kayaking before but had wanted to try it out for a very long time. So if I heard of which there was obviously a nearby group the Scottsdale Sea and Skiing Club organizing the kayaking trip lower on the Salt River I quickly jumped on the particular opportunity and got authorized up at typically the discounted group level of only $60 which included the kayak rental equipment, shuttle service get transportation just as well as snack foods and beverages furnished by the club.

Starting up our day's trip early, we went out east through Phoenix on Way 202, exiting south west on Power Road which turns in to Bush Highway since it enters the Tonto National Woods. It's another 10 miles and soon you get there at Saguaro Pond. On the perfect just south associated with Saguaro Lake Riva, is Saguaro River Ranch & Holiday resort where we owned in, parked in addition to got prepared regarding our day's adventure kayaking down the Salt River. Down with the shoreline, believed our kayaks, place our life vests as well as were provided a map and the detailed overview of the trip through start to finish by Saguaro Pond Ranch. After the particular briefing we taken our kayaks and even paddles into typically the water's edge and quickly dropped in. Once everyone was safely launched in to the normal water, we were provided a "thumbs up" by our head and experienced mountain-climbing guide, Mike to begin our journey on down the river.

Like a first time beginning kayaker, this took me a little while to learn precisely how to use the double sided paddle correctly and effortlessly in order to steer my kayak. After only a new few short minutes of "bumper boats" and floating downstream sideways then backwards, I started capturing on and commenced feeling more comfortable, ready to work along with the velocity of typically the current while trying to keep my kayak directly, facing forward and away from trees and shrubs, reefs as effectively as other kayakers and people upon the river. Though we did reduce somebody from your party very in the beginning who else somehow must have gone down out and misplaced her kayak, for the rest involving our group, we all successfully began each of our exciting float lower the beautiful and scenic Salt Lake.

I'd describe the first portion of the particular river journey to be able to be oftimes be the most challenging element as this will be where a lot of the rapids are. I was busily taking lot's regarding pictures of every person kayaking as properly as the beautiful scenery when most of an unexpected I looked upward and realized I had already contacted Snake Rapids and even somehow got pulled into an turn in the river which caused the kayak to veer wildly into typically the rapids, headed direct for the dirt where it acquired lodged and trapped! After only a few short panicky moments with no one left to assist, I actually managed to get my kayak way up off the dirt then quickly paddled my way with the rest of the particular rapids to have found back up with the rest of typically the group again. Soon thereafter, we attained Blue Point Bridge and after picking up our lost kayaker, we pulled our own kayaks over to the shore regarding a short rest break in the picnic area where appetizers and beverages have been provided.

Following the brief break, we obtained back in our kayaks and were on the river as soon as again. From Azure Point Bridge the slows down plus the current is much milder. You will learn many more people by now because it is also a portion of the river distributed by the tubers, making for some sort of much more exciting social experience using kayakers and tubers mingling together and even enjoying the lake experience. As all of us continued to drift on down toward Sand Cliffs, we also passed by simply many people out and about fishing and picnicking along the shore incidents where giving their particular horses a cool down inside the normal water!

From Sand Cliffs the scenery proceeds to be totally breathtaking and following passing by departure point for the tubers, you will start to experience more peaceful and tranquility now on the water with the possibilities of encountering nature extra likely so be sure to keep your sight open and your camera ready. It was literally just within minutes that will I looked up to be able to the right shoreline and saw the Great Blue Heron! Blue Herons are very large, grayish/blue birds and typical in riparian variety habitats. I quickly snapped up a number of photos while drifting by.

After another regrouping stop, now at a rock and roll cliff on the river itself, many of us continued to kayak on past Coon Bluff until many of us had reached the final exit point, Phon D Sutton, Exit #2. We safely got away, pulled our kayaks up onto shoreline, then carried all of them up to the particular parking lot regarding loading by Saguaro Lake Ranch. Many of us then got into the shuttle van which had recently been waiting for us all and within 15 minutes we had came back at Saguaro Lake Ranch in which there were originally started out and where our cars were left. There were dropped in to the river at 9am and were finished by 2pm and last our cars by 3pm. The total time for the trip was 5 hours including stops and relaxation breaks along typically the way.

I highly recommend taking this particular short day trip which costs just $65 for the day with advance reservations at Saguaro Lake Ranch. You don't have to be an knowledgeable kayaker as typically the Salt River will be considered to get a great place to start if you're fresh to kayaking, like I was. Saguaro Lake Ranch will provide you the products rental, instruction, plus shuttle transportation back to your automobile from the end involving the trip. A person only need to be able to bring lot's associated with sunscreen and drinking water as it does acquire pretty hot simply by mid-afternoon as properly as your individual food or treats for lunch. Within all, it had been genuinely an amazing, thrilling day of outside fun, beauty and adventure which My partner and i plan on performing again sometime really soon!

Laura T. Halik is a writer and posted author with over 20 years experience of outdoors vacation throughout the point out of Arizona in addition to the western place. She is excited for nature, the outside, travel and adventure. Laura enjoys backpacking, canyoneering, white drinking water rafting, kayaking, scuba diving diving, snorkeling, writing, and photography. The girl is also the co-hiking leader and organizer in some sort of hiking and outdoor adventure club with regard to advanced and seasoned hikers.
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