{"id":33910,"date":"2024-09-16T13:00:12","date_gmt":"2024-09-16T20:00:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/community.nrs.com\/duct-tape\/?p=33910"},"modified":"2024-09-05T06:47:03","modified_gmt":"2024-09-05T13:47:03","slug":"a-san-juan-spring-break","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/community.nrs.com\/duct-tape\/2024\/09\/16\/a-san-juan-spring-break\/","title":{"rendered":"A San Juan Spring Break"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cWe\u2019re canceling Lower Canyons.\u201d<\/p>\n

Though I had prepared for the worst, I didn\u2019t know the worst would actually come. We had been anxiously monitoring the water levels for weeks. A week prior to the trip, the senior guides\u2014who\u2019ve led Lower Canyons since before I was even born\u2014made the call. With flows so low, our trip would’ve been half-hiking, half-paddling, essentially a type three fun sufferfest. Still, canceling wasn\u2019t an easy decision. Canoeing the Lower Canyons of the Rio Grande<\/a> Wild and Scenic River has been the quintessential spring break trip hosted by Recreational Sports at The University of Texas at Austin for decades.<\/p>\n

Selfishly, I was saddened at not being able to lead this trip again, but the thirst for a river adventure was still in me. Quickly, I recalled an email I had gotten a month ago:<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you again for participating in the San Juan River Lottery 2024, and we encourage you to apply for the next lottery.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

I had applied for a San Juan River<\/a> permit for the high-use season in May as a potential trip before starting my summer internship. Fueled by cancellation adrenaline and a fervorous drive to make the most of my spring break, I started to scheme.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

What if we ran the San Juan? I knew that in the \u201880s, RecSports would run Lower Canyons in rafts, but times change. Canoeing had become the norm as the water supply dwindled, and now, there wasn\u2019t enough water for our canoes. I thought about the future of the water supply in the Big Bend region and the future of the Outdoor Recreation program. And I thought about the San Juan.<\/p>\n

And so, I, along with a couple of other University student guides, proposed this: The section from Mexican Hat to Clay Hills offers a Lower Canyons-esque experience with towering canyon walls and canoeable whitewater. Maybe the San Juan could serve as a backup if Lower Canyons were too low again in the future. Why don\u2019t we scout it and find out? With all that in mind, our director gave us the green light.<\/p>\n

On March 9, 2024, at 4:30 am, our crew of four set off in hopes of making our spring break one to remember. It would be my co-guide Lynna\u2019s last major adventure with our program before graduation. We joked about the makings of an epic adventure as we drove, flipping through the guidebook and trying to predict what the San Juan had in store for us. Our building excitement felt almost bittersweet. The Outdoor Recreation program had brought us together, yet once we all eventually graduate, the opportunity to have shared experiences like these becomes increasingly difficult. It\u2019s hard to say if we\u2019ll keep the same closeness we had while in school, but I know the memories we\u2019ve made will stay with us even if we\u2019re thousands of miles apart.<\/p>\n

For those who\u2019ve never road-tripped in Texas before, it\u2019s an experience. Road games, stories, Allsup’s stops and dreams for the future got us through the first thirteen hours. After a pit stop to camp at Bluewater Lake State Park in New Mexico, we brushed off the morning frost before continuing on our scenic way, posing for selfies and taking in the views during visits to Four Corners Monument, Goosenecks State Park overlooking the San Juan, Monument Valley, and lastly, Mexican Hat Rock. We pulled into the Valley of the Gods and set up camp for the night.<\/p>\n