SAN JUAN COUNTY, Utah — After two decades reporting on the dangers of heat (I began my career in the California desert), I found myself making some big mistakes and succumbing to some of those dangers myself on a recent long weekend river trip in San Juan County, Utah.
My three-day, two-night planned trip from Bluff to Mexican Hat looked like a breeze. I’ve canoed since I was a kid, and the challenges of the San Juan River didn’t look like they would pose a problem.
Overconfidence was my mistake and the 100+ degree heat took full advantage.
In the end, I lost my expensive electronic gear: a Garmin satellite messenger, my cell phone, and an e-reader.
That gear became a double-edged sword. I have the Garmin so my family can be assured I am safe on the solo trips I love. I should have kept them tied down in their dry bags. But I love playing with gear, so I had them out to send fun and friendly messages while on the river and they were the first things to disappear underwater when I swamped my canoe.
The consequence: my commitment to communicate forced me to decide between keeping my family in the dark or pushing to the end a day early. I chose the latter.
The funny thing: When I saw my phone and satellite messenger disappear into the silt, I wasn’t very upset. I was worried about my $50 paddle.
The comforting (though embarrassing) thing is that the other people on the river would have gotten me through if things had gotten a lot worse. I was mortified to be the person they were worried about, but while I seldom saw another soul, it was clear I was never alone.
It’s a bit painful to share the video; more than anything because seeing my detritus float down river goes against the wilderness ethic: take only pictures, leave only footprints. It’s an ethic I believe wholeheartedly, but one I betrayed in my lack of organization.
I did track down almost everything and I packed out some trash lost or discarded by other floaters, but I need to do better.
I’ll be back on the river as soon as possible. I made dumb mistakes and look forward to having great trips based on smarter choices.
