This was a much different trip than the ten-day Montezuma Creek to Clay Crossing earlier this spring. Low water, no wind, solo, and for most people, very hot. Being from Phoenix however, it was a chance to enjoy a cooler week. Picked up a cancellation from the BLM Monticello office (the new 2017 BLM web page). Could have actually done the entire regulated length but was short on time. Compared to the Mexican Hat shuttle, the Clay Crossing shuttle also eats up half a day.

This was a ruin-hunting/day-hiking type of trip using a JPW Cutthroat II to get from camp to camp. Did not calculate the number of hours on water, but they were minimal. Three or four on launch day, and roughly five on take out day. There are no pictures on day four (take out). Launched at seven AM and kept the oars in the water. Regret now I didn't take at least some photos of 8-foot rapid as this was the first time I had scouted it from the ledge on river right.

The rustic and very low-key Recapture Lodge served as the provider for both lodging and shuttle. The shuttle ran $35 and proved to be very quick at both ends. Took less than an hour from calling on arrival in Mexican Hat to the van being in sight. Only finished unrigging with five minutes to spare. Weather was essentially perfect in you can count the high ninties as not too hot.