Rio Grande Trips text

For some reason the text part of the last blog post did not appear on the blog; so I am splitting up the photos and text.  Here is the text:

Big news about the Rio Grande trips this winter. Bestselling author and legendary canoeist, Cliff Jacobson, is joining me on the first of my three Rio Grande trips. If you have ever wanted to see and hear Cliff uncensored this is your chance. He is an amazing man with lots of skills and lots of stories. I paddled the Upper Canyons of the Rio

Grande with hime five years ago, but this will be his first attempt at the Lower Canyons.  February 5-12, 2015.

The other two trips will follow.: Feb 15-22,  Feb 25-March 4

Here’s the plan:  Each trip is 8 days and 7 nights traveling every day and passing through spectacular canyons…warm, sunny, gentle rapids, hot springs, unusual birds, desert wilderness, safe, easy camping, archeology, slot canyon side hikes . My trip in 2013 was written up in the May/June 2013 issue of Sierra magazine.

We had two absolutely spectacular trips this past February. The first, 8 days of cobalt blue skies, 80+ degree days and excellent water levels. We saw two quail hunters and a fisherman on Day 1 after that, just desert wilderness solitude. The second trip had lower water levels but still plenty for canoeing and we did not see another soul the entire trip. Weather was cooler with one cloudy day and a frosty night but daytime highs usually reached the 70’s. February is the driest month in Big Bend Country with an average of less than a quarter inch of rainfall for the entire month. In 2013 we saw a mountain lion, javelina, desert bighorn sheep, wild burros and coatimundis. Last year: javelina, ringtail cats, coyotes and coatimundis. Also, we saw raptors and songbirds. Some of these birds are seldom seen elsewhere in the USA. I have yet to see a rattlesnake or scorpion on our trips, but we are careful campers. We discovered an ancient cave dwelling on the second trip this year with interesting artifacts.

The trip is suited for beginning paddlers and experienced wilderness travelers.  Paddling skills ran the gamut this year from expert to novice and we found pairings that worked very well. We did have a couple solo canoeists, but this year I hope to have everyone in tandem boats. The crews are usually mixed groups with friends, couples and people on their own. BI want to explain before I get into details that a trip with me is not a typical “guided trip”. I expect that, in many facets, of our adventure together, we will make group decisions and share in camp chores. This trip is an expedition not a vacation. As a result the crew bonds tight. I am a good friend with every person I have travelled with on my four trips down the Rio Grande.

We take a Minnesota approach, we don’t “float”, we paddle, and we don’t bring tables and chairs, coolers of beer and all the comforts of home. In fact, one objective is to eschew the comforts of home and embrace not barricade ourselves from wild nature. We will bring safety equipment, including a 2-way satellite transmitter. Similar to my Arctic expeditions we will be prudent about rapids and other hazards. This is an extremely remote place and I like “nonevents”. In other words, we will avoid taking risks that could put the success of our trip in jeopardy.

Unlike Outward Bound trips there are no contrived challenges, or structured instruction on an Uncommon Seminars expedition. We count on wild nature to provide the challenges and we learn experientially by sharing in our efforts at campcraft, paddling and navigation. There will be no “layover” days and we will work hard, but there will be time for self reflection, slot canyon hikes, birding and relaxation. I do have the capability to transmit our daily position home and I could include a spouse or friend of yours to receive location updates.

Deluxe tents, wholesome meals, comfortable canoes and all group gear is all included in the fee. Participants need only bring sleeping bags, personal gear and clothing. if you choose. I recommend a warm bag because nights are long and in the dry desert air the temp really drops after dark. A list of recommended clothing will be provided upon registration. Several paddlers chose to bring their own solo tents this year and others just slept beneath the stars. I am flexible about this.

The Rio Grande is a magnificent river and less traveled today than at any time in human history. It’s an opportunity to go back in time and the “feel” will be much more like 1915 than 2015! Do not mistake this section of the Rio Grande with the lawless corridor much further downstream. In 2012 we did see a few friendly Mexican cowboys on horseback. In 2013 we did not even see a footprint, this past year again we had the canyons to ourselves. Make no mistake, these are spectacular canyons, cliffs 1,000 feet or more rising out of the river!

Soak in idyllic hot springs. This is your chance to swim across the Rio Grande! Mesquite campfires…incredible stars, the Zodiacal Cloud…. it’s one of my favorite river trips anywhere.

If fall rains come and water levels are unseasonably high we will run the upper canyons along the border of Big Bend National Park. If water levels are medium to low, and this is far, far more likely, we will run the lower canyons which are spring-fed and always have enough water for canoes. I am 98% certain this will be a expedition through the 95 miles of the Lower Canyons.

We carry fresh water and replenish it at several beautiful springs along the route.  Because there are no significant portages we carry more fresh food than Boundary Waters or arctic trips.

Not a difficult trip, but we do paddle almost 100 miles in a week moving every day. People sleep well after a day of paddling through the desert.

I will carry a two-way satellite transmitter and, if you would like, friends and family back home can watch your progress on-line on Google Earth.

The fee for the first expedition with co-guide Cliff Jacobson is trip is $2195 the two subsequent expeditions are $1995 all inclusive,  I limit the size of these groups, because small groups move faster and have a lighter impact on the land. Many paddlers have described this trip as the best outdoor experience of their life.

We will leave early in the morning the first day. I strongly recommend that participants book a room Terlingua, Texas, the night before our trip begins. I may be able to arrange a discount for your room. It’s a classic and fun cowboy town, There are also campgrounds located nearby.  Accommodation the night before the trip, and breakfast on the first day of the trip are the responsibility of the participants. Vehicles can be safely left at our outfitter’s establishment. The trip fee includes transport back to your car. In the past, participants heading north or northeast from the end of our Lower Canyon trip chose to have their car shuttled to our take-out point. The cost of this shuttle is not included in the fee. Travel from your home to Terlingua is your responsibility usually I am able to help coordinate car pools from different areas of the country. This year we had one paddler from Holland. So transport is a little complicated but doable and economical – compare to the Arctic it is a cinch.

For more information or to register please call or e-mail me directly:

rob@robkesselring.com

952.432.8884

The trips are operated under a special use permit with a local outfitter and are fully insured and licensed. Uncommon Seminars LLC is an equal opportunity provider and employer. I am a certified commercial guide with the Big Bend National Park and a certified Wilderness First Responder. I am a USFS licensed guide in the Boundary Waters and a former Class B Guide in the Northwest Territories of Canada where I have led 17 Arctic expeditions. References available on request.

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