"Suddenly, and with a whoosh of brilliantly clear water, which my companions and I can feel as we go downriver, a great western river is reborn."
—S.C. Gwynne, The Lost River of Divine Reincarnation
"For all its obscurity, the Lower Pecos flows through one of the loveliest and most pristine landscapes in America."
—S.C. Gwynne, The Lost River of Divine Reincarnation
"The Lower Pecos is surrounded on all sides by private land. Landowners here are tolerant of camping, partly because they know how murderously difficult it would be to climb out of the canyon and trespass any further."
—S.C. Gwynne, The Lost River of Divine Reincarnation
"For every rapid we had to line or drag, there were ten that were both rollicking and relatively easy to run."
—S.C. Gwynne, The Lost River of Divine Reincarnation
"Who are we? A motley assemblage of middle-aged men, all looking for a bragging-rights adventure in the great American West."
—S.C. Gwynne, The Lost River of Divine Reincarnation
"There are hundreds of glyphs, many of them pure abstractions. There are handprints and bear paws and swirls that look like targets; there are carvings of atlatls everywhere."
—S.C. Gwynne, The Lost River of Divine Reincarnation
"No more than 40 people run the Lower Pecos each year."
—S.C. Gwynne, The Lost River of Divine Reincarnation
"The Pecos has a clarity matched only by its wild tropical color schemes, which would remind you of a corona beer commercial except that the colors are far more vivid."
—S.C. Gwynne, The Lost River of Divine Reincarnation
"For most of the 19th century, the Pecos was one of those western rivers that, whether you were driving cattle, running a wagon train, marching blue-coated soldiers, or riding with a Comanche war party, you had to cross it."
—S.C. Gwynne, The Lost River of Divine Reincarnation
"The Pecos at this water level is not a terribly dangerous river. And yet in these wilds, injury or even death can be quite a casual thing."
—S.C. Gwynne, The Lost River of Divine Reincarnation
Comments
Great srticle! I live in Fort Worth, love to float and just turned 60. This article really intrigues me and makes me want to plan the same trip. How can I get more specifics on the logistics that the author used and the places they slept and found water. How can I e-mail this article to my buddies as I attempt to get them to join me in planning such a trip?
Flag ThisGreat srticle! I live in Fort Worth, love to float and just turned 60. This article really intrigues me and makes me want to plan the same trip. How can I get more specifics on the logistics that the author used and the places they slept and found water. How can I e-mail this article to my buddies as I attempt to get them to join me in planning such a trip?
Flag ThisIncredible article. I have done this trip four times. It is tluy amazing and not something to be taken for granted.
Flag ThisAmazing article. I live in Grapevine, TX and have done this trip four times. The first time, I had to walk out through ranch land once I got close to Lake Amistad as my kayak had a hole worn through it due to the course limestone bottom which I got from having to walk it through low water levels. It is a beautiful place and one not to take lightly. Each trip has gotten better and there is alway an adventure to tell afterwards. As shown in the photos, it is easy to get a canoe pinned between rocks and on my third trip, my father and I cam close to having to walk out again when our canoe was pinned. However, I will continue to go back based on the solitude and beauty of this river.
Flag ThisAmazing article. I live in Grapevine, TX and have done this trip four times. The first time, I had to walk out through ranch land once I got close to Lake Amistad as my kayak had a hole worn through it due to the course limestone bottom which I got from having to walk it through low water levels. It is a beautiful place and one not to take lightly. Each trip has gotten better and there is always an adventure to tell afterwards. As shown in the photos, it is easy to get a canoe pinned between rocks and on my third trip, my father and I cam close to having to walk out again when our canoe was pinned. However, I will continue to go back based on the solitude and beauty of this river.
Flag ThisAmazing article. I live in Grapevine, TX and have done this trip four times. The first time, I had to walk out through ranch land once I got close to Lake Amistad as my kayak had a hole worn through it due to the course limestone bottom which I got from having to walk it through low water levels. It is a beautiful place and one not to take lightly. Each trip has gotten better and there is always an adventure to tell afterwards. As shown in the photos, it is easy to get a canoe pinned between rocks and on my third trip, my father and I cam close to having to walk out again when our canoe was pinned. However, I will continue to go back based on the solitude and beauty of this river.
Flag ThisAmazing article. I live in Grapevine, TX and have done this trip four times. The first time, I had to walk out through ranch land once I got close to Lake Amistad as my kayak had a hole worn through it due to the course limestone bottom which I got from having to walk it through low water levels. It is a beautiful place and one not to take lightly. Each trip has gotten better and there is always an adventure to tell afterwards. As shown in the photos, it is easy to get a canoe pinned between rocks and on my third trip, my father and I cam close to having to walk out again when our canoe was pinned. However, I will continue to go back based on the solitude and beauty of this river.
Flag ThisMade 7 trips on the Pecos. 1st time all the way to 90 bridge, solo canoes, single paddles. No, no. Now we paddle double paddles. Took out several times at Lewis (no shuttle help) Now have shuttle & will go all the way to 90. Gr8 trip, take more than 2 boats & lots of H2O. We found a few more springs along the way. Talked to a guy who got flooded in March '07. River rose 26 ft in a few hrs. Border Patrol choppered them out. Went back later for cached gear. Definitely not a first timer trip.
Flag ThisI'm from Illinois and I canoed this same section of the Lower Pecos in 2000. The article brings back great memories - the absence of light in the night sky, the solitude, dragging the canoes through the Flutes, wiping out on some of the difficult rapids. This journey is hard-earned and not for those that just want to relax. But you will remember this trip forever, because you have to work your way to the end (and getting towed to the finish is a cop-out).
Flag ThisGreat article (read the paper magazine version first). Don...I too live in Fort Worth and plan to make this trip later in the year with my 26 yr old son. You can find me on the Texas Fishing Forum (www.texasfishingforum.com), in the kayak section under the name B_Rod. Send me a PM and we can discuss the possibility of you joining us if you're serious about floating this magnificent river. I've not done this river before but have done some hardy kayak fishing expeditions including a four-day, 40 mile round trip from Amistad's Rough Canyon to the mouth of the Devils River and back.
Flag ThisGreat article (read the paper magazine version first). Don...I too live in Fort Worth and plan to make this trip later in the year with my 26 yr old son. You can find me on the Texas Fishing Forum (www.texasfishingforum.com), in the kayak section under the name B_Rod. Send me a PM and we can discuss the possibility of you joining us if you're serious about floating this magnificent river. I've not done this river before but have done some hardy kayak fishing expeditions including a four-day, 40 mile round trip from Amistad's Rough Canyon to the mouth of the Devils River and back.
Flag ThisFor information on this river visit http://southwestpaddler.com/docs/riogrande15.html. canoeman@canoeman.com
Flag ThisFor information on this river visit http://southwestpaddler.com/docs/riogrande15.html. canoeman@canoeman.com
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