San Juan, anyone been past the Great Bend?

Status
Not open for further replies.
S

san juan

Member
I need to go up the San Juan about 32 miles. Was wondering is the lake is dry that far up. Last time I was there the silt was raising the lake bed 10' every year. IE I used to launch at Piaute Farms at 3673 feet. No can do anymore. Thanks for the response.
 
Sorry I have not been that far up for a long time. My guess is that you can get to Spencers Camp for sure and then perhaps Zahn Bay. But beyond that you should wait another month if you want to proceed further.
 
I will anxiously be awaiting a response from anyone familiar with this area, as I plan to be in Great Bane the second week of July. In the last few years the debris field has been so thick that boating has not been an option. I think that we used a jet ski 2 years ago, shut it off and paddled through debris, then fired it up again. We almost made it to Zahn Bay. It was a challenge though. I am hoping with the higher water this year that access farther up the river is better.
 
Just got back from the SJ. Wind was awful and the bay below the Great Bend was so green we turned around and headed for some shelter in Deep and Desha. The mudline extended into the bay at Cha by the time we left on Wednesday AM
 
PowellBride said:
Just got back from the SJ. Wind was awful and the bay below the Great Bend was so green we turned around and headed for some shelter in Deep and Desha. The mudline extended into the bay at Cha by the time we left on Wednesday AM
Click to expand...
This is not what I wanted to hear, but I appreciate your report. I will be there the second week of July, so hopefully some of this clears up.
 
I suspect that debris and drift wood will be everywhere in the upper SJ as the current lake is 8'+ over last years high water mark so every piece of wood and debris will be afloat. Tough sledding until the lake starts down again and gets blown to shore and gets stuck there.
Chuck
 
This is why we tough it out and wait till the end of August. Water clears up and lots of wood for camp fires.
Crowds are down too. Very few up the SJ after school starts. Not so hot. Storms are few but welcome for change.
I could go on and on. So many memories. YMMV.
 
Jimbo said:
This is why we tough it out and wait till the end of August. Water clears up and lots of wood for camp fires.
Crowds are down too. Very few up the SJ after school starts. Not so hot. Storms are few but welcome for change.
I could go on and on. So many memories. YMMV.
Click to expand...

Our thinking too. We're off the lake before Memorial day and back on after Labor day. South (of Bullfrog) in the Spring if good runoff and north in the fall.

GregC
 
As someone mention earlier, it will interesting to see the shore at high water line this year and the available camp
areas since so much vegetation has grown. Hope we can get some photos and feed back soon.
Seems like I recall that the water line drops 4 or 5 feet by the time we arrive a week before Labor Day.
Also. I think the SJ drainage had more snow fall than a lot recent/previous years that may make things interesting.
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top