Desolation and Gray Canyons River Guide: Green River, Utah, 2003 Edition [Paperback]

Thomas G. Rampton (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 2003

A guide for raft and kayak people to the multiday trip down Desolation and Gray Canyons, on the Green River in Utah. For this third (2003) edition, all the maps were redone and improved. Rapids and camps are marked. Launch and take-out areas are detailed. Regional geology is described, as is a solo trip down the river. Ten pages of color topographic maps, 35 color photographs, eight B&W photos. From the introduction: "A guidebook should try to express how it feels to run the river."

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Tom Rampton has been floating western rivers since 1980. He is a former chemistry teacher who lives in the mountains of central Colorado and writes about adventures of discovery. Other books in print are Arkansas River Guide, and Vietnam in the Absence of War.

Product Details

• Paperback: 72 pages
• Publisher: Blacktail Enterprises (June 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0963479954
• ISBN-13: 978-0963479952
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.2 x 0.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #669,679 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Not the best guide., December 11, 2006

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rivertime (Jackson, WY United States) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Desolation and Gray Canyons River Guide: Green River, Utah, 2003 Edition (Paperback)

After our 2nd day on the river, we had to seriously wonder if Mr. Rampton had ever actually been down this stretch of river. The camps he had marked didn't exist, and we discovered some great areas never mentioned in the guide. I realize rivers change, but after using various guides for the Grand Canyon, Gates of Lodore, San Juan, Rogue and Snake Rivers, this 2003 edition was one of the most inacurate guides I'd ever had to use. Thank goodness others on our group had the older Belknap's guide and had actually been on the river before.

The color topo maps were nice, but printed on too large of a scale to be easy to follow. You also have to flip back and forth between the mile-by-mile description and the maps in the back, so the book binding takes a beating. Both front and back covers had fallen off before the end of the trip. The most entertaining part of the guide was by far the description of the author's solo trip entitled "Solitude". The narrative provided hours of laughter as we read and reread the passages and even expanded the story, using his crazy, descriptive style.... "Raindrops seemed like intelligent missles that would guide themselves through any opening...."

There's some good, basic info in this guide, but don't let it be the only resource you have.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Helpful guide, June 17, 2009

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MWM (Minnesota) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Desolation and Gray Canyons River Guide: Green River, Utah, 2003 Edition (Paperback)

I just returned from 8 days rafting on the Green River through Desolation and Gray Canyons. I found this guide fairly useful throughout the trip. While no guide can accurately describe what to expect on a river that is in a constant state of change, the guide provided surprisingly accurate information regarding what to expect at different rapids, areas of concern (ie. location of problematic rocks, holes, changes at different water levels, etc.). It is worth noting that the rapid known as "Cow Swim" has changed significantly since the guide was written. (the guide refers to this rapid as Joe Hutch Canyon but does reference the Cow Swim feature just past the rapid). Other than that, I found the information helpful.

One area that was not covered was the process of obtaining a Ute permit so that you can camp on the Ute side of the river. I don't actually know how it is done, but it can be done and is well worth doing to open up several very nice campsites on Ute territory. A member of my group obtained a Ute permit and we were able to camp at a couple of very nice sites which would have otherwise been off limits.

Also, there are many hikes along the way which are not mentioned, but definitely worth looking into. You can talk to the ranger at Sand Wash for more information.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Guide Book for Desolation\Grey Canyons, March 30, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Desolation and Gray Canyons River Guide: Green River, Utah, 2003 Edition (Paperback)

If you have purchased a river guide book or two in the past chances are you were disappointed. Mr. Ramptons book gives you just what you want; USGS maps with camps and rapids marked, hikes, history, geology all sprinkled in the right amounts.

Great color photos in this new version of the book as well. I have to say that Desolation Canyon is a terrible place, dont go there. I have been over a dozen times so I know what I am talking about :-)