Vegetation

I called it "Riparian Revenge."  The riparian vegetation has almost taken over the Verde River.  Willows are sticking their long limbs right out into your face.  Giant reeds are marching their jointed stems all across the river.  The reeds are even functionally blocking the river in at least one location.  The rapids are no longer the main hazard of the Verde River--the vegetation is.

The vegetation has reached the point where I would question the logic and sanity of attempting to take commercial passengers on this river.  The risk of injury has gone exponential since I last saw this stretch of river.  As anyone who runs rivers well knows, vegetation and strainers are killers.  Yes, you can die from foot entrapment or you can die by swimming too long in icy cold water but the vegetation and strainers will kill you quicker and faster and more certainly than any rapid ever could.  One slip up in a Sea of Strainers and you are toast.

I was absolutely amazed at the extent of the vegetation on the Verde River.  It's incredible.  If you don't have a guide like Dexter, there's no way to know the "rabbit holes" to get through some of the stuff.  Even with a guide like Dexter, just knowing which way to go isn't any guarantee of your safety.  I missed a run at Cold Water and wound up in a jungle of strainers and reeds and low hanging willow limbs.  It scared the living daylights out of me and I feared mightily for my personal safety and the gear I paddled.  I was so grateful to escape unharmed and intact from that harrowing area.  If I hadn't known how to handle those limbs, I am certain I would have wrapped the boat and possibly become pinned and injured or worse.My heart rate was higher upon escape than it's been in a really long time!

There are a lot of places where the unsuspecting, casual boater can get into trouble.  There are places that would be difficult and tricky for a full-size, heavily loaded raft to navigate.  One slot in particular is too narrow to row.  It's barely wide enough for a raft to slide through the reeds.  Meanwhile, there's a knarly root ball below this slot that required muscle and skill to miss.  It's a very scary place!

While the vegetation might have made this river much more difficult for river runners, it's a blessing for the creatures and just an absolute great gift for the revival of riparian resources in the Arizona desert. 

Dexter and his volunteers have been working for years to eradicate the tamarisk on this stretch of river.  They've done such a great job that it's difficult to spot a tammy anywhere unless you know where to look.
Meanwhile, the Forest Service was successful in getting the entire corridor adequately fenced.  Cattle are nowhere to be seen along the river.  They used to be thick as the flies that accompany them.  Now they are history.  What this means is that the cattle aren't munching down the willow and cottonwood shoots each spring.  The cattle aren't trampling down the reeds.  This has given free rein to the vegetation to take over.

We suspect the vegetation is one reason there aren't many people on the Verde.  We passed two wrapped and sunken expensive inflatable kayaks.  A canoer lost a well-rigged boat just above our first camp.  The vegetation is for real--it eats boats and it can eat people, too.  If you are heading down this river, be prepared for some hair-raising face-to-face confrontations with Riparian Revenge!