# Ruby Horsethief - Memorial Day Weekend



## cdcfly (Jul 28, 2013)

Alright, I got a new raft 6 weeks ago and finally inflated it for the 1st time today. We were going to do the Arkansas BV milk run or camp and run the Moab daily this weekend, but the weather isn't the best for my 5 year old's first voyage.

Me, my wife, our almost 5 year old and our dog are thinking about doing Ruby Horsethief for our first trip on Memorial day weekend. I see a few camp site available, and I would be happy to pull a permit and get a small group together if someone wanted to join in on the trip. We could possibly run shuttle together and save the cost?

Is anyone interested in joining a green-horn and his family for a trip later this month? We got the basic gear and will be running the "tour d France" on a Huffy, but we are planning to have fun and wouldn't mind having some others with us to provide some limited guidance and positive reassurance.

I'll take honest opinions. If the Buzzards think I'm crazy for making this our first trip, please say so. Maybe we'd be better off on a simple day trip as planned on the milk run or in Moab.

Thanks


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## TapStyx (Aug 28, 2010)

Just keep an eye on the weather. RHT stretch should be a really nice experience for the family for your first outing and the camping with great views and some side canyon hikes would be a bonus.


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## Quiggle (Nov 18, 2012)

any of those trips would be great for a first trip. Ruby is an awesome mellow section 0 rapids just waves, the milk run is also awesome but not a multi day, however you could camp a ruby then run its again the next day. A little busy in the beginning for class II but still fun. Theres one river center boulder to move around but very simple at the end. I like the daily but you have to drive all the way out there then be road side which is a sweet backup plan but Id still vote Ruby horsetheif. Have a blast


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## snowjunkie (Jun 29, 2009)

We are planning the same trip launching on Friday the 23rd. I was going to use Rimrock Adventures for the shuttle ($90 and I don't have to worry about the truck and save time---seems worth it). Any thoughts on how the flows would affect black rocks camp sites, the rapid and the take out at Westy? I haven't been in there over 9000 cfs. The projection is for 12000-14000 cfs.


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## denali1322 (Jun 3, 2013)

cdcfly said:


> Alright, I got a new raft 6 weeks ago and finally inflated it for the 1st time today. We were going to do the Arkansas BV milk run or camp and run the Moab daily this weekend, but the weather isn't the best for my 5 year old's first voyage.
> 
> Me, my wife, our almost 5 year old and our dog are thinking about doing Ruby Horsethief for our first trip on Memorial day weekend. I see a few camp site available, and I would be happy to pull a permit and get a small group together if someone wanted to join in on the trip. We could possibly run shuttle together and save the cost?
> 
> ...


 I think this would be a nice first time trip. I did same thing 2 years ago for my first overnight family float. I would join you, but my frame is being worked on right now and I won't have it back by Memorial day weekend. At 12,000 and a 5 year old, would be nice to get a second boat with you, especially if you are new to this river rafting thing. Try to get away from the main crowd if camping at Black Rocks. I hear it can get really rowdy on holiday weekends.


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## cdcfly (Jul 28, 2013)

I chickened out. I really want to run an unknown trip (with no escape) even if it is easy, with another boat. We are still going to try and camp roadside and run the Moab Daily assuming I can escape from work. Otherwise it'll be day trip on the BV milk run. Thanks for the responses, but when I couldn't get someone to join, I bailed on the permit and decide to go another time with at least one more boat (who's been there) on a weekend which might see much less traffic on the river.


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## emptypockets (Apr 11, 2009)

I think everything is booked solid on Ruby Horsethief Sat night. Rocky Rapid on the Moab Daily is bigger than anything on RH. The Milk Run has cold, fast moving water this time of year. Middle July be real nice for the kid on RH. 100 degree days, 70 degree nights, 75 degree water... bring a few pool toys and a lot of cold beer.


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## GPP33 (May 22, 2004)

cdcfly said:


> I chickened out. I really want to run an unknown trip (with no escape) even if it is easy, with another boat. We are still going to try and camp roadside and run the Moab Daily assuming I can escape from work. Otherwise it'll be day trip on the BV milk run. Thanks for the responses, but when I couldn't get someone to join, I bailed on the permit and decide to go another time with at least one more boat (who's been there) on a weekend which might see much less traffic on the river.


I'm considering heading out there later this year once the temps are high and the water is warm. My girls ( six and eight ) would love to spend a couple days floating on pool toys.


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## cdcfly (Jul 28, 2013)

Cool. I'm gonna try and get there at least once. Let me know if you settle on a date.


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## boatdziner (Jul 7, 2005)

*I'll be in BV*

I am headed down to BV for the weekend with my wife and two daughters (6&9). We will probably do Milk Run or other runs each day if you end up in the area.

Dan


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## ihavenospit (Jun 14, 2010)

*ruby horsethief memorial weekend*

We will be there this weekend with another family. We will be in the 14ft red NRS with a fishing frame. Didn't a reply to the high flow question. I have always floated below 9000 cfs. Anybody know if this gets knarly at 15,000?
TJ


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## cdcfly (Jul 28, 2013)

boatdziner said:


> I am headed down to BV for the weekend with my wife and two daughters (6&9). We will probably do Milk Run or other runs each day if you end up in the area.
> 
> Dan


We might try that on Monday since the weather looks best that day. What's the shuttle status - is it best to get a shuttle from wilderness aware?

Thanks


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## denali1322 (Jun 3, 2013)

Does anyone know how many miles it is from Wilderness Aware put in to Ruby Mountain? I might come up this weekend to try out my new frame and would have my 10 year old so this stretch is perfect. However, I was thinking this was a really short run (< 5 miles, which would go really fast at 1800 or so). However, I have always run from BV ballfields to Fish bridge or from fish bridge to Hecla so I never paid attention to how long it was form WA to Ruby.


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## Quiggle (Nov 18, 2012)

denali1322 said:


> Does anyone know how many miles it is from Wilderness Aware put in to Ruby Mountain? I might come up this weekend to try out my new frame and would have my 10 year old so this stretch is perfect. However, I was thinking this was a really short run (< 5 miles, which would go really fast at 1800 or so). However, I have always run from BV ballfields to Fish bridge or from fish bridge to Hecla so I never paid attention to how long it was form WA to Ruby.


about 5 miles, we call it 4 to fisherman's bridge


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## MidMtnGurl (May 25, 2012)

ihavenospit said:


> We will be there this weekend with another family. We will be in the 14ft red NRS with a fishing frame. Didn't a reply to the high flow question. I have always floated below 9000 cfs. Anybody know if this gets knarly at 15,000?
> TJ


We just got off Ruby Horsethief yesterday (Thurs). We launched on Monday (5/19). Looks like the flow got up to around 16,700 our last day. Nothing knarly IMO and this was our first time running it above 7-8K. We had a 16' cataraft and an IK. Water is just really fast with big hunks of wood and trees flowing down it. The eddies at Black Rocks are strong swirls where it's the most constricted. Above Black Rocks, the little bit of a rapid that is normally there at lower water is washed out. Pretty sure we were floating along without much effort at 6-7 miles/hr.

Saw a small black bear just after leaving Knowles I camp on the left side. It was scrambling up the steep hillside.

Enjoy!


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