# weird stuff at cisco, UT?



## yetigonecrazy (May 23, 2005)

Can anybody remember the name of the older thread about the weird stuff at the Cisco boat ramp? There was one thread recently with a Guy talking about disarming some yokel at the ramp, but I feel like that there was another thread a ways back before that that had more Cisco horror stories. I tried searching with various patterns but you wouldn't believe the number of posts with westwater questions. (Maybe we should sticky a post with all pertinent ww info for those too lazy to use the search bar?) Anyway, just curious if someone remembers the post name off the top of their head. Thanks!


----------



## paulk (Apr 24, 2006)

I think those people only come out at night. Like the Hills Have Eyes only with groover poisoning instead of radiation.


----------



## okieboater (Oct 19, 2004)

*advice when driving through Cisco*

Roll up windows,
Lock doors,
Do not stop
Drive thru the area 
Do not stop and never camp there.

You have been warned.


----------



## RiverCowboy (Mar 14, 2011)

Colorado concealed carry has reciprocity in Utah. Exercise said right in Cisco.


----------



## bobbuilds (May 12, 2007)

I am concerned now, We are paddling west water this weekend, and my plan was to have my wife hang out and relax at the take out.

she was going to relax, maybe sup at the take out.

Do i need to bring the hand gun? I've never seen a house out there, and there never seems to be people.

thoughts?


----------



## okieboater (Oct 19, 2004)

*For what it is worth*

It's not just WestWater Take out, it is any secluded take out 
and
it is not a slam against boaters, shuttle drivers or anybody else that might be in 
the area for what ever reason

If it was my wife or any female, I would not feel comfortable leaving them
alone in a secluded take out like Cisco Landing or any similar take out for that matter, but If I did I would be darn sure she had a reliable pistol, loaded and she knew how to aim and pull the trigger. If it was an automatic I would have extra clips and be sure she knew how to reload.

My advice would be have a pistol as listed above and not drive out there till you guys are scheduled to arrive. If you get there early and have to wait just keep some adult beverages in the cooler to help pass the time. 

Too much bad stuff going on these days to take even a small chance. Flame away, maybe I am too protective but I would not take the chance.


----------



## LSB (Mar 23, 2004)

Cisco always had a weird feel.
But I camped at the takeout almost everytime I ever ran WW in order to not be woken up all night at the putin.
Never had a problem from about 1990 - 2006.
In fact we used to joke about how we would get rich if we reopened the Cisco store and offered shuttle and tow out services like they do on the BWCA.


----------



## El Flaco (Nov 5, 2003)

I'd have her wait at Fish Ford for most of the day, then come up to the takeout when it's about time for you to arrive. There will be other recreation folks down there, big Cottonwoods for shade, decent camping too. Even a pit toilet, or at least there was a few years ago. Like Billy (LSB), I think the safety issue is way overblown. Cisco itself is not the takeout. The mutants probably never venture away from their tire-topped condemned housing; plenty of irradiated rats to feed on at night.


----------



## BCJ (Mar 3, 2008)

Pretty strange post.


----------



## coloradopaddler (Jun 16, 2005)

*Westwater take out*

Almost every time that I run Westwater we camp just upstream from the ramp. I mean just upstream in the big flat spot. Never had a problem. Never even see any one. Doesn't mean I'm not prepared for the situation but...


----------



## richp (Feb 27, 2005)

Hi,

There's the settlement of Cisco, and then there's the takeout at Cisco. Yeah, the town is odd, but it's miles from the river.

Despite its toilets and shade, in some ways, Fish Ford is even more remote than the takeout at Cisco. 

If you have any concerns about her safety while remaining down there at the Cisco takeout for a prolonged period of time, she can always hang out around the ranger station (toilets, water, shade, rangers, etc.) and then go down to Cisco about the time you expect to be pulling in.

FWIW.

Rich Phillips


----------



## peak (Apr 7, 2006)

yea, Cisco is a well known murderer hangout. at least a couple assaults/homicides there every year. haven't you read all the threads here on the Buzz about it? 

i'll be crossing WW off my list because the take out is SO dangerous... right.

so f-ed up: now that I NEED a gun to defend myself against the murderers at the Cisco take-out, Obama goes and makes them illegal!

W T F


----------



## paulk (Apr 24, 2006)

All I am sayin is that a pistol might not be enough to take these creatures out. They live off groover residue and the hopes and dreams of rafters in low water years like this one. Has anyone actually seen one of them? The answer is no. You have seen their horses and dark figures looming in that general store with the broken windows. Camp at your own risk, but know you are always only moments away from being eaten by cannibal mutants.


----------



## LSB (Mar 23, 2004)

NOW YOUR FREAKING ME OUT MAN.....


----------



## Jensjustduckie (Jun 29, 2007)

It'll be OK, I'll bring my dog so if any rabid-irradiated-cannibal-hippy-psycho-dungeating-people try to kill and eat me they will have her as an appetizer while I run away.

Can cannibal mutants even swim or do they just walk the bottom like zombies? The water should be pretty safe, I'll just stay on my SUP board until normal humans show up at the take out.


----------



## Melrose (Nov 2, 2005)

"My advice would be have a pistol as listed above and not drive out there till you guys are scheduled to arrive. If you get there early and have to wait just keep some adult beverages in the cooler to help pass the time."

So......your advice is to give her a quick lesson in handling a pistol then proceed to drink beer....nice  
I think I'm more scared of you


----------



## lmyers (Jun 10, 2008)

You don't need to worry about it Jen. You're not going to be there alone in the middle of the night. It should be daylight and the only others you are likely to see will be boaters. You will be fine. 

If there is any concern at all take Rich's advice and wait awhile at the put-in before heading down.


----------



## Jensjustduckie (Jun 29, 2007)

Thanks Logan, I'm not too concerned about the take out. The town itself has a Hills Have Eyes vibe but the take out isn't creepy, if anything I'll hang at the put in for the day to warm a bit then head down to the take out and gear up. Thank you for the sensible response


----------



## yetigonecrazy (May 23, 2005)

peak said:


> yhaven't you read all the threads here on the Buzz about it?


I have, and that's why I put out this post, to help find those threads again.

I'm still searching but still not having much luck. Again, the only one I can find is this one:

Is it OK to camp at Cisco?

Still looking for that elusive first post (maybe from 2009ish?) with the rest of the weird Cisco tales...


----------



## okieboater (Oct 19, 2004)

*for what it is worth*

So......your advice is to give her a quick lesson in handling a pistol then proceed to drink beer....nice  
I think I'm more scared of you

Every one is entitled to their own opinion but not the facts when reading message board posts. I respect your opinion. Maybe I should have posted more detail opinion on my part. Here goes:

I did not say give her a quick lesson. I said make sure she knows how to aim and pull the trigger. Some people catch on fast others take longer If I was doing the training I would match training to the person until they understood safe pistol handling and could consistently aim and hit a target. My recommendation is take training at a certified commercial gun range or hunting club that offers fire arm courses and follow up the initial training with periodic sessions (what ever is required) to be safe with the fire arm and ability to know how and when to operate the firearm. This is a choice and some would do this while others would not. Some take out locations are safer than others and that is also a personal decision as to what resources make people feel safe.

I said have adult beverages to help pass the time. I did not say every body get falling down drunk on beer or anything else while waiting for the shuttle. If that is what a person does when they drink adult beverages or whatever, don't worry about me as I will for sure stay out of their way to the best of my ability.

Personal safety is something every one gets to decide for themselves. Local laws apply. For me, I want to make sure if I leave a friend alone in some out of the way spot, they have the resources they are comfortable with to help them protect themselves if the unthinkable does happen.


----------



## lmyers (Jun 10, 2008)

yetigonecrazy said:


> I have, and that's why I put out this post, to help find those threads again.
> 
> I'm still searching but still not having much luck. Again, the only one I can find is this one:
> 
> ...


This was the only weird Cisco thread I could find with the search:

http://www.mountainbuzz.com/forums/f11/occupy-cisco-who-knew-40386.html

something like 250 threads with the word Cisco in it....


----------



## brendodendo (Jul 18, 2004)

the "berg" of cisco is a really unusual place. I always think the light is so cool looking on all the weird and colorful things. 

Back when the general store was open, they had a camera on the stop sign and used to yell at people that blew threw it from the porch of the store.

We did a trip in October 2011 and there was a "local" father and son who had about 15 #5 soccer balls lined up along the west side of the road. They were working on something, but every time a car drove down the road that they judged was going to fast, they would kick a ball or two at it.


----------



## Canada (Oct 24, 2006)

I've camped there alot. I've hung out there while waiting for hung over friends to show up. I've never been approached by anyone but other boaters, or guests of the commercial trips. There are some cows sometimes and they can keep you awake at night. 

The only strange thing I have ever had happen was to witness some guys on the the other side of the river shot some Turkey's out of season.


----------



## Gremlin (Jun 24, 2010)

I haven't explored the old gas station with the white buffalo mural since the roof collapsed. I recall having a strange feeling I was being watched while wondering how all the bizarre items ended up on display like it was a museum.


----------



## crispy (May 20, 2004)

some of that yardart looks like it is right out of a mad max film

could be the same with the locals, but like others, i have never seen more than beady eyes staring

may be more interesting now, but i liked it better 25 years ago, before it was 'rediscovered'


----------



## richp (Feb 27, 2005)

Hi,

Cisco had its glory days. 

Go rent "Thelma and Louise" and see what that station on the corner once looked like (or at least what Hollywood made it look like). I don't know if the old geezer there in the movie was an actor or a local, but the field across from the station is where they blew up the tanker truck in the movie.

When the store was open in Cisco, I used to go in and try to find something to buy to keep it going. I really thought it was a benefit to boaters coming and going to the river. The soda was occasionally sort of cooled off. I don't think they ever had a cold beer. They never carried coffee in the morning -- which I repeatedly suggested to them and they repeatedly said they'd do, but never did. The crowning touch for me was when I went to buy a packaged sandwich and it was something like six weeks outdated. Sort of gave up after that...

FWIW.

Rich Phillips


----------



## LSB (Mar 23, 2004)

Brendo
Really nice light in that first pic. That's about as best as anything in Cisco can look.


----------



## craporadon (Feb 27, 2006)

I in fact did have a very sketchy Cisco experience, it may be the one you are talking about.

Pulled in at 1 AM because wife and I were too tired to drive and figured it would be a good place to crash for the night before continuing on I-70. We pull into the takeout parking lot and start taking our paco pads and sleeping bags out when a man approaches us with a headlamp on. He ends up being an older guy who seems fairly drunk. He keeps pacing around our car looking in and commenting on our "nice stuff". After looking at him closely for what dangers he might pose, I notice a handgun tucked into his left jean pocket and his flannel shirt hanging over it and covering it up at most times. I only caught a glimpse of it. I noticed he was moving pretty slow in all his actions so instead of commenting on the guy, I decide I will stay close to him and if I see him move the flannel shirt out of the way, I will grab the gun before he can. He continues pacing around with me close by for a few minutes really checking out our "nice stuff". 

All of a sudden he flings his flannel shirt out of the way on the left side and I lung about 6 feet towards him and grab the gun before he can. "I start shouting "What the [email protected]$k you have this for old man?, what the f#$k old man". He says "oh, that's to keep the pelicans from steeling my fish" and he tries to downplay it. I tell him to go to bed and we will give him his gun back in the morning. He leaves and we start to lay down for the night.

Then we notice a red blinking light on the hill behind the takeout moving towards us. He thought he had turned his headlamp off and was sneaking up on us, but he had only turned it to the red flashing setting. As he got close we decided, "screw this place, we're out of here", we threw our stuff in and drove off. As we were driving off I threw the gun out the window on the upstream side of the dirt road. It might still be there as you come down the hill to the takeout. We found a fantastic camping spot just 1 mile downstream that we use now we are doing late night Cicso stopovers.


----------



## barry (May 6, 2004)

10 years ago, a friend and I were taking his RV to the takeout for a 3day weekend of running laps on westwater in off season.....1:00 or 2:00 am coming downhill just prior to that little bridge the back passenger side window of his truck violently implodes. When we inspect and clean up the glass we find a mushroomed 22 round. In other words, someone took a shot at the truck nearly missing our heads. We looked for people, tracks, movement in the area where the shot originated. Saw/heard nothing. Had a great weekend of boating. BA


----------



## DanCan (Jul 22, 2011)

I boat with a guy that lived in Cisco years ago... when we are overnighting on WestWater I sleep with one eye open and trained in his direction at all times.

DanCan


----------



## M-Train (Mar 28, 2008)

I would not run Westwater, much less go to Cisco if Snake Pliskin isn't on the trip.


----------



## Mark the dude (Mar 18, 2005)

This stuff is no joke. When I used to run westwater ten years ago I had no problems camping out at the Cisco boat ramp. Last September on the other hand, myself and a couple of other people from our trip made the grave mistake of camping at the takeout, and this is what we woke up to. I will never camp anywhere near Cisco again!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRtPH0YS1cM


----------



## Nessy (May 25, 2009)

I was driving shuttle to Cisco several years ago to stage vehicles. It was only my second whitewater trip and my first multi-day so I was nervous as hell, my buds having talked up Skull like it was almost certain carnage. I was snacking on an apple while driving on I70, thinking about swimming for my life followed by climbing a cliff to escape the room of doom, and when I was done rolled down the passenger side window to chuck the core only I accidentally rolled down the rear passenger side window. The core detonated like a grenade only inches from my face on the still-closed front passenger side window and sprayed bits of apple all over the inside of my car. I almost drove off the highway. I was driving by myself so no one else shared the moment. 

Cisco landing looked like just another boat ramp parking lot to me. It's a good thing I read this thread and know how dangerous it is. Next time I'll bring my gun and leave the apple at home.


----------



## LeftOfCenter (Aug 16, 2009)

*Bridges*

I have both been inside the store to buy stuff, and purchased ammo cans at the road-side stand and lived to tell the tale. But always during the daylight...

What gets me is that damn bridge. Every time I come to it I feel like I'm at the critical moment in some terrible questing rpg. Over the bridge? Or Around?
Choose wisely...

Either way, I'm pretty sure there's a few trolls hanging out underneath it in this thread.


----------



## Jensjustduckie (Jun 29, 2007)

Spent the whole day at Cisco by myself, lived to tell the tale. Only oddities were the sound of car doors closing twice but no one else was around, maybe it was just my imagination?

Also, SUPed with my dog up to the island just before the takeout, checked out the shrine in the cavern and stood up a Carlisle oar I found on the island in a pile of rocks. It still has a usable handle and oarsleeves on it, though the extender on the end and the oar itself have seen better days, no blade on it.

That island has a rainbow of rocks on it too, literally a rainbow - can't be that bad of a place if it has rainbow colors right?


----------

