# ground shuttles for Deso Grey



## Tex Ryder (Jun 21, 2016)

I am coming up empty locating a ground shuttle for a Deso Grey trip. There used to be several options. Suggestions?


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## restrac2000 (Mar 6, 2008)

Only licensed company is River Runners Transport out of Vernal, Utah. Great people.


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## strife (Oct 2, 2010)

River Runners says they are not doing Deso shuttles anymore. We haven't found anyone that will shuttle vehicles. We've used a couple of different Green River locals in the past, but they too are not doing shuttles anymore. (Redtail Aviation will fly drivers back to Sand Island.)

Tex Ryder, when is your trip? We launch the 29th.


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## restrac2000 (Mar 6, 2008)

Huh? Did you talk to them recently? I just talked with them Friday and they were still running them then.

That will be a major blow to the community since the last I saw they were the only ones licensed to do so. I am hoping its just a misunderstanding.

Phillip


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## Easy Tiger (Jun 22, 2016)

We just had River Runners run our Deso shuttle last weekend; no mention of them stopping... hope that's not the case!


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## restrac2000 (Mar 6, 2008)

Yeah, the guy we talked to at the office was chatting us up about Deso and how many shuttles a day the run. I get the sense its one of the bigger, more reliable runs for shuttles. 

I wonder if the people are confusing River Runners out of Meadview with River Runners Transport out of Vernal. RRT still mentions it on their website and price list for 2016. Fingers crossed that is the confusion as the logistics would be a lot worse without them.

Phillip


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## Floatin mucho (Mar 25, 2012)

I just booked a deso shuttle thru river runners transport a few days ago for a July launch. They are still running shuttles.


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## cataraftgirl (Jun 5, 2009)

strife said:


> River Runners says they are not doing Deso shuttles anymore. We haven't found anyone that will shuttle vehicles. We've used a couple of different Green River locals in the past, but they too are not doing shuttles anymore. (Redtail Aviation will fly drivers back to Sand Island.)
> 
> Tex Ryder, when is your trip? We launch the 29th.


I think you are getting your rivers mixed up. Sand Island is the put-in for the San Juan River. Sand Wash is the put-in for Deso. RRT does not do San Juan (Sand Island) shuttles & most of the other companies that used to do San Juan shuttles don't do them anymore. RRT definitely does Deso shuttles & they are great to work with.


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## B4otter (Apr 20, 2009)

For the San Juan - any section - Jim Hardin (435) 672-2455. Have used him for last 3 years, great service and bone reliable.


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## strife (Oct 2, 2010)

Okay, back to Deso shuttles. My buddy that was arranging the shuttle for our trip was indeed lead astray. I spoke with River Runners Transportation in Vernal this morning and they are definitely still doing Deso shuttles. They are the only BLM permitted service for shuttling vehicles (Red Tail is permitted for air service), and run multiple shuttles every day. And as mentioned frequently on MountainBuzz, they come highly recommended.


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## melmorr (Feb 8, 2008)

I don't know who started this rumor, but River Runners' Transport, Inc. in Vernal is providing vehicle shuttle service for private and commercial river runners on Desolation Canyon, as well as Dinosaur National Monument, the stretch from the Flaming Gorge Dam, through Green River State Park, and the White River. Currently, RRT is the only permitted vehicle shuttle service on Desolation Canyon. There are key drop boxes for our customer's vehicles at Sand Wash, Lodore and Deer Lodge but please do not just put a key inside the key drop without making prior arrangements with the office. You can call 1-800-930-7238 to make those arrangements. We do a shuttle everyday on Deso as well as a Lodore and Deer Lodge, each averaging 10 vehicles. I hope this post will clear up any confusion regarding the status of River Runners' Transport, Inc.


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## JustinJam (Mar 18, 2009)

Got my first deso trip late july. Do may people go Wellington or myton to get out to sand wash. Curious about my boat bouncing on a rough road for 100 plus miles. Thanks.


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## melmorr (Feb 8, 2008)

We never take the Nine-Mile Canyon road and we do a shuttle everyday on Deso. The reason is the challenge of the Wrinkles Road between 9-Mile and Sand Wash. If you have problems (flat tires, broke springs, over heating, etc) you are out in the middle of nowhere without any cell service. Also if the Wrinkles road happens to be impassible, due to flooding or other things, and you can't get through, there are very limited areas where you can turn around; you would have to back out. The 9-Mile road is paved the entire way but the 23 miles of Wrinkles Road is not. You are better off going to Highway 40 and down from Myton. (Just my 2-cents!)


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## cataraftgirl (Jun 5, 2009)

We have done both the flying shuttle and with RRT. The one time we did the flight, my buddy and another person on the trip dropped off the gear at Sand Wash, helped us rig, then drove via Nine Mile Canyon to Green River. A lot of the driving was at night. They slept on the Tarmac at the airport in Green River once they finally got there. My friend said that the flight was fun, but the drive sucked and he would never do it again.

Melanie (aka melmorr) at RRT has always done a great job of helping us get our shuttle set up, giving us the updated road conditions into Sand Wash, and getting our trucks to the take out in good shape.


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## hiloper (May 3, 2012)

I double all of the praise for RRT, they really do it right. Just this week, we had three vehicles shuttled Sand Wash to Swaseys with great service. Note, as the rig count increases, only the primary vehicle is parked at Swaseys, the others just upstream at the beach parking . Short trip, walkable.

Sent from my XT1585 using Mountain Buzz mobile app


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## basinrafter (May 12, 2009)

+1 for RRT! Last time we used them for a Deso trip, one of our trailers broke on the drive to Swaseys, so they unhooked it from the truck (make sure you leave them keys if your trailer hitch is locked), put it on top of one of our other trailers, strapped it down, and brought it to the takeout for us.


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## Hooter (May 29, 2016)

The Nine Mile road was perfect. Just went down that way on 6/14, no problems at all. Also, we used RRT and they were awesome. If the weather has been decent for the week before you go, I would not doubt the Nine Mile. Call ahead to the BLM station and they will provide an update on the road condition.


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