# San Juan, Clay Hills, can Subaru make it?



## Capn_Ahad83 (Jun 3, 2018)

We’re running the San Juan in a couple weeks. Mexican Hat to Clay Hills. I have an 06 Outback that has good clearance, and I’ve gotten that thing into and out of lots of places it never should’ve gone. But we’ll also be pulling a 16’ cat loaded on a trailer out of there. I’ve heard Clay Hills can be rough, anyone ever attempt this with a Subaru? Did it work ok, or did you have issues. I’m not looking for opinions, just actual experiences.


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## B4otter (Apr 20, 2009)

You'll have more of a challenge getting that cat boat down the river than driving your roobaru on the road. I've taken my '05 Baja with trailer and 2 boats on it several times, no problems. Caveat: if it rains, sections can be slicker than goose snot and you might have to wait the weather out a bit - but road is much improved over what it was back in the 70's/80's - which means more folks on it.


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## paulster (May 27, 2011)

I was there in late May and it would have been easy.


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## st2eelpot (Apr 15, 2008)

Reinforcing what was already said. I've taken numerous Subarus there across the years, with and without trailers, including twice this year. I'd have no hesitation doing it again tomorrow.

They usually regrade the road once a year in the spring (that's all that's in the BLM budget), so later on in the season it always has the potential to get worse. 

Rain sucks on that soil as stated above, and if it just had a flash through there obviously there may be some areas that suck.


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## Capn_Ahad83 (Jun 3, 2018)

Thanks for the info, that’s what I was hoping to hear, but it’s my first SJ trip so I wasn’t sure.


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## alisonmw (Jul 17, 2018)

Have you checked the water levels? San Juan is not runnable right now -too low.


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## Andy H. (Oct 13, 2003)

alisonmw said:


> Have you checked the water levels? San Juan is not runnable right now -too low.


7/17/18 - flowing 1000 cfs, seems runnable to me. By the hydrograph it looks like recent rains must be boosting the flows nicely from recent lows.

SAN JUAN RIVER AT FOUR CORNERS, CO

Could be a great trip if this holds!

-AH


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## Mtnbuzzer (Feb 5, 2016)

Flows are definitely being influenced by recent monsoon storms. That's the good. The bad is the same storms will make the road out of Clay Hills a mess. There are gullies that get washed out and might make a Subaru with trailer tricky. I would suggest calling Shuttle Jim to see if he will give you a recent report of road conditions.


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## portermoab (Sep 20, 2017)

We just got off of the Lower SJ yesterday (7/12-7/16). Flows were great, and continuing to build as shown on the hydrographs. The Clay Hills road was dry/fine around noon yesterday, although there were signs that there'd been a lot of water through there recently (as evidenced by the drainage crossings and the look of our vehicles that Jim shuttled for us). Grand Gulch was flashing big when we got there...an unbelievable sight.


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## Mtnbuzzer (Feb 5, 2016)

portermoab, were you able to get any pics of the flash out of Grand Gulch?


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## portermoab (Sep 20, 2017)

Pics attached. 2018-07-15.


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## Mtnbuzzer (Feb 5, 2016)

Thanks, awesome. Never seen Grand Gulch run like that.


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