Experiencing a River Ranger Patrol of the Scenic/Wild Verde River
Part 1

On January 18 th, Dexter Allen, the head River Ranger for the Coconino National Forest, extended an invitation to ‘River Rat’ volunteer Rick Zabor to participate in the first five-day leg of a nine-day River Ranger patrol on the Verde River. ‘River Rats’ are volunteers from Sedona’s Friends of the Forest who provide logistical support for transporting and resupplying the River Rangers on their seven to ten day kayak and raft patrols on the Verde River.

Normally Allen is reluctant to allow non-professional white water river paddlers to accompany them because the river can be dangerous and their inexperience potentially could impede the River Ranger’s work. This rare outsider’s opportunity would allow Zabor to see and participate first hand in the work that is required of the River Rangers to preserve and protect the National Scenic/Wild portion of the Verde River. This is the first of a two part article is based upon the journal Zabor kept of his adventure.

The Verde River is a spring fed perennially flowing river meandering through the arid uplands of central Arizona. Its headwaters are at Sullivan Lake near the small town of Paulden on SR 89. It flows 170 miles to the southeast to where it joins the Salt River north of Mesa, AZ. The Verde’s riparian corridor is a jewel among the few perennially flowing rivers in Arizona and is an important agricultural and recreational resource in the state.

Aboriginal cultures have been present along the river since at least 12,000 BC; Anglos began to settle the riparian area in 1865 and the Verde River continues to serve as a life source and attraction for humans. Thousands of people visit the river for its outstanding recreational opportunities including boating, hunting, fishing, birding, hiking, picnicking and photography.

In 1981, the United States Congress deemed the Verde River corridor so outstandingly remarkable in scenic, wildlife, recreational, historic and cultural value, that the 58.8 river miles between Beasley Flats east of Camp Verde to Horseshoe Lake was designated as a National Scenic/Wild River. It is the only Arizona waterway to be so designated.

The responsibility for maintaining and protecting this very special river area falls to the River Rangers of the Coconino, Prescott and Tonto National Forests. These dedicated men and women are under the direction of the Coconino National Forest River Ranger, Dexter Allen.

The adventure begins as River Rat volunteers Mike Ward and Al Gilson transport Allen, Zabor, along with River Rangers Brian McCormick and Mark Lemke to Beasley Flats to begin the first five-day leg of the river patrol down the Scenic River section of the Verde River to the Childs Power Plant.

Zabor assisted the River Rangers in packing the three12 foot inflatable kayaks, called ducks, and one canoe with ice chests of food, water, a stove, fire pans, a porta-potty, tents, bedding and clothing. Packing five days of equipment and supplies in a 12 foot kayak requires some careful planning. The paddlers end up sitting high above the water on a 50-gallon ice chest padded with their sleeping mat. Everything is stored in waterproof containers and strapped down in the not unlikely event of a spill.

Allen gave a safety lecture where he showed Zabor how to lay on his back with feet facing down stream to deflect rocks in the event of a swim. Life vests and helmets are required to ensure a safe trip. Allen, who has nearly 30 years of paddling experience with a lot of it on the Verde, stated that recreational paddlers often underestimate the white water challenge of the Verde.

McCormick pushed off first standing mid-ship in his heavily ladened18 foot canoe propelling it with a long pole. McCormick navigated the entire length of the patrol standing in his canoe using his pole except in rough white water when he kneeled and used a paddle. Shortly afterward, Allen, Lemke and Zabor followed sitting high on the ice chests in their Kayaks.

The Scenic designated Verde River between Beasley Flat and Childs is made up of class 2, 3, and 4 rapids with 1 being flat water. On average, the river drops approximately 20 feet per mile. The river’s temperament is a direct result of the river’s rate of flow. An increased flow can make some rapids easier while other rapids can be much more difficult and dangerous.

The volume of river water flow is measured in cubic feet per second (cps). Allen explained that during the spring and summer, the Verde is not normally navigable because water diverted for agriculture drops the river’s flow to below 100 cfs. Allen estimated the current flow at around 150 cfs. The highest rate of flow was recorded in the 1993 flood at 105,000 cfs. During the flooding last winter, the river flowed at around 60,000 cfs.

After departing Beasley Flat, their first obstacle was the "The Falls", about an eight-foot drop, which the paddlers portaged around. Portaging is usually a “last resort” as it involves carrying the inflatable kayaks loaded with several hundred pounds of supplies and equipment around the river obstacle, often over difficult terrain. If the portage is unusually long or difficult, the kayaks must be unloaded and multiple trips made to portage the kayaks and all the supplies and equipment.

Shortly after returning to the river, Zabor’s kayak was jammed against a couple of large rocks. On cold weather river patrols, kayakers must be constantly prepared to recover from the cold waters of the river. The kayak’s impact against the rocks propelled Zabor into the 50-degree water. Grabbing the kayak, Zabor swam in deep water to a narrow ledge in a rock cliff where he could climb out of the cold water. The River Rangers were quick to render assistance, and advised Zabor to immediately remove the wet clothes above his waist and change into dry clothing from his dry bag to guard against hypothermia.

The patrol’s first stop was a sandy beach camping site. There the rangers collected trash left behind by less responsible river campers and obliterated fire rings to preserve the scenic and no trace concept. The fire rings were sifted with a mesh bag to gather the charcoal and cans. The charcoal was then spread in the shrubs with the garbage collected in bags to take out. The fire-blackened rocks were thrown into the river to be naturally cleansed. Eventually the proliferation of fire rings will be eliminated when the Forest Service will require river travelers to carry and use fire pans to reduce the impact of heavy recreational use.

The rangers also recovered the first of several automobile tires that have been discarded by irresponsible people. This tire was left along a jeep trail to be picked up later since this site is accessible by vehicle. This convenience will end when the Forest Service closes the road in the near future.

They also recovered great quantities of shotgun shells, 9 mm and .38 caliber pistol casings. The rangers can only guess at the amount of poisonous lead left in the river and its surroundings by the ceaseless rock target practice. Having finished their cleanup, the campsite was returned to a near pristine condition. This campsite restoration sequence was repeated over a dozen times during the 18-mile trip from Beasley Flats to the Childs campground.

If you are interested in becoming involved the Friends or for more information about the Friends of the Forest, you are invited to contact the Red Rock Ranger Station at (928) 282-4119 and for further information, visit our website at: http://www.friendsoftheforestsedona.org