Bear

May 29, 2017: Paddled from the first bridge on hwy 150 headed S out of Evanston, about 8 miles S of town (mp 12 or so?) at about 1200 cfs. Fast, bank to bank flat mostly water, no rapids of note until getting close to the town play park, no wood that could not be avoided with a little looking ahead, about a half dozen fences that had been pulled down. There were 2 fences across the river - it was possible to go under each on the correct side of the river (first right, 2nd left). They were not hard to see, but both could have been missed until too late if someone were drifting along backwards and not paying close attention, especially the first one as it was just past a very sharp right bend. No 'no trespassing' signs, easy put in at the bridge. Took out at the whitewater play park, 13 miles, something like 3 hours. Lots of wildlife (moose, raptors, waterfowl). Parallels the road but with little or no road access until reaching Evanston. Fun in a fast, consequential class 2ish way. Not sure what the ideal flow window was - 1200 cfs was plenty but higher would be ok and it would probably be good with half that flow.

Sulphur Camp to Hayden camp has a lot of wood and beaver dams. Hayden camp to Stillwater camp(5 mi) or East Fork camp (another 3.5 mi) would be the best stretches with a legal takeout. Above 1600 cfs is preferred; this usually means peak runoff (and therefore icy cold water). There is a lot of wood avoidance on creeks in the Uintas. East Fork to milepost 51.5 has been popular in the past, but the takeout involves a 1/4 mile hike up a steep hill on private land, and in 2011 there were reports of the landowner having a security guard at the takeout, especially if shuttle cars were parked there. The next legal takeout appears to be the Chalk Creek bridge, which is 10 miles down from MP 51.5. This section is said to have a number of barbed wire fences across the river, so it almost never gets done. Getting permission to take out on private land somewhere below MP51.5 would make the section below East Fork (fun class III wave trains for a few miles) doable again.

Heading back to Wisconsin from Utah, we made a stop to enjoy a quick paddle on the Bear River.