Sunday, June 8, 2008

Tubing on the Rito Blanco

This photo shows Kiley, Devery, and Easton innertubing on the Rito Blanco, right at its confluence with the larger Rio Blanco (which confluence is near Pinegrove cabin). Right now the "Rito" is running higher than I've ever seen it before (some years it's completely dry at this time of year). The main river not only has diminished flow due to the San Juan-Chama Diversion Project (which channels water across the Continental Divide into the Rio Grande for use by the City of Albuquerque), but it also has numerous rock structures, intended to deepen and narrow the river channel, that impede any kind of rafting. In contrast, the 300-yard stretch of the "Rito" between the first upstream bridge and the confluence made for very fun (if cold) innertubing on this trip. The kids hit on the idea of lashing three tubes together, which made it easy to avoid running into tree branches and the bank.