Day 11

Today was an oddity; there is no other way to describe it.  It started like usual, a nice hot morning with the sun beating down on us.  The plan had been to float for a while, and then take a hike up another cool slot canyon.  As we set out on the water though a change was in the works.  After a short while on the river grey covered the sky, it seemed as though a thunder storm were imminent.  As we enjoyed our lunch lightning lit up the sky, and thunder boomed down the canyon walls.  We decided to forgo our canyon hike.  Hiking up a slot canyon in a thunder storm is a pretty good way to meet a flash flood and drown.    

Due to the exemption of the hike, and our desire to get out of the rain, we made camp early that day.  It was around three in the afternoon when we started setting things up.  The temperature had dropped from the 90s to the 70s, the only thing that proved we were still in a desert was the cacti scattered around.  We set up tarps for shelter and with little else to do we started playing some games.  It was Carsons birthday, so the games eventually evolved into drinking games.  This led to a pretty epic night to say the least, and a pretty horrific next day for one or two.  Happy birthday Carson!!

Unfortunately no pictures were taken on this day due to the rain, so I think I'll add some from the other days.

-SM-

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Day 10

The first part of our hike up the hill

Today was comprised of one big event, the “Seven Mile Death March” DUN DUN DUN!!!   That was the name in the guide book for the hike we endeavored upon.  We started at the point of entrance of a beautiful swift creek into the Colorado River.  From there we scampered seemingly straight up the hill then walked along the ridge until we again reached the creek, and then we would repeat the same cycle, again and again.  Each portion showed us something new, diverse, and beautiful.  While climbing up the last part, I looked up and witnessed one of the most beautiful waterfalls that I have ever laid eyes upon.  All the water for the creek we had been following was flowing right out of the side of the cliff, and cascading down through a jungle of green, which existed due to it. 

The most gorgeous waterfall I have ever seen

After resting briefly, and eating, next to the majestic waterfall our group divided; some returned to the rafts, while others continued on the “Death March” across the plateau still above us.  Our total ascent was somewhere around 1,800 feet from the river.  When we finally reached the edge the plateau spread out vastly before us, betraying the sheer size of the canyon.  The sun beat down brutally upon this desolate land creating a temperature of 108 degrees.  Water was more valuable than gold. 

Feel so small, see if you can find the people in this picture

Liquid gold

Slot canyon

We descended after a few miles down the other side; the path took us past yet another waterfall out of the cliff, though this one was on a much smaller scale.  At this point we stopped again and Miles decided to check out why the bottom of his right food was burning.  Apparently the combination of moist socks and hiking had not boded well for his feet.  On all the toes and part of the ball of his foot the skin had been worn off in spots down a very frail layer.  With no choice but to put some salve and some bandages on it, we all continued the rest of the hike to the river.  The very end took us walking along another amazing slot canyon, no more than ten feet across at the top and reaching depths of near forty feet down.  At the end the water shot out of the rock froming a waterfall still some sixty feet high near the river. 

-SM-

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Day 9

The falls

The jump

Today was spilt.  After only a brief stint on the river we departed on another side canyon hike.  This was only a short 3 minute walk up to yet another beautiful waterfall.  The water cascaded down approximately 20 feet of rock and came to rest in a nice pool at the bottom, the pool its self was about 7 feet deep.  Half hidden at the back of the pool was a little path that would take you up to a ledge, half way up the waterfall.  It thus became popular entertainment to hike up to this ledge and jump into the pool. 

Big horn sheep

Spike touching 1.2 billion years of time difference

After leaving that hike and on our way to lunch we witnessed several groups of big horn sheep.  We had seen some before now, but these were very close to the river, so I got some pictures.  At lunch, before eating, we took another brief hike up a slot canyon.  This led us to what is known as “The Great Unconformity.”  This is two layers of rock, right on top of one another, and between them there is a 1.2 billion year gap in the geological record; that my friends, is a lot of lost time. 

Several lesser unconformities observing the great unconformity

After lunch I took the opportunity to paddle a ducky, which is a small one person raft.  Oh man it was fun, crashing through the waves, and being tossed around by the water.  Everything on the river seemed huge from my new vantage point.  Waves would simply appear out of nowhere, come crashing over the front or side of your boat, soaking you from head to toe.  Due to my new mode of transport I took my first swim of the trip.  I followed the rafts through a hole which they had easily plowed through; well it grabbed me and turned me sideways before I knew it, and next thing I was under water.  Knowing that I must still be heading for the rock wall that had been before me I exited the underside of the boat and scrambled upon the top of the capsized craft.  I then proceeded to continue to paddle it away from the rock wall to safety.  My first swim had been brief, but I was glad it happened; it gave the whole experience a better feeling. 

There was a gorgeous

sunset that evening

-SM- 
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Day 8



Morning in the canyon



Some characters



Today was a straight rafting day, we ran somewhere around 20 rapids of various levels.  The first rapid of the day was Crystal.  Crystal is supposed to be one of the hardest rapids on the entire river.  As we scouted it I was very excited there was a huge hole in the middle, and another at the bottom.  We ended up deciding to miss both holes though, so we snuck by the rapid close to shore.  This made Crystal, the rapid that I had been looking forward to for a while, into probably the biggest disappointment of the trip.  Oh well, while the run was very anticlimactic, the scouting was for sure not. 

May not look huge, but it is

Close up

Miles and I walked down to take a close look at the rapids and snap some pictures, then started walking back to the main group.  Upon the hike back we saw a really nice big garter snake; it was the first snake of the trip so we had to get some pictures.  After it slithered off we started walking off to return to the group.  We were walking not ten feet away looking at our camera, reviewing the pictures we just took, when all of the sudden there was a noise in front of us that chilled us to the bone.  Miles leapt backwards, thankfully with me in his hands.  We think that he may have set the record for long jumping on that single leap.  There in front of us, not five feet from where we had just stood, was a large beautiful rattle snake that had just given us that very stern warning.  I have to say that I don’t know of much to chill your blood like the sound of a rattle snake in the wild.  The adrenaline rush from that event didn’t fade until sometime well into the evening amidst the corn hole games and vodka drinks.          

I feel like Steve Irwin, kind of

It calms nervs

-SM-

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Day 7

WOW, what a day!  So far on our trip we have run two big rapids, and a few pretty good sized ones.  Well today we had three big ones.  We ran Horn, Granite, and Hermit in that order, with several smaller ones scattered in between.  Each one possessed its own set of unique challenges.  Horn was filled with hidden holes and waves, which we were unable to observe from our scouting position.  Granite forced you to run right along a rock wall, and was filled with its own holes and waves.  Hermit however was my favorite; it really only consisted of a long, very large, wave train.  Now when I say it was big I mean it made our 18’ raft seem like a toy ship in a bathtub.  It threw us up and down like an extended version of a rodeo ride, it was AWESOME! 

Really gorgeous view from the bottom of the canyon

Today was also the day in which we visited Phantom Ranch.  Phantom Ranch is the only hint of civilization that you see for the duration of the trip.  It is a common destination for backpackers, as well as a stop for raft crews.  The greatest thing that it had to offer was some nice ice cold lemonade.  People there could also send out postcards, and they get carried out of the canyon by a mule, so that is kind of cool as well.  We all stopped briefly, enjoyed a cool drink, and many of us wrote a postcard or two. 

Words of wisdom

Ahhh refreshing

-SM- 
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Day 6



Some of the coolest looking rock on the river.

Today was awesome!  Let’s start with the river.  There were three big rapids on our course today.  We came here looking for big water challenge and today we got it.  The largest of them was one called Hance rapids; it consisted of several holes and waves, seemingly all over the place.  Rather than play it safe we seemed to hit every wave and hole on the way, which to me was jolly good fun!  There were two more big rapids today, and they consisted of more of the same.  Several waves splashed into the raft and soaked us but still no swimming for me.   Unfortunately I was unable to capture any pictures of the rapids due to my fear of soaking my camera.   

Monkey see, monkey do

After lunch we spent the rest of the day hiking up another side canyon.  I know it all sounds the same but each one is so different and so amazing in its own right.  This one led up to another water fall that was really amazing.  The rock created a ramp that launched the water out sideways almost.  The water was also warm and clear, so we all enjoyed playing under it as we let it cleanse us of the dirt and grime of the last couple days.  It also doubled as a back massage. 

Gorgeous waterfall

Closest I got to a group picture



-SM- 

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Day 5

The view from the grain storage

Well this morning before breakfast I scrambled back up the hill to the Indian grain storage again so that I could get some pictures for everyone, you’re welcomeJ.

Indian grain storage

 After this it was really just an all rafting day.  We took a brief stop where the Little Colorado River entered into the Colorado.  All the mud and silt in the Little Colorado made it look like chocolate milk.  It was also a lot warmer, so a lot of us swam and lounged around in the water.   The Little Co. was also the site of some of the best sink mud on our trip so Carson and Tom enjoyed playing in it. 

The Little Colorado river

Once we made camp we all broke out the corn hole game again.  The skill level is improving; there are definitely becoming some good competitive games. 

Tom and Carson playing in the mud

-SM- 

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Day 4

Today before breakfast a part of our party walked up the cliff to a huge bowl in the rock created by a waterfall.  It was easily 100ft wide with large rounded rock walls moving up on all sides, minus where the water drained out.  It was cool just to sit there and look at the walls rising up all around you. 

Spike in the bowl

It was another day of no major rapids just some small fun stuff to splash you a little bit.  We made up for that lack of excitement though by doubling up and doing two hikes.  At lunch we walked up the hillside of another side canyon.  We entered this seeming valley between the canyons that looked more like an African safari than the Arizona desert.  We followed a creek through it to a gorgeous little waterfall that fell down the side of the rock.  Some of us climbed up to the top of it and this is where we created the invention of butt damming.  That is where lots of people sit in the path of the water flow to build up a large amount of water behind them and then release it all at once to increase the flow of a waterfall.  It was quite fun. 

Some of the adventure party

Pioneers in butt damming

Later, after we had made camp and had dinner, we actually undertook the adventure of a moonlit hike.  We all walked up the hill from camp to the site of an old Indian grain storage.  The canyon was wide at this point, and the nearly full moon lit up the ground beautifully.  It was nice just sitting at the top of the hill gazing out on the landscape in the moonlight.   

To me this looked like Africa

People for scale

-SM- 
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