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mcd
Trad climber
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Topic Author's Original Post - May 6, 2014 - 01:01am PT
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Lots of fun to be had in the canyon, if you should ever get the chance, go down in there. I'm posting a few shots in hopes that others might want to share there adventures in the canyon, with a story or pics.
The first time i went in i was just a 21 year old kid riding my motorcycle cross country solo from new york. i was debating hard on the extra riding to go up to the park for the day, to look down into the canyon.
Met some cool people at the rim overlook, talked me into hiking down in. Ended up spending a month hiking around.
Many years latter i was lucky enough to go back down, in a kayak. here's a few shots
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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That looks like one of those dories from the 50's. Hard to believe it hasn't been flushed out by
one of the floods.
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Jon Beck
Trad climber
Oceanside
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I have done about 100 miles in the canyon this winter, have just been doing the main trails on the south side. Next trip will be some summits on the easier buttes, 3rd and 4th class or easy 5th. Was just doing trips to get in some sort of shape over the winter, but fell in love with the canyon, unlimited possibilities out there.
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wilbeer
Mountain climber
honeoye falls,ny.greeneck alleghenys
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"Ended up spending a month hiking around"
You lucky dog,Dan.
I was there in the late 80"s for a week of hiking.
Still simmers in the mind.
Always wanted to get back and paddle there.
Great pics,you also bravecowboy.
Still paddle? Think of going back?
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thebravecowboy
climber
in the face of the fury of the funk
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Not me in the 'yak, wilbeer. I just got an invite to leave in ten days....thinking about continuing non-employment and going back for more. The place is really addictive, especially if you are the oarsman, but mostly if you can GTFO the river corridor and its most touron-impacted areas.
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mhay
climber
Bishop, CA
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No photos right at hand, but I rowed this in November/December of 2000. We saw only one other boat the entire trip. A solo guy in a cataraft. It felt like we were the only people in the entire canyon. Even Phantom Ranch was uncrowded that time of year. Trip of a lifetime. Losing a job to do that trip might just be worth it.
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mcd
Trad climber
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Topic Author's Reply - May 6, 2014 - 11:38am PT
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when we had the group meeting at the start of the run, i remember beening told i was to run the rapids first, as i was the saftey kayak, and then eddy out as soon as possible and make sure everyone was still in there boats.
i remember shaking my head yes, but thinking holy shitdogs, am i really going to be going down first, scouting on the fly. This was my first big water adventure, and i was getting pushed around by the big water. I was on a freight train of power and had to focus on looking much farther ahead to make the call on which hazards to avoid, and which side of the river i wanted to be on.
I'd run the rapid, eddy out an grab my camera. Heres a few shots.
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Delhi Dog
climber
Good Question...
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Yes a very special place.
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survival
Big Wall climber
Terrapin Station
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Amazing stuff.
bravecowboy, what's the story behind that last pic? Curious because I wore a pink frilly shirt of Kim Carrigan's as we rapped off of an early ascent of Black Rose, or Black Primo, whatever. I was cold and he had the only extra shirt. I've never forgotten that damn shirt!
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thebravecowboy
climber
in the face of the fury of the funk
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last night on a rivertrip in the Canyon, things get a little blurred around the edges, amirite? or should I say lacey-frilled around the edges?
the costumery and pageantry of that night were topped only by the sandstorm and the pall of CO bourbon cast into my skull the next AM. I think I woke up wearing a pair of metallic gold capris and a thick coat of quartz grains.
Black Primo, huh? Do tell, if you would, Bruce?
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Beatrix Kiddo
Mountain climber
ColoRADo
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I did Rim to Rim to Rim a few weeks ago. It was my first time in the big ditch. Its impressive! All of it.
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thebravecowboy
climber
in the face of the fury of the funk
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Damn Beatrix! The rim-to-rim is on my list in the next year or so. Just pulled the 38 mile Knowles-Mee Canyon loop and starting to think about the next step in prep for the Big Ditch. Any insights or pitfalls that you might share with a budding rim-to-rim runner?
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mcd
Trad climber
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Topic Author's Reply - May 6, 2014 - 03:52pm PT
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wilbeer, havnt been in the kayak for awhile except to teach some youngsters how to roll. i rowed an 18 footer down the grand last time
here's a few of me from that first trip, along with my buddy mikey
bravecowboy, i know what you mean about those last nights and wild times. after lava falls parties, can it get any better?
wow beatrix! rim to rim to rim. how long did that take you to accomplish?
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thebravecowboy
climber
in the face of the fury of the funk
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mcd, your pics are stunning! your boy Mike C1'ing Lava is baddddddddddd!
Last time I passed thru Lava it started pouring cold rain and we had some purty beat up folks. I was (as always) low on beers. Then I hear the brrrrrrrrr-motor of an S-Rig and who should pass by but the legendary MN-Moabite Al with a load of tequila and shitty Lites. He tossed 'em ashore, the bottles went 'round, and spirits lifted (punzies!).... Long Live Al!
The magic of the place is rooted both in the solo discoveries it affords and the serendipity of good, solid people at the right moments.
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Michelle
Social climber
1187 Hunterwasser
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Thank you for reminding me that I need to make this happen!
And is that guy paddling a ww canoe? Sick!!
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KabalaArch
Trad climber
Starlite, California
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Here's a couple spots on the N Rim off the beaten path-
Toroweap Pt is at the far west edge of what used to be the Nat'l Monument. Easiest access is to head south from Colorado City – certainly a remarkable place in its own right, particularly on Sundays. 60 miles of well graded (except for the last mile or 2) dirt road leads to the Big Jumpoff, which is to say that you can drive right to the brink of the Inner Gorge. About a dozen “primitive” sites with no Fee that I recall. Used to be a lot cooler before the surrounding area became a designated WSA, and they barricaded the jeep trail that meandered all over the Tonto Bench.
Pt. Sublime has to be the most, well, sublime scene on the N Rim. There are only a couple of camping spots, 1st come, 1st serve. The NPS rangerette was very kind to let me know that the thing to do, if you've got to hang for a little while before you can camp out at the Pt, is to cross over into the adjacent USFS lands, where there is ample at-large camping, right on the Rim.
Based on George Steck's excellent guidebook to off-trail Canyon descents, found my way down through the Toroweap Formation (the cap rock, whose westerly terminus is per the above) to Flint Col, which is between Pt Sublime, and Sagittarius Ridge. Some of the most technical and difficult bushwhacking I've ever encountered, to say nothing of the routefinding necessary.
There used to be a VHS called “Canyon Dreams,” or something like that; must be DVDs around; Tangerine Dream soundtrack. That's the closest I'll get to the River itself – TFPU all the action pics!
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Festus
Social climber
Enron by the Sea
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Just got back from a Bass to Boucher hike a couple weeks ago but was too lazy to post anything until now. I've been getting in a trip or so a year since '83 and the irony is that of all the hikes I've done in that time (with the same handful of friends) this last one is probably the only one I wouldn't do again. Too much Tonto platform and not enough river. The lure for us is always a beach, capping off all the rest of what's been said in this thread. Stay off the Bright Angel and Kaibab and also skip Hermit Creek (as a river campsite) and you're almost guaranteed a beach all to yourself--very, very few people ever hike to and camp on the river via every other "non-maintained" route from either rim. You work for it a little, but the pay off is unbelievable solitude and beauty, great trout fishing, river-chilled beers, and--honestly unless you're incredibly unlucky-- the only people you'll see are the occasional rafters floating by.
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thebravecowboy
climber
in the face of the fury of the funk
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Cool hike Festus, but did you really carry BEER all that way?!
So what's your favorite? Great Thumb is s'posedly a peach to traverse ;)
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