Grand Canyon Through Hike - Day One

I will be hiking along with Andrew Holycross and Michael Engelhard for 40 days out of their 70 day Grand Canyon Through Hike.  Michael and Andrew are hiking from Lees Ferry to Pearce Ferry (Lake Mead).

Today a group of six including Glenn Rink, Rich Rudow and I joined them for the start of this epic hike.

Rich and I bade farewell just above the Navajo Bridge, where we packrafted across to an exit known as the Sheep Trail and walked back to the nearby visitors center.

Here's a SPOT track of the afternoon hike.  (I didn't start tracking until our lunch break.)

SPOT Shared Page

Just a Random River Photo

Stopped to take a picture of the trickling waterfall below Ledges Camp.

More Dan Ransom -- FreezeFest Encore Presentation

Dan's rafting video was so awesome, I just had to post an encore presentation of this video from FreezeFest.


FreezeFest IX from carpeybiggs on Vimeo.
If you didn't cross the line at FreezeFest IX, you weren't there...



Maybe it was because of the crazy weather and lack of canyons in condition, but things just plain got ugly for this year's version of the fest. For two days, there was rain, as temps stayed just above freezing. The last 4, it cleared up, but was as cold as anyone can seem to remember.



But, a tradition is only a tradition when it's kept, so a crew of 13 fools set off to descend the black hole on New Year's day. Temperatures at the parking lot were 16, only climbing to 23 by the afternoon. Definitely the coldest in the 9 year history of the New Year's Black Hole.



Good times!

Dan's Awesome Grand Canyon Video (Preview)

Dan Ransom (carpeybiggs) has posted a three minute trailer for the upcoming video of our Grand Canyon raft/canyoneering trip.  Check it out!!


Last of the Great Unknown - Preview from carpeybiggs on Vimeo.

The Grand Canyon is an immense place, almost unfathomable in scale, and one of the last places in the American West to be explored. John Wesley Powell called it the "Great Unknown," having no idea what rapids, falls, or canyons awaited him on his first descent of the river in 1869. In the decades since, the Canyon has been a playground for dozens of explorers. River runners, backpackers, routefinders, lithic hunters, and peakbaggers have all laid claim to the Canyon's iconic landmarks, often seeking out the prestigious "firsts." While many significant points of interest were being explored, there was one feature that was left almost entirely ignored: the Canyon's innumerable technical slots.

Deep within this vast wilderness are secret and intimate tributaries rarely visited by man, hiding some of the Canyon's most remarkable features. The barrier to entry is steep. To explore them, one must have a knowledge of backpacking, packrafting, rappeling, anchor building, and off-trail navigation. The Last of the Great Unknown is the story of these slots, the canyoneers who systematically explored their drainages, and the secrets hidden deep within their walls.

In February 2011, a group of 16 set out to run the Grand Canyon and descend as many slots as possible en route. The itinerary was ambitious. 280 miles of whitewater, 30 days and 22 slots. The tally included 7 fully loaded boats, 5 rookie boatmen, 1400 packed meals, a steady flow around 20k cfs, and an ungodly amount of 4 a.m. wakeup calls.

This video is a compilation of that trip, and a preview of what's to come...

music by alex beroza, licensed by creative commons from ccmixter.org. R' Coaster, LTH, and Tell Somebody           

Raftoneering Trip - West Half - Hiking trip - SpotAdventures

In the continuing quest to find good ways to share trips, I've discovered the ability to upload SPOT messages to a shared web site.  This (primitive) effort shows the last few "OK" message locations starting with Matkat and resuming with Diamond Creek following my break from the trip.

Click the link to see: Raftoneering Trip - West Half - Hiking trip - SpotAdventures

Dave Nally's River Trip Photos

Dave Nally uploaded some great photos of our recent trip.  Here they are, using the Picnik slideshow feature (which I'm using for the first time here).

"dNally Slideshow"

Via Ferrata Video

Found this via ferrata video on the Black Diamond web site (yep, he uses their gear).  Looks like fun!

Grand Canyon Trip Photos From dNally

Dave Nally has posted a wonderful photo set from our recently completed 30-day Grand Canyon river rafting and canyoneering ("raftoneering") trip.  Here they are, presented using Picasa's native slideshow embedding code.  A later post will try the same photos using the Picnik slideshow code.



(Click on the slideshow to view the album in Picasa.)

Pearce Ferry Rapids

Pearce Ferry Rapids has become nearly un-runnable.  Here is a short video showing the view from just upstream, river left.  Dan Ransom takes photos as I shoot some video.  The videos have been uploaded to my YouTube channel.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTraye-vSZ0

150-Mile Canyon

Matkat Hotel the evening before I left.

For the past 16 day I've been on a canyoneering river trip organized by Rich Rudow and Rick Demarest.  On Monday I hiked out 150-Mile Canyon with J.J., and Guy Smith joined the trip in my place for a few days.  I will rejoin the trip at Diamond Creek.  (Because Havasu Canyon has been closed by flood damage, this was as close as I could get to my original plan of hiking out at Havasu and back in at Diamond.)

In a word, this hike was great!!  It had just about everything you could ask from a day hike: river, canyon, cliff, water, narrows, boulders, sun and snow.   Rafts, wetsuits, wading, climbing, trail finding, and good old fashioned boulder hopping.

J.J. and I started out from Matkat Hotel camp in packrafts at 7:30am, just after the hiking group had started up the trail to do the Panameta descent. We stowed the rafts for later pickup at the beach about 1/2 mile upriver from Upset Rapids. We were in the mouth of 150-Mile at 8:30am. Finding and negotiating the first bypass, we were a bit apprehensive because this hike involves four rope assisted upclimbs that rely on pre-placed pull cords, used to raise a rope through rap rings placed on bolts & hangers. We weren't sure the pull cords would still be in place and our concern was heightened as we reached the first pouroff and found a silty length of parachute cord in the stream bed and no pull cord on the B&H. However, I observed that the pouroff did not appear to be a true rap according to "Todd and Rich" standards, but rather a partner-assisted upclimb. Sure enough we were able to negotiate it so we did not count it against the four pull cords we were hoping to find intact.

Fluted limestone with clear-running snowmelt.

As we approached the next waterfall, we could see a pull cord in good condition, and we successfully placed and ascended our rope. As we were moving upstream, J.J. said if there was going to be one washed-out pull cord, he wished it had been that one, because he was sure he could have upclimbed it. I should mention that J.J. is an awesomely good climber. 

We continued on, and each of the next three obstacles had a well placed and excellent condition pull cord. Unlike the parachute cord we had found ruined in the bed, the pull cords were all of good quality accessory cord. I don't know if it's any more resistant to flash flood damage than parachute cord, but we were sure glad to see such quality pulls since we were dependent on all four being in good shape.   

J.J. enjoys a rare dry-foot moment.

Two of the four pouroffs required wet upclimbs, at least partly in the falling water. It was quite exciting. I shuttled packs through the waist-deep to neck-deep pools balanced on my helmet to try to keep them at least somewhat dry, if only to prevent them getting any heavier. We mostly succeeded although at the final waterfall the pack hoist was almost straight up through the stream flow. The tale of the tape was that J.J.'s camera stayed dry inside its ziplock bag, so mission accomplished.


The lower section of Temple Butte and Redwall narrows was very pretty and reminded me of Saddle Canyon (the one between Muav Saddle and Tapeats Creek, not the Marble Canyon one). Large red-washed alcoves and some boulder scrambling. The higher section of Redwall became very narrow (10 feet or so) and contained fluted and sculpted white polished limestone that was as beautiful as any I have seen in the canyon. Even though we were going for speed, I just had to dig my camera out of the pack for a couple of photos at this spot, so we found a dry-foot spot to stop for a moment and snap some views.

The narrowest section is near the top of the Redwall.

Just after 1pm we topped out above the "90 foot cliff" that Rich had told us about. It was no problem for us both to upclimb with packs on and we wondered why such a big deal had been made of it. There was a B&H at the top which we imagined would mostly be used to belay downclimbs, rather than the moderate upclimb. In hindsight the first bypass up from the river was much more sketchy and exposed, and although we both upclimbed it without removing packs, J.J. had set up a belay for me after saying "it's wigging me out" doing a climb around a point with footholds just two or three inches wide with exposure to at least 50 feet of fall potential.

We took a break in the first direct sun of the day, getting out of our wetsuits and eating lunch on the polished top of the Redwall layer. At 2:20 we set off again. In the Supai we found two of the stock trails around ledge pouroffs, showing some signs of rough stacked stone construction to support the trail. At others we simply upclimbed in the interest of time. As we approached the end of the canyon we could see the exit break in the Coconino but we never saw either Buckhorn Spring or the metal wheelbarrow that are given as landmarks in the area. We didn't care too much since our main goal was to get out in daylight. 

J.J. taking in the views from the final pitch of Kaibab limestone.

On the bench above the stream bed we found a cairn and sign of a trail and started working our way up. Although the switchbacks were not particularly obvious, and the upper section was completely obscured by 4-6" of snow, we were able to make our way out, "mostly" staying on the correct trail alignment. For part of the way through the Hermit we followed fresh bighorn tracks in the snow and were amused that he seemed to be following the stock trail, at least for a little while. 

View to the east as sunset approaches.

In the Toroweap we encountered a barbed wire fence above a ravine and J.J. said "yep, I wouldn't want my cows walking off the edge of that", then we switched back across the slope to the east a long way until reaching another fence at the edge of another ravine. The two fences (and ravines) seemed to define the switchbacks the rest of the way up until it became apparent that the trail would angle directly below a corner in the Kaibab Limestone cliff.

Shortly after that, staying on the same line, we passed through a gate in the barb wire fence. I stopped again to take a couple photos of the fantastic view back to the east as the low sun angle set the canyon's contours in delightful relief. We topped out at 5:30pm, 10 hours after pushing our packrafts off the beach. It had been a most exhilarating day.

More photos from this trip can be viewed in my Picasa web album at

150-Mile Canyon

https://picasaweb.google.com/CRForsyth/150MileCanyon?feat=directlink

Tabernacle Route

On a perfect January day, this century plant was silhouetted against a vivid blue sky in front of the Tabernacle.

Cattle Trail

Last month I had two great hikes back-to-back. With a permit for two nights at Cottonwood Campground and two nights in the Phantom use area, I was perfectly positioned for a dayhike loop of Old Bright Angel, followed by an overnight into Phantom Canyon via the Cattle Trail. Here's part two of my two-part trip report:

CATTLE TRAIL aka CATTLE ROUTE

On Tuesday I hiked the old cattle trail (or route) between Cottonwood Campground and Phantom Canyon. Monday's rain had cleared off overnight and the day was crisp, clear, and somewhat breezy. Just about perfect hiking conditions!



From what I'd heard and read, this would be a long and rough route, and I should expect a dry camp overnight en route.  As a result I was carrying max water making my pack 42 pounds.  Also there seemed no hurry to get an early start; I left Cottonwood after 10:30am.  I took the opportunity to snap several photos of the work done by the great volunteer group at the GCHBA service project in October. Everything still looks great!  Here are some of the work projects we completed:




Area cleared, sign repaired

  





New french drain



Newly constructed table

  



New path to ranger station



New fire hose station



Using Doug Nering's excellent and detailed directions I had no difficulty locating the correct place to leave the North Kaibab Trail, cross Bright Angel Creek, and start up toward the Tapeats break. The break is easily visible from the N. Kaibab Trail if you know the general vicinity to look in. It is south of Ribbon Falls (about 20-30 minutes from the footbridge) and north of the willow springs marshy area where the new bridge was recently put in.



Tapeats break



 



Slope with possibly constructed switchbacks



As I was preparing to leave the N. Kaibab Trail I noticed a large family of deer trotting along the west bank of the creek, then up slope. It would be an exaggeration to say that I followed them, but as I proceeded up the initial ridge after crossing the creek, it was obvious I was following a well used game trail. Sure enough, as I rounded the first hilltop headed south, there they were! They took one look at me and headed off in a different direction. It's too bad, because it would be interesting to follow some actual deer one of these times when I'm hiking (as Della calls it) "deer high" across the Tonto plateau. Anyhow it was the best kind of game trail, the kind with cairns. Obviously this route gets both human and wildlife use.  Eventually I made my way to the Tapeats break, which is an easy walk up with some possibly constructed switchbacks through a narrow spot.





Wire-wrapped boulder



  Along the way I passed a large boulder trailside wrapped by a substantial length of wire. I don't know what the wire could have been -- possibly a crude gate? -- but clearly some human activity prompted its installation in that spot. However this slope, with a foot track angling down toward this wire-clad boulder, was one of very few places on this route where anything looked like an actual trail.



Click for close-up to see wire.



 

After gaining the Tonto plateau, it was pretty typical off-trail hiking. As usual, I angled high, cutting the corner on hills and hitting saddles where the map shows it might be advantageous.

In the Muav south of Johnson Point, I encountered a thicket of brush and grasses of the type usually found along creeks. (It very much reminded me of something Doug and I struggled through along Nankoweap once.)  Foolishly, I tried to go through it, then above it, when I should have just gone lower down the slope.  


Unusual vegetation indicates presence of water here

 
I was interested in finding whether there was surface water here (I didn't find any) because Harvey had marked this spot as a spring on his map. I was stepping on crushed grass and not solid ground for a while, then suddenly the underpinning was gone and I dropped four feet without warning: I had just stepped off a thin cliff band. Oops. Luckily I landed in more brush and no serious damage was done.



I proceeded around to the overlook of the drainage from Buddha Cloister (the area enclosed by the Johnson Point and Sturdevant Point redwall arms). I didn't have any beta on where to go, so I just headed for the first side drainage that wasn't obviously a cliff.



Looking toward Sturdevant Point from Johnson Point



This worked out, as a series of low ledges led down into the bed, then across the way a series of blocky quartzite upclimbs led to just one slightly exposed spot, and before I knew it, I was back above the Tapeats contouring west.



Ledges leading through Tapeats and Shinumo quartzite



Around to the southwest side of Sturdevant Point, I found myself overlooking a large and oddly-located grove of cottonwoods, very pretty yellow this time of year.



Grove of cottonwoods

I contoured around above the chocolate cliff band visible in this photo to a flat area just above the cliff, adjacent to the trees, that would have made a great campsite. The next morning I photographed this spot from the other side of the canyon.



Cottonwood grove seen from across Phantom Canyon

 

 

The sun was getting low, but there was perhaps an hour of light left. With rain in the next day's forecast, I had the idea that I might get out a day early if I could camp close enough to Phantom Creek, so I pressed on. Sooner than expected, I was across the next drainage and, following Doug's most excellent advice, rounding the south end of the next ridge rather than crossing over the saddle.

  

It was a little sketchy crossing the slope here. Due to all the faulting there is an unexpected outcropping of Hakatai shale higher than the Shinumo quartzite, and the shale was ball-bearings in a few places.

Slippery red slope of Hakatai shale

However some footprints in a few soft spots showed I wasn't the first to go this way, so I pressed on. At the point overlooking Phantom Canyon, was another great flat potential campsite, but now there was a clear track across the slope. I boogied on, quickly finding a cairn at the top of a long steep ravine. From here I could see a series of cairns and obvious travel, all the way down to the creek three-hundred feet below.

With no time to waste, I moved as quickly as I safely could down this loose but well-marked route, setting foot on the solid ground alongside the creek just six minutes after sunset. To my delight I was just a few yards upstream from the barrier waterfall dividing upper and lower Phantom Canyon.


Just upstream looking back towards waterfall

  



Waterfall as it pours past the chockstone

  

A couple minutes walk upstream and I reached the nice campsite at the base of the quartzite cliff. There was just enough light to set up camp before darkness fell.



My hiking time from creek to creek had been six hours, which was at least two hours faster than I had expected. I attribute that to a combination of perfect weather, motivation, and good route instructions at two key points (the beginning and the end). It was good to have reached Phantom Creek in one day, because I was able to hike out the South Kaibab Trail a day early, and it was snowing when I reached the rim.

I tracked the Cattle Route using my smartphone.  Click on "Satellite", Terrain" or "MyTopo" for a better view.  You can also enlarge using the scale on the left.  Links at lower left will jump you to the TrimbleOutdoors web site for more detailed information, except for "Download GPX" which will download a GPS data file.

The complete photo album of both hikes:

http://picasaweb.google.com/CRForsyth/OldBAAndCattleTrail