Made it back from the Grand Canyon Colorado float trip

226 miles in 16 days. Our group met Sycamore (John) in Flag the night before we drove to the put-in (Lee's Ferry). He gave us all invaluable pointers in canyon craft. Thanks John!

Scenery was, without a doubt, the most spectacular thing I've ever seen. Every where you looked at almost all times was amazing. We slept on the boats most nights. The moon was full a few nights and I remember waking up, looking down canyon and seeing red cliffs in the moonlight.

Got to run my hands along the Vishnu Schist (1.75B YO rocks ) and place my hand across the Great Unconformity (1.2B year gap). Two bucket list things I've wanted to do.

Had some grand thunderstorms the first seven days or so. Cooled things off nicely in the heat of the afternoon.

I've come to understand why the use a 1-10 scale in the canyon vs the normal I-V scale on other rivers. A 5 in the canyon isn't a 2.5 on others. It's more exponential.

The day we ran adrenaline alley (Crystal, Granite, Hermit, Ruby) the river had been stained red from Nankoweap creek getting blown out from a flash flood (we'd layed over there for two days a couple of days earlier). Red rapids are far more intimidating than normal clear water. I tried to make a sneak route around to miss the wave train in Ruby. The water was so opaque that I didn't see a rock in the top that I hit. For a brief second I thought we might flip, But I managed to hit it straight and we came through it fine.

Lava Falls was HUGE. When we were in it I couldn't believe that we were running something that big. Made it upright

Had one boat flip in 209 mile rapid. Complete end-o of a 18 foot raft. Looked like a blue whale breaching. No injuries, just egos bruised. The same boat dumped all passenger going over a ledge in the 4th day (I think). Again no one hurt.

Anyway will try to get pics and a clip of us running Lava up soon.

-Steve

Sounds amazing and that trip is on my bucket list! Glad to hear you made it back and can't wait for pictures of the ditch!

Always wanted to do this.

Here's an unedited gopro vid my wife took of our run through Lava. Oar got yanked from my right hand and got spun on the last wave.

There's a bit of strong language in it.

Looks awesome, Steve. Would like to do a kayak trip down the GC someday. Eire a shorter self support trip or a longer one with raft support (they hold more beer!)...

Gotta love those horizon lines!

Yeah. Hard to correlate the line to what you see from scouting when the river drops off out of view.

I have fished a lot on the Colorado and had the rafter come by- always wanted to do one myself!

Missing an oar stroke can be scary...don't ask me how I know.

A few picts

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freakin awesome Steve

thanks for sharing

I love rafting, and particularly when the water gets a bit lumpy

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Wow!

Now THAT'S cool!

absolutely outstanding scenery

gets my vote to be in the running for best thread of the year!

as happy for you as a jealous man can be Steve (grin)

Thanks all!

We're supposed to have a photo/video exchange pot luck in the next week or so and I'll get more stuff to post then. Also will go through more of the photos my wife took and post.

A few more that my buddy and his wife took.

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Awesome!

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Great pics, Steve!

The geology in that canyon is absolutely fascinating...

Great stuff, Steve.
I was through that country again in Feb.
But was at road elevations.

Outstanding pics.
Keep posting.

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Great pics and obviously a great trip!

I see why it's called the Colorado.

What is the story with the woven bracelets?

Originally Posted by ironbender

What is the story with the woven bracelets?

We had 16 days to kill.

Seriously one of the guys' (Dewey) daughter sent him with friendship bracelet kits. We each made one and gave it to someone else on the trip.

Nice.

Went to the GC almost 1.5 years ago for the first time. Got to go again.

Thank for the thread.

Steve,

If I may be so selfish to ask, how was Hance rapid?

Thanks in advance.

Wow!

Originally Posted by Jcubed

Steve,

If I may be so selfish to ask, how was Hance rapid?

Thanks in advance.

Man that seems like it was so long ago. It was big, but didn't have any issues. I don't have video of it but some others in our group do. I'll be getting copies in the next week or so.

Great pics. Thanks for sharing.

Very cool pics. Now I gotta add another item to my bucket list...

Awesome trip report, Steve.

I'd say Uber trip report, but Travis wasn't with you, sorry.

I've yet to hit any western ww but have been having a blast in the southeast for quite a few years now. your pics make a compelling case for changing that. My home is less than a mile, as the crow flies, from a great class 3 (4 at high water levels) run.

How long was the wait for the permit?

I'd been applying for a few years (maybe 4 years?). There was a lottery cancellation permit that came up in March and that's the one I drew. Our launch date was July 3.

Great Pics Steve! I really like the Little Colorado pics, such a treat to get there when it is running blue!

Sycamore

Nice! looks like a good time.

Here's a video that one of the guys did of the trip.