292: Colorado River Trip #69 and Bright Angel Trail, March 2-7, 2002.

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#292: COLORADO RIVER TRIP #69 AND
BRIGHT ANGEL TRAIL
MARCH 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 2002
(No photos)
March 1, Friday, 2002
I was asked by Canyon Explorations and Arizona Raft Adventures (AZRA) River Companies to go down the Colorado River to be a geologic interpreter for a guides training trip for new guides on the river. I agreed to do but only down to Phantom Ranch as I could not take more time off work than that, and the fact that my daughter Marijka was also going along. This is the first time with Marijka on the Colorado River and she has done 32 river trips as a guide already. Never thought 22 years ago that I would be going down the river with her as the guide when I used to be the guide on river trips for Grand Canyon Expeditions between 1970 and 1977. She is into rowing today and I was into motors back then. It’s too bad that my son Ryan is stuck in California with a new family at this time, but we all make choices. When he moves to Arizona, then we can plan San Juan River Trips as Susan and I did with Ryan and Marijka when they were born.
Cam Stavely, co-owner of Canyon Expeditions and Rob Elliot, owner of AZRA were also going on this trip. Both guides used to run the river when I was back in the 70’s. We loaded up the truck in Flagstaff at Canyon X and AZRA also loaded up a truck in Flagstaff as both companies are located in Flagstaff. Then by 1:00pm a bunch of us hoped into the van and headed out of town to Lees Ferry. Highway 89 is now mostly a freeway out to Antelope Hills about 25 miles north of town. It was clear and cool but with a north wind was blowing and it was getting colder. This is the driest winter on record for Flagstaff and for most all of Arizona, no snow since before Christmas. Seems it is getting dryer as the years go by and each year is also the driest or something.
We arrived at Lees Ferry and rigged out the boats, one large 33 foot motor rig, 9 row boats, and 4 kayaks. Total number of people going, 30. Helen Fairly is going along as the archaeologists and a fellow named Gary ? a psychologists to help guides deal with people on the river. By evening all the boats were ready and we moved to camp on the new beach just south of the boat ramp where all the tamarisk were ripped out a year or two ago and small twig cottonwood and willow trees were planted. Once the trees get large, it should be a great place to camp. Right now the trees are one year old and about 4 feet tall. There are black plastic water lines to them to help get them established. It got really cold at supper time and a wind was blowing from the north about 30 mph. Most people went to bed after a dinner of cold salad and chicken. I was so cold it took about an hour to warm up in the bag. I had brought my cot and pad, which helped. High today was mid 30’s estimating a high of 38 and clear all day.
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March 2, Saturday, 2002
It was a cold and windy night and still cold and windy when we got up at dawn. Low was about 25 degrees and water bottles and buckets of water were frozen. Lots of ducks and other large birds flying around that sounded like missiles whistling in the wind. The moon looked cold as it was only half a moon straight up by dawn. It was hard to get up and keep from freezing body parts. I had almost all the cloths I brought with me on and I could hardly bend over. Everyone else also was dressed to the hilt as well.
Cold doughnuts and hot coffee for a quick breakfast. Then we had to stand around and listen for an hour to a ranger talk by Dave Chapman. On the river by 9:30am with a rare downstream wind. River was clear and cold and the flow about 7 to 8,000cfs. Helen and I hopped on the big boat with Teresa Yates who was running the boat. I knew Teresa many years ago and it was good to see that she is still on the river. Wind was blowing from the north about 10 to 15 mph, at least it was a downriver wind for a change. Clear sky. Marijka was rowing another boat. It was the first time I have been under the new highway 89 bridge and the old highway bridge is still there as well. The relationship I figured out as to how the Coconino Sandstone is really a tongue of the Seligman Member of the Toroweap Formation is clearly demonstrated just down from the bridge as it is in Parashant canyon to the southwest of here. The Coconino is wedged between thick beach sandstones of the lower Toroweap there. I presented this information to the group at the lunch stop about mile 6 or 7. It was news to them.
Saw three condors flying around at lunch break, they are very large birds. Also a bald eagle that flew around with us for a while down the river; very pretty birds compared to a condor, but both fly very well. I drove the boat for awhile just to get the hang of it but I let Teresa do Badger Rapids as my timing was a bit rusty. We floated around behind all the rowboats and went with the current, so it was a slow afternoon, but the wind was still blowing down river. Big horn sheep on the right about mile 12. Soap Creek was still the same, large and wet and I was glad to have all those cloths on and rain gear. Very cold in the shade below Soap Creek in the Esplanade Cliff section above Shear Wall Rapids and near freezing. Saw the USGS rock hammer on the right wall under the overhang about mile 15.5, it’s very faint now. We made camp at Hot Na Na Wash, mile 16.3 on the left (south side). I never camped here before so this is something new for me. The winds died down and it was cold. High today was about 42 in the sun, but generally less than 36 on the river most of the time. Clear all day. Good supper and there was a campfire in a fire pan. There was a talk about river management and Glen Canyon Dam from Rob Elliot around the fire.
March 3, Sunday, 2002
Low last night was about 25 degrees or colder as everything was frozen again. Hard to get going on the river with House Rock Rapids roaring just below us. Also hard to get the ropes untangled as they are frozen. But everyone was eager to get rowing and warm up. Helen, Teresa, Marijka, and I went on through the rapid first and Teresa did a great turn around run on the right. Everyone was taking turns rowing and changing boats from time to time. We waited there on the rocky beach and watched the others come through and all did great, but wet. Flow was about 8,000cfs. We stopped at North Canyon for a short hike, but mostly trail talk on how to help people and what to look for 4304
in helping passengers get around ok. Another group called Oars was also taking a training trip and just passed us at North Canyon. Reagan and Ote Dale were on that trip, old friends of mine from the early 70’s.
While up North Canyon, two big horn ewes stood around and watched us and listened to the talks and appeared to try hard to keep from laughing. All ran North Canyon Rapids and others below ok. No wind today, but it was cold. Stopped at a small beach on the left just above 23 Mile Rapids and I gave a breccia pipe talk and Surprise Canyon Formation talk. Then on down through 23 Mile Rapids and others below. 24 Mile is now called Georgie Rapids and it has changed from a small rapid to a rather large one. Drifted on down to camp at 29.2 Mile, Silver Grotto Camp on the left (south side). It’s a smaller beach now, but still room for all of us, kinda. It was nice floating around in the sun today with a high of about 44 degrees and no wind and clear sky. It was nice to have Marijka with me today. I drove the big boat in some small riffles at times. Campfire and talks again tonight but it was very cold by sundown in these narrow shear walls of Redwall Limestone.
March 4, Monday, 2002
Clear cold night with some upriver breeze all night; low about 28 degrees. I hoped on a row boat with Marijka today, just the two of us. Others switched around as well. I have never seen Vaseys Spring so low; it was almost not flowing at all. Probably less than 100 gallons per minute. We did not stop at Redwall Cavern. Marijka was teaching me how to row feathered oars, which I have not done before. It takes a bit of getting used to and I practiced in small rapids and in calm stretches. Marijka rowed 36 Mile Rapids and kept me dry for the most part. Clear river water and no wind helped. The sun felt good when it finally got into the canyon. Stopped at lower Buck Farm near where Bert Lopers boat used to be and had lunch and did a geology talk about the Temple Butte Formation. It was warm in the sun there. Just a lazy day floating around and down the river, no wind and clear. Made camp at the point below Nankoweap at mile 53 on the right side (north). I have never camped here before either. There was a private group camped at the main camp just upstream. High today in the sun about 58 degrees, clear and calm day and nice. Flow here about 12 to 13,000cfs.
March 5, Tuesday, 2002
Clear and calm night with a low of 27 degrees; frozen water buckets and ropes again. After breakfast, we hiked up past the private group for a morning of talks at Nankoweap delta, mostly about Indian stuff and some geology. Teresa talked about the eagle studies a few years ago, which were very interesting. Then back to camp and on down the river. With a bunch of guides that know what is to be done, it didn’t take long to get organized and going. I mostly helped pack the big boat and tie a few things down so I felt useful. One thing I noted that was new to me at Nankoweap is the trails are now constructed. The trails are well done and helps keep people from trampling the whole place, which is a good thing. I noted that the cactus was really stressed for water as there has been no rain for over two months so far and this is supposed to be the wet season.
We decided to push on down the river today as we were a bit behind schedule, if there was one. LCR was flowing blue and we picked up another kayak there left by one of the crew this last fall when he came down the LCR. Made camp at Carbon beach on 4305
the north side, mile 64.6. Some breezy conditions today with the usual upriver winds to make me feel at home, but not bad. Some high clouds beginning to show up as well. A nice warm day with highs between 56 and 60 degrees. We had passed the Oars group camped at Kwagunt earlier today. They were going to do a lay over there for a day. The private group is just downstream at Palisades Fault area.
March 6, Wednesday, 2002
Some high clouds all night, calm, and warm for a change. Low about 50 to 54 degrees. After breakfast, we hiked up Carbon Creek to the Butte Fault and I gave a geology talk on the way up and also at the fault. This group had some good questions and they are very interested in geology. Others helped carry a white chalk board up and back for the talks. Lots of sun through the high clouds and it was warm as we floated on down the river. I rode with Marijka today and she did well. We had some discussion about how to go through Tanner Rapids and we compromised, she row and I shut up. I only got partly wet. Lunch stop on the left below Tanner. A sea gull flew around us while the ravens were hoping around the beach looking for something to eat.
More stops and talks at various places. Helen gave a good talk at Unkar delta village of the people that used to live there back in 1100 to1200 AD. Wind began to increase throughout the day blowing upriver and the high clouds got thicker and finally blocked out the sun. Looks like a cold front is coming soon. Private group was camped at mile 74 on the right. Marijka had packed the food for that group last week where she worked part time at RIO as they are on a 33 day trip. We went on down through Nevills Rapids and camped on the right at mile 76 across from Nevills camp, north side. I don’t think I have camped here before either, but not sure. Wind increased to about 35 mph at camp. More talks and camp fire tales in windy sandy conditions. High today at lunch on the beach in the sun, about 68 to 70 degrees. About 50 degrees at camp.
March 7, Thursday, 2002
Wind blew like hell all night. About 1am, it blew the kitchen all over the place with gusts in excess of 50 mph. My sleeping container filled up with sand which was in my teeth, ears, everything. I turned around with my feet to the wind but the back eddy wind was just as bad. A light rain fell for about three minutes, then it was mostly a clear sky and windy. Partly cloudy morning and a low of about 47 to 50 degrees.
We all gathered at Hance and planned the run. The river was low, about 7 to 8,000cfs. All made good runs, but wet. Below the rapids in the granite and schist someplace, we stopped and exchanged goodbyes and switched people around. 13 of us were hiking out today, two at Phantom Ranch for the Kaibab Trail (Rob Elliot and Tom Pittenger) and 10 at Pipe Creek up the Bright Angel Trail (Marijka, me, Cam, Helen, Laura, Jeff, TL, and others I don’t know their names. The hikers all piled on the big boat and headed on down river. We got to Phantom and picked up another boatman and left Rob and Tim off for their hike out. Then went on down to Pipe Creek where 7 others were waiting to get on for the second half of the trip and the 10 of us were hiking out. We rearranged gear and most of it went on down the river.
I had a small pack that weighed about 15 pounds. I am second to the oldest on the river trip at 56 and the oldest to be hiking out. So I started off about 10 minutes before noon and it was very warm and partly cloudy and windy. A condor was watching as I 4306
went up Pipe Creek. I kept up a steady pace with a slightly sore heel spur that I had treated just before the river trip. I got up the Devils Corkscrew before others began to catch up and I was having heat problems already. Had to soak my head in the stream in the Tapeats narrows and that helped a lot, but everyone had gone by and on up the trail. So I kept going feeling that they all are gonna have to wait for me for a change for the ride back. Also, the desk job I have is not good for keeping me in shape.
I saw the place where the old trilobite exhibit used to be to the east of the tail just before reaching Indian Gardens. Got into Indian gardens ok and feeling better as it was windy and not quite so hot. Must have been about 70 degrees or more in the granites in Pipe Creek. I ate a small lunch and caught up with three others at the Gardens. A mule trip was just arriving from out on the overlook point, so I loaded up my half gallon canteen and started off. Several other people were going up and down the trail, but not too bad. Lots of dust. I stopped several times in the shade to cool off, but so far not much problem with the heel and my legs were feeling fine, but my hips were getting a bit sore for some reason.
The higher I went, the cooler it got and the wind picked up a little more from the southwest. Another storm was coming either tonight or tomorrow. I was beginning to drag a little about the Coconino level, but it was cool, about 47 degrees. The mule train passed me in the Coconino switchbacks. There were stretches of the trail in snow and ice, but not much from the Toroweap on up that last ½ mile and it was too cold to stop and rest too long with the wind. I made it to the top and looked around in the dirt parking lot and found the van, but no one was there. I just got my pack off and others were coming along from the Bright Angel bar. It was 4:30pm. It took me 4 and a half hours to do the 9 miles up from the river. I was very tired but my legs were ok.
We piled into the van and headed back to Flagstaff. Wind was blowing about 30 mph on the rim when I got there and it was cold. A little snow was falling in Flagstaff, but did not amount to much. It cleared off during the night. I had a good time on the river despite the cold, but it was worth it to be with Marijka all the time. Hiked 9 miles this trip, not counting a mile or two in the canyon.