Rafting the Grand Canyon –Mystery, Music, Magic and Thunder Falls!

 We crammed a whole lot of fun stuff into Thursday, 10/1, our tenth day on the river. Rog and I started off the morning in the paddle boat. We did an easy paddle to Elves Chasm. For me the name conjured images of lush greenery inhabited by flittering fairies. I didn’t see any little people, but it nailed lush. Even more fun there was a waterfall that you could climb behind and jump off. I was content to document the crazies, but Rog was quickly in line. The drop was “only” about 15 feet, but Rog landed wrong and managed to injure his hamstring. Getting old sucks. Lol.

Elves Chasm.

Just a few of the jumpers - Mara, Tim and Rog with James waiting his turn.

A few miles further downriver and we stopped for lunch and a hike into Blacktail Canyon. What a magical place. The hike in passed an area where we got a close look at the Great Unconformity. I talked a little about the amazing layers of stone exposed in the canyon that act as a geological record. Mysteriously, in some places a large part of that record is completely missing. The Great Unconformity involves up to 1.2 billion years of missing deposits! Relatively young Tapeats Sandstone rests directly on the much, much older Vishnu Schist. We could span with our hand a mind-boggling billion+ years. Wow. Try wrapping your head around that!

 

The Great Unconformity.
(I'm talking about the rocks, honest.)

Further into Blacktail Canyon we stopped and Mandela brought out her digeridoo. Then Tim, who is a professional musician (check out his band, The Mother Hips, online!) brought out his guitar and sang. It is impossible to describe the special connection you feel in that extraordinary setting with enchanting music and wonderful people. No wonder Mandela said it was one of her favorite places in the canyon.

Towering cliffs line the trail into Blacktail Canyon. 

Another magical spot in Blacktail Canyon.

Mandela with her digeridoo.

Mandela and Tim make music together.

 After lunch we switched up and I rode with Nancy in her oar boat while Rog tried out the inflatable kayak. Rog took a quick swim leaving the shore when he hit the eddy line and flipped the kayak, but after that he rocked it through all the rapids. Eddy is a real jerk. Lol.

 

The river provides majesty and magic too. 

Daddy does the ducky!

The guides pulled the duckies above Fossil Rapid (7 on a scale of 10) and Rog rode on Mara’s boat with Catherine. We hit several larger rapids, but my favorite was Bedrock Rapid. Most of the time the lines through the rapids are pretty straightforward, but Bedrock had (did you guess it) huge rocks in the middle so the guides had to avoid the left run, come in center, go right and row like hell.

 

Matt enters a rapid.

Watch out for the rocks!

Paddle hard!!!

Mara rows Rog and Catherine. 

We made camp that evening at Talking Heads (river mile 133.5). The next morning (Friday, 10/2) we had breakfast and packed a sack lunch. Rog and I were back in the paddleboat, but less than a mile downriver we pulled into the mouth of Tapeats Creek. Then we had a choice to make. You could disembark here and do a 9-mile hike or float a few miles downriver to Deer Creek and do a much shorter hike and hang out at a lovely oasis called the Patio. The guides would split between the two groups and again do the reverse hike to ferry all the boats to Deer Creek. Hmmmmm. I just wasn’t feeling motivated to do a long, hot, arduous hike – a few hours of reading and relaxing sounded like just the ticket. Rog, on the other hand, had read about the area and was determined to do the long hike and see Thunder Falls.

 

Decisions, decisions...
Nine miles of arduous hiking or a day of leisure?

So we left Rog and most of the group at Tapeats Creek. They would hike up the creek, past Thunder Falls, across Surprise Valley, and then join us at the Patio. Given his bum hamstring, maybe it wasn't Rog's most brilliant decision, but Thunder Falls was certainly worth the trek. Thousands of gallons of water shoot directly out of the sandstone cliff creating an island of green in a sun blasted desert environment.

 

As always, the hike starts with a climb. 
Tim stops for a breather.

Gwen gestures as the group walks along the precipice... 

...then through the valley, and...

...past colorful formations and a lovely creek.

Destination: Thunder Falls!
(photo credit: Andy)

Rog enjoys the payoff. 

Water shoots right out of the rock wall.

After a break at the falls, it's a long hot hike to the Patio.

Meanwhile, I rode with Nancy to Deer Creek. We passed the narrowest spot in the canyon – just 76 feet wide! Of course, my camera was still stowed on the paddleboat. Arrrgh! The hike to the Patio was considerably shorter, but challenging in its own right - scrambling up steep rocks and walking along narrow ledges. The Patio was a beautiful, shaded area with a stream and small waterfall to play in. Barb, Bode and I hung out there. Catherine didn’t feel comfortable doing the hike so Mandela set her up at the base of Deer Creek Falls and then split her time between Catherine and the Patio.

 

Our hike involved a lot of UP too!

Nancy hikes along the ledge to the Patio.

We met a group of backpackers doing yoga at the Patio.

The patio playground. Lol.

After the group reassembled at the Patio we hiked back down to the boats. We stopped and picked up Catherine at the falls where she’d spent the day. Deer Creek Falls is an absolutely stunning 150 ft. waterfall. I think Catherine won the lottery. Lol.

The group reunited at the Patio.

Hiking back to the boats.

Shadows fill the canyon as we return to the river.

Deer Creek Falls. Wow!

We stopped just a mile downriver for camp at the Football Field (river mile 138), a huge sandy beach. The long hikers were especially happy to relax. 

Tim relaxes after the long hike.

The crew surprised me with an early birthday pineapple upside-down cake which was most appropriately served on an upside-down Mandela. Really! She did a sort of handstand seated yoga position while Mara balanced the cake on her to light the candles. I know I’m not describing it well enough, but it was truly memorable and, of course, I had no camera! But it almost made turning a year older worth it! Lol.

 

Rafting the Grand Canyon – A Week of WOW!

Monday, 9/28, marked a week on the river. Sadly it was also our last full day together as a group. Tomorrow is exchange day with some folks hiking out on the Bright Angel Trail and others coming down from the rim to join us. But we have a full day of amazing white water and fun before that happens!

We started the day with a hike up the dry wash next to Nevill’s camp where Mandela played her digeridoo.

Mandela on the hike.

We stopped about a mile downriver to scout one of the major rapids. Hance Rapid is rated a 9 out of 10 (yes, the Grand Canyon uses a scale of 10 instead of the 1-5 scale used everywhere else, don’t ask me why!).  We had several larger rapids today and in Matt’s oar boat we got a front row seat, going through the rapids first and then getting to watch everyone else.

Scouting Hanse Rapid.

The paddle boat A-Team is ready to rock and roll!
L-R: Cole, Tina, Susie, Mandela, Ashley, Claudia & Chris (photo credit: Ashley)

Mara's oar boat in the rapid.

Our lunch break was extended with a hike up Clear Creek to a spectacular horizontal waterfall. A great place to play in the water. Luckily, the side canyon streams aren’t quite as cold as the Colorado. Although none of them can be described as warm! Lol.

Climbing up from the river and then along the creek.

 

The aptly named Horizontal Waterfall on the right. 

Not quite the "Ice Bucket Challenge", but close!
I met the challenge and then got Rog in on the action.

Andy on the left.  Ashley, Susie, Cole and Kaz on the right.

Fun time is over and we hike back to the boats.

We camped just above Zoroaster Rapid (river mile 85) with a lovely view and a bright, nearly full moon.

Shadows fall as we make camp.

 

The moon is crazy bright above the cliffs.

Day 8 - Exchange day. ☹ We have had such a fantastic group it is hard to break up our happy family. Susie, siblings Ashley and Cole along with Chris, Claudia and their dad, Kaz are all hiking out today. We’re losing all our young blood!  Suddenly the average age of our group has increased by a decade or so. Lol. I was surprised when the guides said that 60 was typically the average age of the guests. I would have thought younger given the challenging hiking and adventurous nature of the trip. I guess when you think about the expense and amount of time folks have to take off work that makes sense. But before we shed our goodbye tears, we have some fun rapids and a great hike ahead of us.

We navigate Zoroaster Rapid, riding in Jesse’s dory, and then have a fairly sedate float past the Kaibab and Bright Angel Bridges. Both bridges connect the north and south sides of the canyon and provide access to Phantom Ranch. Usually we’d have the option of checking out Phantom Ranch during the exchange, but due to COVID they are understandably limiting visitors.

Entering Zoroaster Rapid.

 

We float under the Kaibab Bridge near Phantom Ranch.

Signs of civilization at Pipe Creek.

We pull in at Pipe Creek and say a sad farewell to those hiking out. It’s about 8 miles from the river to the rim with an elevation change of 4460 feet. Gulp. That is a lot of up (or down). Rog and I opt to hike along to the exchange spot near Indian Gardens, about 3 miles up the trail. It’s a beautiful day and lovely trail, but I’m glad we’re doing the “easy” portion. Apparently it gets steeper further along.

Last assembly of the Upper Canyon crew. 

The trail switchbacks up from the river.

Trees and vegetation grow along Pipe Creek and...

...the sheer cliffs provide welcome shade.

We even got to see a mule train coming down the trail!

Back at Pipe Creek we get to meet the new additions to the family. Tom and his son-in-law, Phil, Catherine who was a friend of Mandela’s and her first yoga instructor when she was 8 years old, another couple Karen and James, and Tim and Kendall, who will be working as assistant guides. Once everyone has assembled we waste no time getting back in the boats – there are big rapids ahead! Several of the new folks are experienced paddlers, so Mandala puts together a new team for her boat.

Exchange complete and we're back on the river.

Mandela stands to survey the rapid ahead.

And there they go!

An E-ticket ride!

As the miles pass and we move downriver the character of the canyon has changed. We are now seeing what is called “basement” rock – Vishnu schist and Zoroaster granite dating back to the Precambrian era 1.8 billion years ago. Compare that to the Kaibab limestone at the rim, a mere (lol) 250 million years old. The canyon provides geologists with an amazing record as well as plenty of mysteries. (More on that later!) We made Schist Camp (river mile 96.5) and settled in to get acquainted with our new family members.

We see older basement rock as we move downriver.
The water polished and carved rock on the right is fluted schist. 

Schist Camp.

Hello! 
I found a new camp buddy hiding under my sleeping mat.

View from camp.

We’re back in Mark’s oar boat for Day 9 (Wednesday, 9/30). It’s a great white water day! Boucher, Crystal, the Gems… Mark skillfully navigates while we just hold on. I wish I could show you the big rapids, but I’ve got a death grip on the boat and no free hands to take pictures! Lol.

 

Rog is about to get WET! 

Where did the boat go???

The water looks even bigger...

...when your butt is in the river. 
Phil and Kendall take on the Colorado in the duckies. 

We do a short hike at lunch up Shinumo Creek to a waterfall. This one is fun because you can swim behind it and then slide through the fall. It's a great example of a "wet hike", meaning you are walking, wading or swimming for part of it! 

The very definition of "wet hike".

Camp tonight is at Lower Garnet (river mile 115), named for the gorgeous red granite (yes, with garnet inclusions!). It’s hard to believe we’ve traveled over a hundred miles on the river. The days are getting shorter and we often end up eating dinner and doing the dishes by lantern light and then turning in for the night by 8:30pm. No screens or phones – life guided by nature’s rhythms, looking up at the stars each night – I’m going to miss that when we get home. 

Things mellow out as we approach camp. 

Lower Garnet camp.
Rog searches for the perfect spot; Andy and Tim provide entertainment; dinner and dishes by lantern light. 

We're more than halfway through our trip and have enjoying every minute of it! However, I do need to figure out a way to cover more in these blog posts before you end up bored, bored, bored!