Grand Canyon Raft Trip with Brooke (June 2006)

This was my second trip down the river. The first one I did with Stephanie in June 2004. Now it was Brooke's turn, and she was unsure about the whole ordeal. Once school was out, I think she would have rather spent some times relaxing and playing with her friends. So here it was three days after school let out, and we got up very early to drive to Marble Canyon, where the Hatch River Rafting warehouse was. This is where we met our group. They drove us 10 miles to the put-in at Lee's Ferry, and the fun began.




We stopped here on some neat Supai ledges with beautiful and calm green-blue waters for our scenery. Brooke was amazed at how beautiful the water and the canyon was.








This is a nasty hole in House Rock Rapids. We stopped here to go hike up Rider Canyon. Brooke fell in a huge quick sand/ mud hole, and was covered with warm gooey mud up to her chest. She lost one of her sandals, and despite our guideBen looking forever, he never found it. When we got back to the boat, we witnessed a private raft hitting the rapid here and flipping. We ended up helping them flip back over before proceeding down canyon.






This is Vasey's Paradise, which is a spring springing from a cave much like Thunder River. There's a lot of poison ivy in the area, so we didn't get too close. I have backpacked down to this spot, and it's very serene.
















We spent a lunch here in the Redwall Cavern. This is an enormous cave-like area that is large than a football field!













What a beautiful campsite at North Canyon! Brooke can be seen off in the distance, bathing in the river.











After a couple of day, Dave and Brooke are in the zone--one with the canyon here during a hike to this beautiful waterfall in North Canyon.
















Calm reflective waters before getting to Nankoweap Canyon.












Brooke's favorite view of the river is from 700 feet above, next to the Nankoweap ruins.












Brooke cooling off in a waterfall in Clear Creek Canyon. Our weather in the canyon consisted of 95 degree days and 70 degree nights! Some nights were cooler and some days were a little warmer.







The Powell Plateau from our 'ledges' campsite below the Bass Canyon. This was Brooke's favorite place to camp.













The two of us posing in front of Elves Chasm, just before we jumped in, swam behind the rocks, climbed up, and jumped down 10 feet into the deep, cool waters!
















A group photo in the part of the canyon know as 'Conquistidor Aisle'.












We were in the canyon during the New Moon, so the stars were incredible. This is a time exposure pointing up from our camp site at Upset Rapids.








Brooke swimming in the warm turquoise waters of Havasu Creek. This place, as well as the entire trip, was paradise on earth!











Brooke's number one favorite spot in the Grand Canyon--Deer Creek Falls!

Thunder River and Deer Creek in Grand Canyon (May 2006)

This was Kim and my 17th anniversary trip for 3 nights and 4 days into the depth of the Grand Canyon, backpacking for almost 30 miles, experiencing some of the best parts of the canyon. We camped two nights in Tapeats Creek area, and one night in Deer Creek. Total distance was 10 miles day one; 3 miles day two; 6 miles day three; and 9 miles day four. Rim elevation is 7200' and the river is around 2000'. Dave accidently left about 1/3 of the food home and in the truck, so we rationed and lived on fewer calories. What a great weight loss program!













Thunder River cascading down. This river drops 1500' in one mile, and is the world's shortest river, and the only river that drains into a creek!















We can finally see our camp site down below at the left of the mouth of Tapeats Creek in the sandy area. Boaters are not allowed to camp here anymore, so we had it all to ourselves!








Our camp spot next to the river and Tapeats Creek.
















Sunrise hitting tops of the canyon from our Tapeats Creek camp site.
















The middle gorge is the narrowest part of the river through the Grand Canyon. On this day we hiked 5 miles from Tapeats to Deer Creek, with awesome views of the middle gorge.

















View of Deer Creek Falls from the river.





















Kim admiring the power of the water coming down Deer Creek Falls. We both swam in this cool water, as it felt good on a 90 degree day.















Dave at the mouth of Deer Creek Canyon above the waterfall and Colorado River.












King David sitting in the 'throne room'. Deer Spring gushing out behind him. This water was the best tasting water ever!

Taylor Creek (April 2006)

In the Kolob Fingers section of Zion, a 3 mile hike up Taylor Creek allows you to come to the double arch alcove, which has this unusual tree growing at the bottom.























Fingers of Kolob with blue sky and puffy clouds.

Parashant Canyon (Mar 2006)

Parashant Canyon in the Grand Canyon is one isolated spot! I have been down there twice. I went down there in late winter by myself, and was worried that if something happened to me, that my best bet would be to try to get to the river in order to get help from rafters.

To get there, I drove my truck down road #1063 south of Bundyville School, and parked at the top of the rim near the stock tank. The road down into the canyon is in absolutely terrible shape. I have heard some people mountain bike down. I wouldn't do it--it's too steep, rocky, and slow. I took my motorcycle the 20 or some odd miles down to the copper mine, and I won't ever do that again either--way too many washed out ruts and big boulders. I averaged only about 8 mph both ways, and was in first or second gear most of the time. It was painfully slow.

I knew I was close to the copper mine when I saw a lot of green rocks scattered on the ground. From the copper mine it's easy to scramble down the wash and get into the narrows. Parashant does have some nice, deep, redwall narrows that go on for miles, and it's a fairly decent walk down to the river, although it too is a long ways.








Looking straight up while in the narrows.









A view down canyon.

East Zion (Mar 2006)

The east side of Zion has many side canyons and washes that are worth exploring. Many take you up on interesting slickrock and views.



Here is a slickrock highway that seems to go up into space.















These mysterious petroglyphs appear to be two humans joined at the feet, upside down.



















Here are some humanoids riding on the back of a snake?

Snow Spring Break (Mar 2006)

This was our backyard in the middle of March during Spring Break.













A hike up Johnson Canyon revealed a redrock face appearing to be eating a snow-covered tree.

The Wave of Coyote Buttes (Mar 2006)

Coyote Buttes is an area west of Kanab down on the Arizona state line. It is most famous for an area known as the 'Wave'. The BLM allows only 20 people in this area per day, so getting a permit to go out there can be quite an ordeal. I obtained a permit for the family and we hiked the 3 miles without any incidents. The colors, patterns, and shapes of the sandstone blows the mind away.


Brooke trying to comprehend the geometry of the rock.





















Sasha on a portion of the Wave, shown here for size and scale.



























Kim posing in front.



















Notice the shimmering light colors.

Zion Observation Point (Feb 2006)

A glowing wall rises 2000' above a lone ponderosa pine tree in Echo Canyon.













A raven in the foreground. Angels Landing and the Virgin River below.

















A view of the main canyon from 2000' above the floor. It is a 4 mile hike up to this 'Observation Viewpoint'. Angels Landing is in the foreground.

Kanab Point in the Grand Canyon (Jan 2006)

The view to the east From Kanab Point in the Grand Canyon.











This is a fantastic view of the Western Grand Canyon from Kanab Pt. Notice the Colorado River a shining a mile below.

Water Canyon (Dec 2005)

Water Canyon should actually be apart of Zion National Park, but it lies in Arizona next to the polygamist town of Hilldale. The hike I did follows the stream up into this narrow subway type section, then continues on for a total of about 4 miles up 2000' to the top of a slickrock paradise.



The cold winter day I went featured long frozen icicles in the subway section.














See the small stone at the bottom for scale of these wavy colorful ribbons of slickrock.

South Canyon in Grand Canyon (Nov 2005)

Me hiking down into South Canyon, a side canyon of Marble Canyon in the GC. The hike is about 7 or 8 miles one way, and drops several thousand feet. I spent one night down there during a warm spell in November. Notice in the distance Vasey's Paradise spilling out into the river.











This is a shot from below of Vasey's Paradise. It is basically a huge spring that shoots out of the Redwall layer. There was a lot of poison ivy in this area. There is also a huge cave that nearby that has stick figures dating back several thousand years.

West Rim Trail in Zion (Nov 2005)

For my 40th birthday, Kim and I went and stayed at the Zion Lodge, and did some hiking. Here we are enjoying the Fall colors on the trail up to Angels Landing.












Here I am standing in front of one of the stunning views of the West Rim.













Here's Kim on the slickrock trail leading down off the rim.