Packraft adventure from Kanab Creek to Lava Falls (Apr 09)

Upset Rapids

Most of the month of April has brought unusual cold showers to the Southwest, but I had hopes that it would warm up for my next adventure with Mike down in the depths of the Grand Canyon to combine backpacking, exploring, and rafting in our Alpacka packrafts. We had to delay leaving a day later due to strong rains and winds, so we had a lot of miles to make up in 6 days. We each drove out to the top of the Lava Falls trail near Toroweap, left one vehicle there, and then drove back up to Hack Canyon. The road down Hack is usually rough, but the BLM must have done recent work to make it passable for most vehicles. We easily cruised with packs down Hack to Kanab Creek, then continued down Kanab to the confluence of Jumpup Canyon. This part of the canyon was very pleasant, beautiful, and easy for hiking, although I developed a nasty blister on my pinky toe that slowed me down the rest of the week. We continued a couple of miles farther to a nice quiet camp site for a total of 16 miles the first day. The next day we hiked for more than 12 miles of slow boulder hopping down beautiful lower Kanab Creek, past Showerbath Spring, Scotty's Hollow, and Whispering Falls, all the way to the confluence with the Colorado River, where we spent our second night.

From there we started the second phase of our adventure--exploring the Grand Canyon via our packrafts, which allowed us to move down river, stop, visit and/or explore up a number of side canyons, including Olo, Matkat, Canyon of a Thousand Names (where we spent our third night under ledges out of the wind), Havasu, Tuckup, National, Fern Glen, Mohawk, Stairway and Cove canyons. Some of the most scenic hiking was up to the Muav ledges, patios, and pools, that usually have water flowing down through these side canyons. One of the biggest highlights was going up Havasu (aka "Have-A-Zoo" due to the swarms of people)--it was so unusual, because there was absolutely nobody there at all, and also because the water was running so high and so incredibly cloudy/milky blue, instead of the normal turquoise blue. The fourth night was spent at Tuckup, which we explored; and our last night at Cove Canyon, where we could see Toroweap Point downstream--the point where we climb out of the canyon. The last morning we made our way down to the base of the Lava Falls Trail, where we packed everything up, and climbed practically straight up 3,000' in 3 hours, and back to our vehicle for the ride home.

Our total mileage was 30 miles of hiking, and another 35 miles along the river, not including untold miles around the side canyons and camps. I flipped my packraft twice within the first hour of being on the river, in a couple of different medium sized riffles. I then noticed my backpack was loaded off-center, and this was causing me to list to the port side. After fixing the balance, I never flipped again. Mike only flipped on the last day at the next-to-the-last riffle, because his pack was not tied down tight (I forgot to check the knots before launching), and his backpack shifted weight mid-stream, causing him to be off-balance too. These little rafts are pretty incredible in how they handle in big waves. We wore wetsuits on the river, so the cold water was not a factor during out swims or paddling. We also portaged around any nasty looking rapids and riffles whenever possible, like Upset Rapids, which would have swallowed our little rafts in its numerous holes, and maybe never spit them back out. Some rapids like Matkat were un-portageable, so we had to run them anyway, but did fine. The camp sites and weather was mostly beautiful, clear, cool, with only a little bit of clouds and light rain spatterings. All in all, it was a very tough, challenging, and highly rewarding trip that will go down in the memory banks!







A view up Hack Canyon.











Showerbath Springs














A pool near Whispering Falls


















Havasu Canyon pools and cascades.













Me next to Havasu.













A photo near the mouth of Havasu. Notice the water color!

















Mike and our packrafts next to the mouth of Havasu.
















Tuckup Canyon















Sunset light hitting cliffs during our last night at Cove Canyon.








Getting ready to push off from Cove Canyon on our last morning. We climbed out just past Toroweap Overlook, which can be seen in the upper left background with the sunlight hitting the top there.

Mr Boucher the Hermit (Mar 09)

A few days after getting home from Hawaii, I had a trip scheduled for months to go down solo to the bottom of the Grand Canyon where the famous hermit Louis Boucher lived over 100 years ago. This is a rugged, difficult trail off the south rim for 11 miles to Boucher rapids, then 7 miles over to Hermit Camp, then 7 miles to Salt Camp, and then 12 miles along the Tonto Trail to Indian Gardens and up the Bright Angel for nearly 40 miles total in 4 days. The weather was mostly beautiful--only a few hours of light rain and wind on the second day. I often wonder what I'm doing out there all alone, but after a few days I really enjoy bonding with nature. I didn't see any people for the first day and half the second day, and then again no people for pretty much most of the third day and half the last day. Yuma Point is the red area left of center in the sun...




A view from the rim toward Boucher Rapids (slightly up and left of center). I had to get down there the first day! The Boucher trail is the most difficult of south rim trails.











Me resting at Yuma Point. See the river under my left cheek. Someday I will stop here and spend the night.











My first night's camp spot in the sand next to Boucher Rapids.









The neat thing about Boucher Rapids is that you can see my two all-time favorite rim viewpoints--here is Pima Point at sunset on the south rim...











...and here is Sublime Point on the north rim with the sun hitting it at sunrise.














Redbuds were in bloom in all the side canyons.












Second day along the Tonto heading to Hermit Camp--the trail swings out above the river here.













A series of waterfalls above Hermit Camp.













The third day I hiked past Monument Creek, and took a break here in the Vishnu narrows before heading over to my final camp spot at Salt Creek.
















The "Fiery Furnace" in Salt Creek.













Can you see the bighorn standing on the rock? They blend into the canyon well.
















My last night's camp along the Tonto...













...had a sunset view of a long stretch of river, where you can see Granite and Hermit Rapids.










My last morning hike--looking up at the south rim's Powell and Hopi Points.

Hawaii Spring Break (Mar 09)

Here is a sampling of some of the best and funnest photos from our family Hawaii spring break trip. We enjoyed spending time with Heather and Kivalu and cousins Valu and Keenan. We spent every day at a beach some where, and really enjoyed time with family.





Brooke and Kim at sunrise!












Keenan doing a sommersalt in the sand.














Me posing with the 3 girls.












Family photo in front of Heather and Ki's home, where they may not be living in a year, since they are considering moving closer to town and schools.











Me and Kim at Turtle Bay for a wonderful evening out.











Kim and I walked along the beach and Kim did yoga every early morning. Each day's sunrise was different, but wonderful in its own way.













Burning sunrise!













Another sunrise photo!






















A different perspective of sand, ocean, water, and footprints.













I enjoyed this photo of Sasha jumping over a wave coming in at Sunset Beach on the North Shore.

Clear Creek in the Grand Canyon (Feb 09)

A Postcard From The Edge

Once again it's that time of year to get out of town and escape from all the lost people driving around trying to find Parade of Homes. I talked Mike into going back to the Grand Canyon so that we could try a new area for us--the Clear Creek drainage. We would spend four nights and five days hiking over 50 miles and 10,000' of uphill vertical, all while down in the depths among the deepest and oldest rocks in the canyon--the Vishnu schist. The first day we dropped down the Bright Angel trail, crossed the bridge, passed Phantom Ranch, and climbed over 1000' up on the Tonto to spend our first night. The weather had been rainy for weeks, but we lucked out with five days of sun and 60 degree days. However, I forgot my sleeping bag somehow, and ended up having to wear everything I owned in order to stay warm in my tent. I did have a small fleece liner, which helped a little. The first night was 27 degrees, and each night thereafter was warmer by about 6 degrees. We spent two nights in the Clear Creek drainage, allowing us time to explore down and upcreek, seeing various waterfalls and Anasazi ruins. The last night was next to Phantom Ranch, where we were able to eat their stew meal, which was a real treat, before climbing out the South Kaibab trail the last morning.

Cold temps in the low 20s as we began our hike down the Bright Angel with crampons. Snow and ice covered the trail for the first hour.

The black bridge and some of the buildings near Phantom Ranch. We still had to climb over 1000' up on the Tonto below Zoroaster (the pyramid shaped peak).

A view of the Colorado River and the Vishnu schist, as well as the South Rim.

Our first night's camp near Sumner Wash on the Tonto trail, below Zoroaster. Despite the sunny skies, the first night temp was 27, and I had no sleeping bag!

View of the inner gorge while hiking the Tonto toward Clear Creek.

After setting up camp in Clear Creek, we hiked four miles down toward the Colorado. This is the 'sideway's' waterfall, and is the same place Brooke and I hiked up to during our June '06 float trip.

This is as far as Mike dared go out on the ledge next to the waterfall. I ended up down climbing the 15' to get photos from below.

Our next day we hiked up Clear Creek to Ariel Creek. These ruins and grinding tools were along the way.

Abstract photo of Ariel Creek with hardened gravel sides that look like they should break off, because they are only an inch thick, and the water flows underneath. Width of the creek is only 2 feet, to give you some perspective.

Looking back at our Clear Creek camp spot (center and down a little) during our hike out.

I'm ready to get in the sun to hike along the Tonto. The South Kaibab trail goes up the ridgeline to the rim (behind me up to the left).

Colorado River view of the black and silver bridges.

Me near the top on the last day. The sun and clouds cast neat shadows.

Almost to the top of the South Kaibab, with Vishnu Temple above my left shoulder, Wotan's Throne above my right shoulder, and Crystal Creak drainage in the far left edge of the photo.