The Hike out. 8.6 miles horizontally, 1 mile vertically, 108 degrees in the sun (which most of the way is). We are each carrying about 25 pounds gear and water.

 

Total hike time: 7 hours. Not bad.

Day 5 is the biggest rapids day yet. They come one right after another for an action packed day.

We transition from sedimentary rock to metamorphic and igneous as the river descends past the great unconformity.

Penne and meat balls for dinner. Carb loading for the big hike out tomorrow.

Beautiful starry sky again tonight.

Day 4 we hit some good rapids and hiked up a beautiful slot canyon.

 

 

The little colorado was very silty and cinnamon colored. The silt is very fine and slick.

Tuna steaks with rice pilaf and squash for dinner tonight, and it was delicious.

The weather looks very monsoony so Elliot and i sleep in ledges in the cliff wall.

Fewer pictures today because the camera battery is running low and i am conserving.

Day 3 is a float day. No rapids to speak of. Still, it turned out to be my favorite day of the trip.

 

 

 

We stopped at redwall cavern and played horseshoes, bocce ball and frisbee. We also saw some great fossils.

After lunch we all hitched our boats to Tom’s oar (cargo) boat and listened to Megan give a beautiful concert on the river.

At camp we hiked up to the top of the inner canyon rim. It was a pretty serious hike but the views are well worth it.

Carnitas for dinner tonight. They were spectacular, per usual.

We slept under the stars and, for the first time on the trip, there really were stars. So many stars.

Day 2 is a big rapids day. It was cool this morning and the water is below 50 degrees so we really appreciated our splash jackets.

We stop for a hike up north canyon, a gorgeous slot canyon. At the pool Megan and Leia gave us a wonderful little guitar and vocal concert. The acoustics of the pool are amazing.

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Dinner was salmon, quinoa and fruit salad. It was delicious, though a little sandy. The wind was pretty strong during dinner prep.

It rained off and on over night but i rested well wrapped in a tarp. Wet is way better than hot. We don’t need no stinken’ tents. (Though they are provided for those who feel otherwise.) Word to the wise it is a lot cooler near the water.

We put in at Lee’s Ferry. We learn the few commands the guides use right away and then we are off.

The scenery is awe inspiring right from the beginning (as you can see from the background).

Lunch is a short break from the river.  The crew sets up an impressive buffet of sandwich makings and snacks. As soon as everyone is done eating the table and food is stowed and we are back on the river.

We ran 4 small to medium rapids (badger creek, soap creek, 13 mile and sheer wall) on the first day. Unfortunately, i don’t have any pictures or video of the rapids due to needing to have both hands on the paddle during rapids and an issue with Elliot’s go pro, which i will cover in a later post.

Dinner is steak, mash potatoes and salad. It is seriously excellent.

We sleep on the beach under the stars — well clouds strictly speaking . It was super hot and there were lots bugs so it is a rather fitful night. Later i learn that wetting the provided liner (a sleeping bag made out of light weight cotton fabric) and sleeping in that is the suggested way of cooling down and keeping the bugs off. Live and learn.