Description

I own no land, instead I have wheelestate. I’ve been a full time RVer since 1997. Working summers as a Park Ranger takes me to many beautiful places and playing during the winter takes me to many more. This blog is simply the story of my life's adventures.

Moved

Thank you for stopping by. Just to let you know, I'm still blogging but have moved to Geogypsytraveler. Hope you'll follow my adventures. Just click here.

Saturday, October 2, 2010

Last work day on the Walhalla

01 Morning light over the canyon from Lodge NR GRCA NP AZ (1024x385)
The morning began clear and bright at the Lodge but would change throughout the day...

Friday, October 1, 2010

Tuweep, a remote western view of Grand Canyon

01 Scrapes on slickrock Tuweep GRCA NP AZ (1024x753)

Scrape marks on the slick rock that’s called road, not ours

After the five hour drive over washboard then slick rock road we pulled into a full campground around 5pm.

02 Campsite Tuweep GRCA NP AZ (1024x411)

A fellow camper offered us parking in his large space as rules allow two vehicles per site. He pulled out the next morning.

03 Sunset E Tuweep GRCA NP AZ (1024x768)

Had a quick spaghetti dinner then walked the 1 mile (1.6 km) to the Tuweep overlook for sunset.

04 Sunset upriver Tuweep GRCA NP AZ (768x1024)

No disappointment here looking upstream.

05 Side canyon on SR feeds into Colorado River Tuweep GRCA NP AZ (572x1024)

Then we boulder hopped along the rim towards the west looking straight down about 3000 feet (914 m) into the Colorado River.

06 Downstream W Tuweep GRCA NP AZ (930x1024)

By the time we got to a good overlook downstream the light was gone, but the view sure wasn’t.

07 Darkling beetle Tuweep GRCA NP AZ (1024x768)

We walked back to camp by flashlight and saw this darkling beetle scurrying across our path. Sure glad it wasn’t one of the many snakes reportedly seen by the camphost.

08 Juniper at the rim looking E Tuweep GRCA NP AZ (768x1024)

The next morning after breakfast we walked back to the rim again.

09 Tuweep Point GRCA NP AZ (1024x768)

Tuweep sits at an elevation of 4600 feet (1400 m) on a landform known as the Esplanade which forms a flat shelf situated about halfway between the coniferous forests of the North Rim and the hot canyon bottom.

10 Tuweep GRCA NP AZ (1024x768)

A chaparral community thrives in Tuweep Valley with juniper and pinyon, sagebrush and saltbush, Mormon tea and other woody shrubs, and various grasses.

11 View E Tuweep GRCA NP AZ (1024x309)

Nearer the Esplanade succulent cacti, yucca, and agave predominate.

12 Up stream Colorado R Tuweep GRCA NP AZ (760x1024)

Upstream

At less than one mile across the canyon to the Hualapai Indian Reservation on the South Rim, this is one of narrowest and deepest segments of the inner canyon.

13 Supai sandstone bedding planes and erosion Tuweep GRCA NP AZ (1024x750)

Sandstone bedding planes and erosion

The colorful redrock from the Hermit shale and Supai sandstones to the east…

14 Down stream Colorado R Tuweep GRCA NP AZ (1024x768)

…contrasts with the black, basaltic lava flows to the west.

15 Lava eroding off Hermit shale at Tuweep GRCA NP AZ (1024x768)

More than a dozen times in the last 7 million years lava spilled over the canyon rim damming the Colorado River.

16 Lava Falls rapid Colorado River Tuweep GRCA NP AZ (1024x768)

The river eroded these lava dams and continued its downward cutting to where it is now 50 feet (15 m) deeper than the base of the dams.

17 Down stream Colorado R Tuweep GRCA NP AZ (756x1024)

Downstream

As the sun rose higher so did the temperatures.

18 Mike Tuweep GRCA NP AZ (1024x958)

We just couldn’t hang around during the heat of the day.

19 Erosion in Supai sandstone by camp Tuweep GRCA NP AZ by Mike (1024x768)

Eroded sandstone

So we headed back to camp for lunch in the afternoon shade of a large boulder next to our site.

20 Water pocket on slickrock Tuweep GRCA NP AZ (768x1024)

On the way we saw water pockets in the slick rock. When moisture fills these pools fairy and horseshoe shrimp, tiny frogs and microscopic organisms emerge from the muddy bottoms.

21 Cryptobiotic soil Tuweep GRCA NP AZ by Mike (1024x768)

It is important to walk only on the trail as the surrounding ground supports a rare and sensitive crusty black cryptobiotic soil. This complex community of lichens, algae, and bacteria takes years to grow.

22 Down stream Colorado R Tuweep GRCA NP AZ (766x1024)

Downstream

After hanging out in camp being lazy all day, we once again headed to the rim for sunset.

23 Up stream Colorado R thru snag Tuweep GRCA NP AZ (768x1024)

Upstream

I just couldn’t stop taking photos.

24 Gaelyn looking up stream at Colorado R Tuweep GRCA NP AZ by Mike (1024x766)

Nor did I want to leave.

25 Road from Tuweep BLM AZ (1024x680)

But in the morning we hit the dusty road for the long drive back.

26 Old homestead along road from Tuweep BLM AZ (1024x774)

At least we didn’t end up like this.

To view Mike's birthday video go here. Hoping this works.

Thursday, September 30, 2010

SWF – Smokey sundown at the canyon

DSCF4339 (1024x480)

The prescribed burns cause smoke to hang over the canyon which leads to colorful sunsets.

skywatch friday image

To view more skies from around the world, or to share your own, go to Sky Watch Friday by clicking the image above.

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Getting to Tuweep

01 Warning sign to Tuweep GRCA NP AZ (1024x752)

Just getting to Tuweep, or Toroweap, (which means dry valley in Paiute) proved to be a major part of the adventure.

02 Sunshine Route to Tuweep BLM AZ (1024x410)

After an hour and a half drive on pavement we hit one of the three gravel roads to Tuweep called the Sunshine Route. 61 miles (98 km) of washboard and dust.

03 Sunshine Route to Tuweep thru Antelope Valley BLM AZ (1024x760)

This “route” took us through Antelope Valley.

04 Mt Trumbull west of Sunshine Route to Tuweep BLM AZ (1024x637)

Past Mt Trumbull…

05 Lava flow along Sunshine Route to Tuweep BLM AZ (1024x768)

…which has erupted about a dozen times causing lava to flow across the land and into the canyon.

06 Tuweep Valley BLM AZ (1024x403)

Then we drove into Tuweep Valley.

07 Schultz Ranch in Tuweep Valley BLM AZ (1024x768)

Where there is evidence of ranches.

08 Sunshine Route to Tuweep BLM AZ (1024x672)

Seems like we’d never get to the canyon.

09 Sign for Tuweep Ranger Station GRCA NP AZ (1024x765)

Finally, we approached the boundary into Grand Canyon National Park.

10 Tuweep Ranger Station GRCA NP AZ (1024x535)

Where the Tuweep Ranger station is located.

11 Sunshine Route to Tuweep GRCA NP AZ (1024x768)

The road deteriorates along the last six miles of slick rock as the scenery just gets better.

12 Old road grater along Sunshine Route to Tuweep GRCA NP AZ (1024x534)

Guess this old road grater hasn’t been in operation in many years.

13 Tuweep Point from Sunshine Route GRCA NP AZ (1024x768)

We could finally see Tuweep Point.

14 Turn off for Tuweep campground GRCA NP AZ (1024x552)

And after five hours arrived at the turn off for the Tuweep campground. More coming.

Sunday, September 26, 2010

Going to Toroweap, finally

toroweap-overlook-77815-sw

It’s Mike’s birthday, and we have three days off to celebrate. So, I’m giving him an adventure. Of course it requires a 3 hour drive on 65 miles of washboard gravel road followed by 3 miles of slick rock. All worth it for my Honey and this iconic view. Not my photo, but I should have some good ones coming. Geez, I’m not even done posting the trip to Bryce Canyon, or the trip to South Africa. But I’ll be done working soon so maybe will have more time. To continue exploring that is.

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