Part 4 - Rafting the Colorado River Day 1 - Rapids and Rocks

Shinumo Rapid ~RM109.4

Shinumo canyon is the largest of all canyon systems in Grand Canyon, though not the largest rapid. In late June 2011, the National Park Service, in cooperation with the Bureau of Reclamation, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Arizona Game and Fish Department made the third translocation of wild juvenile humpback chub to Shinumo Creek. The humpback chub (Gila cypha) is endemic to the Colorado River basin. The species is well adapted to natural conditions of the Colorado River with high turbidity and seasonally variable flows and temperatures. Humpback chub are endangered because of human-caused changes to the Colorado River ecosystem including the introduction of non-native fish species as well as dam-induced changes to the river's natural flow and temperature.

Hakatai Rapid ~RM111.5 Colorado River

Hakatai is the Havasupai Indian word for the Colorado River. Hakatai canyon is where William Bass mined asbestos in the early 1900s.

Although Hakatai rapids aren’t that big they sure gave us a wild ride.

Waltenberg Rapid is half way between Lees Ferry and Diamond Creek. John Waltenberg worked for William Bass at the camps and mines upstream.

Tapeats Sandstone averages 525 million years old and lies on top of the faulted Vishnu schist. It is made of medium- to coarse-grained sand and conglomerate that was deposited on an ancient shore.

Travertine forms when carbon dioxide and water makes a weak carbonic acid that dissolves limestone, often creating caves, and leaves flowing deposits as the water evaporates when exposed to air. I kept looking for little people peering out of the caves and wasn’t disappointed just a little further ahead.

Our World–Planning a road trip

I love making a plan. Just not Too far in advance. Typically I can’t wrap my brain around more than about six months at a time.

I’m planning a road trip after my season is over mid-October at Grand Canyon. There are some places I want to revisit and lots of new landscapes to explore.

Plus, I’d really like to meet new people along the way also. And I’m positive I’ll cross paths with many.

However, I’m also hoping to meet up with fellow bloggers and some of you may be close enough to my path of adventure to make that possible.

So here’s an informal route and I’m Certainly open to recommendations. Really hope we can cross trails along the way.

Sorry about the funky map, I’m learning

Utah: Bryce National Park, Capital Reef National Park, Sego Canyon Petroglyphs, Dead Horse Point State Park, Canyonland National Park, Arches National Park, Moab, Hole in the Rock, Looking Glass Rocks, Wilson Arch, Church Rock, Valley of the Gods, Navajo Twin Rocks, Recapture Pocket, Hovenweep National Monument.                    Colorado: Mesa Verde National Park.          Four Corners.          Arizona: Navajo National Monument, Canyon De Chelly National Monument, Hubbell Trading Post National Historic Site,  Hopi and Navajo lands, Tuba City, Flagstaff and HOME.

Did you notice just a few National Parks?

 

To tour the world and share with others go to Our World Tuesday by clicking here.

Part 3 Colorado River trip Day 1 Ross Wheeler

Our Colorado River trip leader, Dave, shared the story of the Ross Wheeler.

In 1914, Charles Russell and Bert Loper joined together to film their whitewater trip down the Colorado River. But in Utah’s Cataract Canyon, Russell sank his boat. After an arduous hike to civilization Loper designed and built a third boat from galvanized steel and named it the Ross Wheeler after a local steamboat pilot.

Then the two men had a falling out and Russell started the trip over with a new crew. They rescued and immediately sunk Loper’s stashed boat and had a fourth boat built which also sank.

With the fifth boat, Russell rowed a few miles to the stashed Ross Wheeler only to find a rockfall had smashed its bow. After repairs they launched again but it wasn’t long before the newest boat sank again twice.

Looking across river towards the North Bass Trail

The disillusioned men floated another ten miles before abandoning the Ross Wheeler at the foot of the South Bass Trail, where it lies to this day. The boat sat for fifty years basically untouched but recently oars, pulleys and other artifacts have disappeared.

Fortunately, we sunk neither of the boats.

Bass Rapid ~RM108.5 Colorado River

Continuing down river through more rapids, past amazing geologic eyecandy, and a refreshing waterfall dip. More still to come.

SWF–Another first this summer at Grand Canyon

Six captive breed California condors where first released from the Vermilion Cliffs of northern Arizona in 1996. Within a year only three remained. One was found dead of a puncture wound from a Golden Eagle, one flew into power lines near Page, Arizona and the other simply disappeared. Now 74 condors have been released in Arizona plus there have been 13 wild born of which only 9 remain. This is truly a success story considering there were only 22 California condors left in the wild in 1982 when the capture and captive breeding began.

 

We don’t see many condors on the North Rim. They are attracted to crowds so are seen more frequently on the South Rim, where 90% of the 5 million visitors a year go. But Wednesday a couple of visitors told me they’d seen a pair perched on a rock ledge below Angels Window. I didn’t see them there but when I walked past the window to the end of the trail at Cape Royal a shadow caught my eye causing me to look up and there one flew. I immediately pointed up into the sky and announced “condor overhead” and every visitors eyes turned skyward with cameras clicking. My shots aren’t the best. But then I had to answer a lot of condor questions.

 

To see more of what’s up in the sky go to Sky Watch Friday by clicking here.

Published 9/1/11 after this post by the Peregrine Fund who participates in the condor recovery program. Although condors are increasing in the wild they still die from lead poisoning. Check out the Summer 2011 update by clicking now.