For the forth time in as many years, on November 27, 2012 I found myself back at Lees Ferry Arizona launching once again into the waters of the Colorado River to float through the magical landscape of the Grand Canyon. My most recent previous trip had been a speedy, seven-day, self-support kayak trip in the winter of 2011 (see trip report HERE), but this time around myself and one other would be the only kayakers among our nine-person crew. The other seven friends would be rowing three oar-rigs with all the supplies and the luxuries afforded by raft-support. It would be the exact opposite of the stripped-down nature of my previous self-support descent. However, it was exactly what I wanted and planned for this time.… a chance to take a group of non-paddling friends down one of the best multi-day float trips in the world and to do so at a more relaxed pace, taking 17 days to cover the 226 miles from Lees Ferry to Diamond Creek.
Below: View from the rim, by Ruby Compton
Below: Luxuries of raft-support, by Ruby Compton
Below: Our rafts rigged and ready for launching at Lees Ferry, by Ruby Compton
Below: Another float-through geology lesson, by Julia Fore
Below: Moonrise Kingdom, by Ruby Compton
Below: Jesse and I helping the raft crew scout one of the early rapids, by Ruby Compton
Below: Marble Canyon awesomeness by Ruby Compton
Below: More Marble Canyon magic, by Adam Goshorn
Below: Sunset, by Adam Goshorn
Below: View of our campsite at the granaries, by Adam Goshorn
Below: Checking out the granaries, by Adam Goshorn
Below: Kelly at the granaries, by Ruby Compton
Below: Paddling into the sun, by Ruby Compton
Below: Approaching Redwall Cavern, by Ruby Compton
Three Photos Below: Silhouettes in Redwall Cavern, by Adam Goshorn
Below: Exiting Redwall Cavern, by Adam Goshorn
Below: Deer Creek Falls, by Ruby Compton
Below: Campsite, by Ruby Compton
Below: Hiking to Phantom Ranch, by Ruby Compton
Below: Sunset, by Ruby Compton
Below: Hitching a ride through the flat water, by Julia Fore
Below: Plenty of opportunities to fall off things in the Grand Canyon, by Ruby Compton
Below: Another day in paradise, by Ruby Compton
Below: Floating, by Ruby Compton
Below: Havasu Creek, by Ruby Compton
Below: A beast of a metal boat abandoned by early river runners, by Ruby Compton
Below: Vulcan’s Anvil, by Ruby Compton
Below: The crew scouting Lava, by Adam Goshorn
Below: Lauren and Kelly in the chaos of Lava, by Adam Goshorn
Below: Pictographs at Whitmore Wash, by Ruby Compton
Below: Sunset, by Ruby Compton
Below: Bird tracks, by Ruby Compton
Below: Approaching the take-out with Diamond Peak towering overhead, by Julia Fore
Below: Didn't film alot on this trip, but here is a short edit of the trip.
Until Next Time…
Adam Goshorn Below:
Returning to a snowy Flagstaff after the river, by Ruby Compton
Below: The whole crew in Redwall Cavern, by Adam Goshorn
| kayak session |
