Grand Canyon Trip 2013
SUMMARY:




Mike Davis organized a week-long trip for me, Chuck Leonard, and Roger Molzahn, all Lyons Township High School class of 1961, down the Colorado River, through the Grand Canyon. Twenty-four other souls had signed on, and led by our incomparable team of swampers and boatmen, we had the time of our lives.

Of course, running the rapids was the main attraction, but I don't have any pictures of us doing that, because my camera is not waterproof. However, Mike McMinn's was, and he got some great videos - click here (Mike McMinn)

~178 images (additional pictures here (Sue & Elaine, and Susan)
1. Denver to Page, Arizona

2. Our house is marked with a *

3.

4. Mt. Evans

5. The east side of the Gore Range. The asterisk marks Keller Mountain. Our cabin is on its flank (under clouds)

6. The Collegiate Range (I think)

7. red rocks began to appear in western Colorado

8. Lake Powell, Glen Canyon Dam and Bridge

9. Kathy and Gail delivered their husbands (Mike and Roger) to the embarkation site

10. Clean air, clean shaven, clean clothes

11.

12. first view of the two boats

13. Each person received an ammo box and small blue bag, which could be accessed on the boat, and two big blue bags for the rest of his/her equipment.

14.

15. first unloading, using fire brigade tactics

16.

17.

18.

19. the cots were a challenge to set up, at first

20.

21. Mike, Roger, Chuck at dinner

22.

23. A hike up a side canyon

24.

27. lunch site

28. Jane, on her sixth trip, enamored as if it were her first

29.

30.

31. dinner preparations

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34.

35. a hike up to an Anasazi granary

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37.

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39. The 'weenie' is the blue pontoon-like device on the right. It is the place where the front and back (separate parts) of the boat flex. The spare motor on the left was put into service when the shaft on the original was bent by a rock.

40. The brown canvas covered the big blue bags.

41.

42. Richard (boatman) & Jenny (swamper and Richard's spouse) with Bill

43. humpback chub (endangered)

44. another camp

46. Chuck, Sue, Roger, Mike, Eileen, Suzanne, Ed

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48.

49.

50. Lili (right) broke her leg on a previous trip, and was transported to the helicopter in this wheelbarrow (too hot to touch on this 103 degree day). She knows the location of every rock on the trail

51. mules arriving from the canyon rim

52. Phantom Ranch stopover

53.

54.

55.

56. Susan (left) and Suzanne and Elaine (right), ever game for adventures

58.

59.

60. the side pontoons on this boat are elevated, to increase speed

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63.

64. Mike with Bill (left) and Elaine (right)

66. Family: Cole, Eileen, Dirk, Chad, Gates

67.

68.

69.

70. above my head, the great unconformity - where are the missing 700 million years of rocks?

71.

72. Ed and his big sister Suzanne

74.

75. This group from Alaska (same rafting company) had 6 kayaks along

76.

77.

78. Jill and Ed

79. Gates and Eileen

80. Terry and Joe

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84.

85. yoga on the beach (Sylvia, Jane, Sue, and Terry participating, while Joe, Roger, and Chuck stand in awe)

86.

87.

88. Susan and Mike, as Carol exits

89. Sue, Lili, Elaine, Jane, Chuck, Bill

90. Elaine, chuck, Sue, Bill

91. LTHS '61 grads

92.

93. co-workers

94. cambrian life (Tapeats formation)
Mnemonic for paleozoic rock formations (top to bottom): "Know the canyon history. Study rocks made by time."
Translation: Kaibob, Toroweap, Coconino, Hermit. Supai, Redwall, Muav, Bright angel, Tapeats


95.

96. hike up Deer Canyon

97.

98. Gates, senior member of the group

99. considerable exposure....

101.

102. sylvan glen high up on Deer Creek

103. we happened upon a wedding there

104.

105. spring

106. we hiked on up Deer Canyon to a higher spring

107.

108. hard-working crew
I learned first hand about 'insensible water loss' - the heat and dryness just suck water out of a person, without his knowing it. I slaked my thirst before leaving, but drank a full quart at the top (thanks to Jenny), and two more when we got back to camp

109. I heart Deer Creek (probably made for the wedding)

110.

111.

112. Anasazi hand prints across the chasm

113.

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115.

116.

117. redwall formation across the river from our campsite (the rock is actually white, but the surface is stained red by the overlying supai formation)

118.

119.

120. pointing to a big horn ewe and her lamb

121.

122.

123. Note the the panache of Roger's clean shirt and jaunty neckerchief

124.

125. lunch

126.

127. a game of horseshoes

128.

129.

130.

131. Jenny

132. Terry

133. Richard at our last supper

134. Susan and YTD, a swamper from another boat who popped his gastrocnemius tendon
Rumor had it that he was faking, and just wanted to join our boat, having heard about all the fun we were having

135. Susan and Steve

136.

137. Setting up the hand-washing sink

138. canyoneers
Back row:Curtis, Carol, Gates, Chad, Cole Dirk, Bill, Mike, Chuck, Roger, YTD, Ed, Nathan, Lili.
Middle row: Mike, Joe, Terry, Elaine, Sue, Jane, Emily, Diana, Susan.
Front row: Kim, Eileen, Jill, Suzanne. Front: Sylvia


139. crew - Richard, Jenny, Sylvia and her dad Mike (swamper Sheldon transferred to another boat)

140.

142. Chuck, Roger, Eileen

143.

144. The end - Pontoons were removed, deflated, and rolled up. The crew had to travel 100 miles farther downstream to a takeout...

145.

146. .... while we helicoptered out to the Bar 10 Ranch

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149a.

149b.

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161.

165. Bar Ten Ranch

166.

167. ranch airstrip

168. Artwork on the planes heading for Las Vegas and Page

169. the flight back to Page

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173.

175. bridge at Glen Canyon

178. reunited - Mike, Kathy, Gail, Roger