I've got sand in places that, formerly,
I didn't think sand could go;
Sand in places that to the sun
I very rarely show.
If the grains I've swallowed were sips of whiskey
I'd stay drunk many an hour.
The sand in my teeth I've come to think of
As Grand Canyon cauliflower.
Don't make me weep if you prefer
Not to see the sky brown out.
Don't even ask about the awful stuff
I'm blowing from my snout.
Yet now I find ubiquitous sand
A usual jammer of gears,
Providing lubrication
For the best time I've had in years.
Please visit My Web Page
The Can-X raft group saw each other for the first time at an orientation meeting the evening before the start of the trip. The room was set up as if for a lecture, with four rows of five chairs each, and a white board in front. A table with munchies and water was on one side. There were tables and racks of gear for sale behind the chairs. The presenter (name?) had everyone take a yellow dry-bag, a mesh bag, a mug, and webbing straps for water bottles and then sit down. He explained some of the procedures and answered questions. Then those who had all their equipment were free to go. Others stayed to buy last-minute items, like rain gear, Crazy Creek chairs and cap-keepers.
The Way of the River
If you’re cranky, drink some water.
If you’re hot on the river, you’re stupid.
If wet clothes are making you too cold, take some of them off.
Pee in the river; poop in the groover.
No diving at any time; jump only after checking the water depth.
Wash your hands.
Fine, gritty sand is everywhere, on every surface and in every nook and cranny.
The group met outside the secondary lobby at about 6:00 a.m. with packed yellow dry-bags, drinks, boots and miscellaneous other gear. People also brought the luggage to be stored in a locked room for the duration of the trip. Once everything was in the appropriate pile, everyone went back into the hotel for breakfast.
There were two vans to transport everyone and their personal gear. Eighteen passengers piled into the vans. We stopped on the way out of town to pick up Francis and Roland. There was one other stop at a “trading post” on the way to Lee’s Ferry.
The guides and rafts were waiting for the vans at Lee’s Ferry. Dan Hall, the trip leader, introduced the crew, handed out life jackets and purple day packs, then explained a few more details about the trip. He also introduced a “guest speaker” who described some work being done to remove non-native fish species from the river. Then the group got into the rafts.
Dan Hall (self-bailer) –
Jayne Lee (bucket boat) –
Jeni Black (self-bailer) –
John Middendorf (paddleboat) –
Marijka Billingsly (bucket boat) – David Douglass, Joe Croco, Laura Douglass, and Lanie Croco
Michael Whalen (self-bailer) –
After the group had been on the river a while, Dan had the crew tie the rafts together. He gave another talk as the super-raft floated downstream. He also asked everyone to introduce him- or herself and explain what brought them to the river. Then the rafts separated.
The first lunch of the trip was at 6 mile Wash, and the first camp at Hot Na Na Wash (mile 16). Dan and the rest of the crew gave more explanations and demonstrations at lunchtime, at camp in the afternoon, and after dinner. The topics included bag lines, water filtration, toilets, hand- washing, tents, dish lines, etc. At camp, each person received the yellow sleep-kit dry-bag with the same number as their personal dry-bag. Each couple received a 3-person tent, and each individual received a 2-person tent for their use during the trip. Dan said the tents tended to hold heat, so he suggested putting them up only in the case of rain.
At about 10 p.m., after most people had settled for the evening, the wind started to rise. Sand blew everywhere. Then the rain started. Those who hadn’t already set up their tents began to scramble in the dark to get them up. There were sounds of metal tables crashing over, tent fabric snapping in the wind, and miscellaneous yelled questions and instructions. Dan made the round of the camp checking to see if anyone needed help. Everyone reported things under control, with no whining or complaining.
[Laura: When we got the 3-person tent assigned to Joe and me set up, we threw Joe’s, Lanie’s and my gear in. My father refused to come in with us, and declined to set up his own tent. He put on his rain gear and settled down to wait out the storm. When the wind and rain finally abated, we put up his tent – better late than never. The 3-person tent wasn’t really big enough for 3 people and their gear. There wasn’t enough room for me to lie down flat, and every time I moved I bumped into either Joe or Lanie or both. Everything was covered in fine sand that couldn’t be shaken off. When I asked the next morning, Dan admitted the night ranked in the top 5 bad nights in his experience on the river. This made me feel a lot better – if it didn’t get any worse I knew I could survive.]
[Who told the story about waking up smiling? We need that here!]
The first conch call was later than expected – the storm threw off the schedule. While people were breaking camp, John asked everyone who wanted to use a “ducky” (inflatable 1-person kayak) to take a test. The person paddled out into the eddy, fell out of the ducky, then climbed back in. Beth, Forrest, Kiel, Michael, Mike, and Roland (anyone else?) passed the test. Francis and Joe missed their first attempt, and then were too cold to make a second try.
Dan (self-bailer) – Joe, Lanie
Jayne (bucket boat) – David, Francis, Laura
Jeni (self-bailer) –
John (paddleboat) –
Marijka (bucket boat) –
Whalen (self-bailer) –
Duckies – Kiel and Forrest before lunch; Mike and Roland after lunch.
The lunch break included hiking at North Canyon (mile 20). After lunch the rafts hit the “roaring twenties” series of rapids. The high canyon walls and heavy cloud cover reduced the amount of sun reaching the river, and there was no time to dry out between rapids. By the end of the day, many passengers were shivering. The trip made a short stop at Redwall Cavern (mile 33). The sight of camp at Little Redwall (mile 34) was very welcome. Little Redwall has a large overhang that can protect sleepers from the rain, but not from blowing sand. Most people set up their tents, creating a little village under the overhang.
Dan (self-bailer) –
Jayne (bucket boat) –
Jeni (self-bailer) –
John (Whalen’s self-bailer) – Connie, Jeff
Marijka (bucket boat) – David, Joe
Whalen (paddleboat) – Denise, Francis, Lanie, Laura, Mark, Roland
Lunch at Saddle Canyon (mile 47). Camp at Nankoweap (mile 53).
In the late afternoon, the rafts unloaded most of the crew and passengers above Nankoweap Rapid. The shore group walked up to a plateau, while Jayne, Maria and Marijka took the rafts through the rapid and around the bend to camp, making two trips to bring all the rafts down. After viewing some Anasazi ruins, the hiking group split into two parts. One walked to camp, and the other group climbed to the Anasazi granaries in the cliff above. A few hardy climbers went even further. Then a group of hikers from another raft trip appeared on the trail, so the Can-X group returned to camp slightly earlier than planned. It was still light, and several people made an attempt to bathe and clean clothes in the river. Later, a lot of people put up tents because of a light rain shower.
In the morning, the river had turned brown because of the runoff from the upstream canyons. Jayne let the group in Yoga and Tai Chi exercises in the morning before leaving.
Dan (self-bailer) – David, Laura
Jayne (bucket boat) – Beth, Joe, Lanie
Jeni (self-bailer) –
John (paddleboat) – Hank, Harriet,
Marijka (bucket boat) –
Whalen (self-bailer) –
The trip did not stop at the Little Colorado River because it was running muddy. Just before the lunch stop, the group tried to go through a riffle with the rafts linked (not tied, just handholds). When one of the oar rafts went up just as the paddleboat went down, people lost their holds and Hank was knocked out of the paddleboat and under the water. He popped up and started to float down river. He made it to Jayne’s raft, where Jayne pulled him in, with some help from Lanie. After Jayne checked him for damages, he got back in the paddleboat.
The lunch stop was Carbon Creek (mile 65). There were two hike stops. The first at Unkar Creek (mile 73) was to see Anasazi ruins. The site has been thoroughly investigated by the archaeologists, and now the public is free to explore. There are 1000-year old potsherds scattered over the ground or collected in little piles by previous visitors. The second hike at 75 mile Creek was up a canyon towards a waterfall. Whalen said he had been in the canyon only 3 weeks before, but since then a flash flood had deposited a thick layer of new rocks. At the waterfall the rocks were 10 feet deeper than they had been. What had been a challenging free climb up the waterfall had become a relatively easy scramble.
[Laura: The canyon at 75 mile Creek seemed to go on forever, twisting and turning ever further into the earth, with only a narrow opening to the sky. The solid walls above the floor of loose rock had beautiful curves and swirls. I tried to grasp the volume of new loose rock, and the magnitude of the forces that had deposited it, as I walked back from the waterfall. The rocks had not yet settled into place and were unstable, making footing difficult. I dropped further and further behind the others as I tried to pick my way carefully without falling. I really appreciated Maria staying with me on the walk back to the rafts.]
Camp at Nevills Rapid (mile 76). Dan said there would be no stop at Phantom Ranch (mile 88) the next day because everyone was on for the full 13 days. He made arrangements with another trip to have them drop off mail. There was no rain, or even storm clouds, so few tents went up. The moon had just begun to wane, so it was still bright enough to make flashlights superfluous (when it finally rose).
After the rafts were packed, just before everyone got on, Whalen read a poem about a river guide, claiming it described John.
The first scouting stop of the trip was for Hance Rapid at mile 77. Just before the stop at Clear Creek (mile 84), the paddleboat lost two paddlers (Beth and ?). In the confusion, Francis was whacked in the face with a paddle, and the bridge of her glasses cut into her face – the first injury of the trip. Most of the group hiked over a ridge and up a creek bed to a 2-part waterfall. One part of the water came straight down from an overhang, so people could stand directly under the flow. The force of it was strong enough to drive some of the sand out of people’s hair, and pull the clothes off their bodies. The other “horizontal” waterfall shot out from one side. The group had lunch back at the rafts before moving on down the river. Camp was at Trinity Creek (mile 92). The weather looked good, so most people had another night sleeping under the stars without tents.
After dinner, Dan said there would be a special hike up the canyon. About 20 minutes after he left, the group began to follow. The light had faded. People walked in single file, and the lit flashlights traveling slowly towards the unknown turned it into a solemn procession. The canyon had sheer, high walls. Up the canyon was a spot that opened out a little, with luminarias scattered around. The group silently settled into position against the rock walls. Then Dan’s voice came out of the darkness. He said John would play his flute a little, and everyone was free to stay or go at his or her own pace. John alternately played or was silent. As time went on, people left quietly.
[Laura: At lunch I realized I finally knew everyone’s name. Then at the evening ceremony, I recognized several people as they left the canyon, based on the movement I could see in the limited light. I am impressed with Dan’s ability to know everyone starting Day 1.]
Dan (self-bailer) – Beth, David
Jayne (bucket boat) –
Jeni (self-bailer) – Hank, Joe, Lanie
John (paddleboat) –
Marijka (bucket boat) – Connie, Jeff, Laura
Whalen (self-bailer) –
The big rapids of the day were Hermit (mile 95) and Crystal Rapid (mile 98). The trip stopped to scout Crystal. Lunch was at mile 103. We made a short stop to view the "Ross Wheeler" (the boat abandoned by Russell, Clement and Tadje in 1915) and camp was at Bass (mile 108).
There were storm clouds in the sky when the trip pulled into Bass. When the wind picked up, Dan reminded everyone to make sure the tents were either weighted or tied down so they couldn’t blow away. Just after it started to pour, another raft group appeared. They decided to go further down river to camp, despite the Can-X group’s willingness to welcome them in. The crew set up a fly over the kitchen area and had a good time preparing dinner with so many people under the fly trying to help.
Dan (self-bailer) –
Jayne (bucket boat) –
Jeni (self-bailer) – Laura
John (Whalen’s self-bailer) – David, Joe, Lanie
Marijka (bucket boat) –
Whalen (paddleboat) –
The first stop of the morning was at Elves Chasm (mile 117). The stream widened into a deep pool fairly near the river, so some people stayed there while the others climbed up over rocks to a larger pool and waterfall upstream. When the group arrived at the upper pool, some photographers with impressive equipment were involved in getting just the right picture of the fall. The group waited for them to get their shot before plunging into the pool and stirring up the silt. The guides showed how to climb in and up behind the waterfall and out again to jump into the pool.
The second stop was across the river from Elves Chasm for lunch. The third stop was at Blacktail Canyon (mile 120). The group walked up the canyon to a wide spot. We found the photography group already there. Jayne, who is a dance instructor part of the year, performed a dance as she recited a poem.
When the trip reached the spot Dan had planned to camp, another group was already there (was it the photography group or a different one?). Dan had talked to them earlier in the day and had mentioned where he meant to stop there, so he was surprised to see them. He pulled in to talk to them, and they said they had been confused about the locations and didn’t realize where they were until after they had set up. The Can-X group continued on down the river (through Specter Rapid), and finally camped above Dubendorff Rapid (mile 131). The weather didn’t look good, so some tents went up.
At breakfast, the crew put out extra food so everyone could make a sack lunch before getting in the rafts.
Dan (self-bailer) –
Jayne (bucket boat) – David, Joe, Laura
Jeni (self-bailer) –
John (paddleboat) –
Marijka (bucket boat) – Lanie
Whalen (self-bailer) –
The group spent most of the day at Deer Creek (mile 136). Some of the group took a short walk up the stream to a huge waterfall and pool. The waterfall was powerful enough to generate a strong horizontal wind that, combined with the spray from the fall, created a stinging horizontal shower. This provided a good source of rinse water for those who chose to stay behind and take baths or do laundry. However, most people made the long, hot, climb to the “patio” which features a series of waterfalls and pools between steep, but sometimes broad, ledges. Part of the hike included narrow ledges over sheer drops – not pleasant for agoraphobics. The photography trip joined the Can-X group at the patio. There was even a hiker who came in from the rim, not from a raft. A small group (Whalen, Jack, Kiel, Forrest, Mark, Beth, Michael, Laura, Lanie, Maria and Jeni) hiked further up the side canyon to the “throne room”. Previous visitors had arranged slabs of rock to form many thrones looking out over the canyon. After the throne room group rejoined the others at the patio, another group climbed down a rope into "the narrows," the downstream portion of the patio. That side trip was cut short when a brief rain shower made the guides nervous about flash floods.
The camp was at Pancho’s Patio (mile 137) under an overhang. John impressed the group by climbing up the side and roof of the overhang like a spider.
Most of the kitchen was on the beach away from the overhang, but the grill for the meat was placed under the overhang to keep the coals from the effects of rain. Dan’s big yellow umbrella was put up to protect the kitchen. When the wind picked up the group was treated to the sight of Maria trying to keep the umbrella from blowing away (“Maria Poppins”). The paddleboat was the focus for dinner seating, having been brought up well above the high-water line. The group responded with enthusiasm to Dan’s reading of an inspiring story about a plucky circus pony. The rain was light, and the wind died down soon, so most people didn’t put up tents, trusting to the overhang for protection from rain.
The water level dropped during the night, leaving every raft but Whalen’s high and dry.
Dan (self-bailer) – Joe, Lanie
Jayne (bucket boat) –
Jeni (self-bailer) –
John (paddleboat) – Laura
Marijka (bucket boat) –
Whalen (self-bailer) – David
Beth and Mike paddled the duckies in the morning. Beth was still adjusting to the water, trying to determine when to charge through and when to be cautious. She was dumped out twice. Because of his experience with white water, Mike seemed more comfortable dealing with the rapids.
[Laura: On the paddleboat today, John asked the paddlers to stand up going through a riffle – and we managed for an amazingly long time before falling into (not out of) the raft. Amazingly, in some ways the paddleboat seems safer than the oar rafts, despite being closer to the water with nothing for hands to cling to except paddles. If the feet are securely tucked under the straps, it really is possible to lean into the oncoming waves and use the paddle in them as the point of a tripod for stability! However, John had to remind the group to keep paddling when someone was in the water – only one person should be reaching out to help them into the raft.]
The only stop was for a hike and lunch at Matkatamiba (mile 148). The hike required some rock climbing, but everyone had to go because lunch was served up the canyon. The guides did a wonderful job of helping everyone to make the trip; showing people where to place feet and hands, and even lifting and pushing where necessary over the hard spots. The destination was worth the effort. There was a small waterfall for jumping off, and a smooth streambed in which a body or two could make a small but effective temporary dam. After lunch, some wandered up the canyon to explore further, but many stayed behind to nap, read, write in journals, paint watercolors, stare at the magnificent scenery, or just nap. It’s amazing how easy it is to sleep on solid stone if you are tired enough.
[Laura: As I wrote in my journal after lunch, I commented on the overwhelming nature of the scenery. Every vista up or down the canyon is breathtaking. Even the views from the groover at each camp are spectacular. I go about the business of life (eating, dressing, or walking from the sleeping area to the kitchen area) and suddenly realize I am in a place of incredible beauty but I have ceased to notice because it has become an ordinary part of the trip.]
Between lunch and camp, the group ran Upset Rapid, the second most impressive of the trip. Beth chose to take an oar raft through the rapid, but Mike decided to face it. He was tossed out by Upset, but he managed to get back in the ducky before the paddleboat reached him to help.
Camp was at Ledges (mile 151). Most of the ground was flat rock, but there were a few sandy spots. The rain started shortly after arrival, so most of the tents went up.
The rain let up for a while. There was a small clear stream a little downstream from the camp, so several people decided to take advantage if the opportunity to wash a little. Ann and Denise borrowed a bucket from the guides. They filled it with clear water from the stream, and used it to wash hair and clothes, dumping the soapy water over the cliff to the river. Laura and Lanie joined them, despite the cold.
The wind and rain started again when the crew started to cook dinner. The crew erected the fly over the kitchen, which brought many of the passengers to share the shelter and help with preparations. The rain eased off later, of course.
Dan (paddleboat) –
Jayne (bucket boat) –
Jeni (Dan’s self-bailer) – Laura
John (Jeni’s self-bailer) – David
Marijka (bucket boat) – Joe, Lanie
Whalen (self-bailer) –
The trip passed Havasu Creek without stopping because the water from the creek was too muddy, and went on to National (mile 166). The crew decided to spend the whole day there, as a mini lay-over. After lunch, some of the group walked up the canyon. Some people who had spent the previous night in the area said a flash flood had deposited some fresh gravel in the wash. The group walked up the canyon a little further, but as the weather began to look more threatening the guides became more nervous, so they asked everyone to move back to camp as quickly as possible. Because of the threatening weather, many tents went up again.
When dinner preparations were well under way, Whalen (wearing a stunning floral spaghetti strap cocktail dress) brought out a bag of dresses, and spread them out on the sand for people to choose. There were enough dresses for most of the crew and passengers. The special attire added a certain something to dinner that evening. Unfortunately, most people had returned to more ordinary clothing when a contingent of entertainers arrived from the neighboring camp. The other group showcased a stand-up comedian, a duet (who sang about the equipment they would buy if they had a million dollars) and the entire group singing a confusing mix of three different songs at once. Oh, yes, there was also a song about the groover.
After the guests had left and the camp calmed down a little, Mike spotted a rattlesnake entering camp. With the aid of a paddle, a bucket and a dutch oven, Dan managed to capture and contain it for the night.
After due consideration of the risks involved, Dan asked permission to lance Lanie’s bug bite. When Lanie had started the trip, she already had a bug bite that was more troublesome than usual, and it had gotten worse instead of better. Dan was concerned that it might burst inward and cause serious problems, so he wanted to release the pressure. Shortly after reaching the decision on Lanie, but before performing the “operation”, David cut a couple of fingers on hooks while packing his tent, so Dan had to deal with another medical issue. After most of the rafts were packed, Dan, Jeni and some of the other crew helped lance Lanie’s leg. The procedure went well, but she was instructed to keep the area dry for the day. Just after that, Dan tried to release the rattlesnake. Unfortunately, he found that the snake’s head had been caught under the edge of the bucket, and it was dead.
Dan (self-bailer) –
Jayne (bucket boat) –
Jeni (self-bailer) –
John (paddleboat) –
Marijka (bucket boat) – David, Laura
Whalen (self-bailer) – Joe, Lanie
The morning included Lava Falls, the biggest rapid of the trip. While scouting Lava, Mike walked a little ahead and found another rattlesnake, which he wisely left alone. The entire trip made it through Lava without losing anyone to the rapid. The group stopped for lunch just below Lava at mile 180). Camp was at mile 194. There was plenty of light left when camp was set up, so Mark and Roland went exploring. While climbing, Mark knocked a rock loose, and, in ducking the rock, Roland cut his knee. The two made it back to camp, but Roland required medical attention and was unable to walk to dinner, so Francis brought his food to him. After dinner there was a little birthday celebration for Denise and Ann. The weather seemed good, so few tents went up.
Dan (self-bailer) – Mark, Roland, Forrest
Jayne (bucket boat) – Connie, Jeff, Joe
Jeni (paddleboat) – Ann, Beth, Denise, Francis, Harriet, Laura
John (Jeni’s self-bailer) – David
Marijka (bucket boat) –
Whalen (self-bailer) – Jack, Lanie
There is only one rapid between mile 194 (camp) and Granite (mile 209) where the group had lunch. Passengers taking one last opportunity to get the feel of the river rowed many of the rafts. The sun was out, so the day was perfect for epic water fights. Dan tried to hold back because Roland was supposed to keep his leg dry. Jayne’s raft also kept away from the action, but the other four rafts participated enthusiastically. The "all-girl" paddleboat requested the loan of a bucket from Dan’s boat, but was refused, despite many variations of bargaining and pleading. The tactic that worked was a threat to kiss Forrest. During the fights, various weapons were stolen, and several people ended up in the river. At one point when Whalen’s boat was under attack, Jack stood in the prow with a small water gun, the image of an action hero, heedless of the larger weapons directed at him.
[Laura: At one point some of the paddlers took a swim. I went in, hat included, and floated down the river for a while (staying very close to the raft). I was amazed at how comfortable it was. The water had always seemed too cold, but I guess the day was so hot that the change was pleasant.]
There were a few rapids in the afternoon.
Some time after the last big rapid at mile 217, Dan had the rafts pull to the side of the river in the shade of the cliffs and hook together. He explained some procedures for packing up, traveling the last mile to the take-out point and de-rigging. Then he described the tradition of floating the last few miles of the canyon in silence. Camp was at mile 224, only a short float from the take-out at Diamond Creek. In the evening after dinner, Dan invited everyone to describe the high point, low point and most surreal point of the trip.
Dan (self-bailer) –
Jayne (bucket boat) –
Jeni (self-bailer) –
John (paddleboat) – Laura
Marijka (bucket boat) – David, Joe, Lanie
Whalen (self-bailer) –
The group needed to be at the take-out point at Diamond Creek (mile 225) before 7:00 a.m., so the wake-up call came early. Breakfast consisted of cold cereal and hot drinks, for those interested. Those who had put up tents had them inspected, and everyone separated their sleep kit from their personal belongings.
De-rigging at Diamond Creek was organized chaos. The crew and passengers sorted everything from the raft into piles on the beach. Then the rafts were dismantled and washed. All the Can-X and crew gear fit on one truck. The passengers transferred personal gear from the dry-bags, mesh bags and day packs into clear plastic bags (complimentary luggage). As the activity wound down, the passengers, and later the crew, dug into the brunch waiting on a picnic table near the vans.
The first part of the ride back to Flagstaff was on a dirt road through the Hualapai reservation. The road had been closed for several days due to rain damage, but was open for the morning at least. The group stopped at an ice cream place on Highway 66 as a gradual introduction back to civilization. Then the vans took the passengers to the Can-X warehouse to pick up the list of e- mail addresses, the evaluation form, and to buy souvenir gear. The last stop was the Radisson Hotel, and a general rush for the showers.
That evening everyone (except Marijka) met at the Beaver Street Brewery for a last party.