Hood Whitson
Online Editor
Photos Courtesy Taylor Harris
A view from the first side hike at mile 53.
The trail approaches granaries built by the
Anazazi Indians in 1100 A.D. at Nankoweep
“We set across the desert from Flagstaff and soon found ourselves in dnse fog. It was as if we were on another planet, otherworldly. I quickly fall asleep in this soft, cool world. Then I awoke.”
It was; bright, hard, rocky, blue. As my eyes adjusted, it came into focus. The whole horizon was the Northern Rim of the Grand Canyon. It was so huge, beautiful, majestic, and this was only the beginning.”
In December, 14 of my oldest friends and I set out on the adventure of a lifetime. We had grown up going to camp together, spending our summers exploring the mountains of Western North Carolina. Now the boys from Camp Mondamin have grown into young men, and we are still exploring. We would spend the next 21 days on the Colorado River exploring the Grand Canyon in rafts and kayaks. All the while we were trying to give back through the Grand Canyon Initiative, a non-profit we set up to raise money with the proceeds going to Camp Mondamin’s Scholarship fund American Whitewater and the Grand Canyon Private Boaters Association.
At one mile deep, the Grand Canyon is one of the deepest canyons in the world and one of the most remote places in the United States. A trip down the Canyon is more than just a trip, it is an expedition. After months of preparation, 15 guys aging 19 to 30 drove hundreds of miles from all over the United States to assemble in Flagstaff, Ariz. On day 0, there was a frenzied rush to get the last supplies before our outfitter picked us up and drove us out to Lee”s Ferry, the put-in (our starting place).
Preparations commence at the Canyon Inn Flagstaff, Arizona
The Colorado River is a permitted river. Not just anyone can hop on and paddle downstream. Our group would be traveling on a private boater’s permit, the “Golden Ticket.” There were no guides, we were on our own, totally self-sufficient. Morgan, our leader and permit holder, had applied years ago, and because we were willing to go in the dead of winter, he got a permit years early.
After a day of rigging and loading all our gear onto four 18-foot-bright-yellow rafts, we pushed off and started our journey downstream. We were the last group of 2004 to put on the river; we had the Grand Canyon to ourselves. It would take us 21 days, 230 miles, past cacti, Christmas and into a new year.
Loading the rafts in the early morning sun.
“As I crest the wave, I can see my buddy’s white helmet disappear a couple of waves in front of me. I think to myself, ‘Day 6, middle of the Grand Canyon, bobbing down a wave train, 10-foot waves, in my little kayak, just keep paddling, wow this is a rush.’ Then it hit me. I didn’t even see it until it was too late I was headed straight for it. She was a good 12 to 15 feet from trough to tip, but she was breaking, yes breaking in a river, and she broke on top of me, throwing off my balance. Cold. I am underwater. I can feel myself bobbing up and down. Wait, setup, roll, paddle. I am quickly out of the rapid. We are all hooting and hollering. Everyone made it through safely, (yeah, I was flipped, but that’s part of kayaking — that’s why you learn how to roll back up, no big deal), but more importantly those waves were huge. Some of the biggest we have seen yet. This is just the beginning; there is more to come.”
The first few days were pretty mellow. The canyon eases you into things. It’s a pretty quiet float through Redwall Canyon. The geology is amazing. You watch those red and amber veins of Redwall climb up and away from you as you continue down the river. The Canyon opens up into a wide basin. Everything you see from the South Rim, that huge valley, is covered in about a day of paddling. Then it tightens back up. You begin to enter Marble Canyon. The water gets faster, and we got the first consistent dose of big whitewater.
Floating deep in Redwall Canyon.
Marble Canyon is remarkable. The canyon is at its narrowest here, 600 feet, but more importantly, the whole appearance of the place has changed. The amber limestone and canyon walls of the desert southwest have given way to this tight vertical-slot canyon painted in shades of gray. No one can even imagine that we are still in Arizona — it looks more like Mordor. We awake one morning and can see it snowing on the rim.
Day 9, we reach Phantom Ranch. This outpost at the bottom of the canyon is a brief taste of civilization. We receive some mail, make a few phone calls to our families for an early Christmas and move on. We didn’t come for the city.
The big rapids are here: Horn Creek, Hermit, Crystal and Granite — the big boys. These guys are big, long and serious. There are waves and holes bigger than I have ever seen. Horn Creek doesn’t even have a distinguishable line. Everyone loves it though. The big water is what we came for, and before we know it we are through the big stuff and it’s already Christmas.
Another rainy day in paradise. The rafts
float through the flats.
“It’s raining — still. It has been doing this for several days. Another crappy day in paradise. I never thought I could be as cold as I was yesterday. I made the mistake of getting out of my kayak while I was wet. When you are in your boat you are cold, but when you are in your kayaking gear on the raft, you are colder. I have given up on keeping my feet dry and warm. You can’t do it. I am wearing my down booties on the raft now; it is a desperate move.”
The river continues. It is flatter now; the rapids are smaller and further apart. We stop and do several side hikes, most notably, Havasu. This side canyon is remarkable. The water is turquoise, the walls are red and amber, and the canyon is full of green grass and silver charred trees. It is gorgeous.
Enjoying the scenery as the rafts float.
“We were almost upset by Upset rapid today. Eating lunch on the raft as always, we come around a corner and float into the entry rapid. We quickly stow and strap everything down as Capitan Morgan boat scouts the best he can and then yells, “Hold on tight, boys.” Let me tell you, being on the raft through a big rapid is at times more frightening and a bigger rush than paddling through it yourself. You are completely out of control and at the mercy of the boatman and the river, gripping onto this 2,000-pound raft for dear life, hoping if it flips that it doesn’t land on top of you. We bounce through the first part as a huge wave breaks over the entire raft. From my vantage point atop the bags at the back I can see it. One of the biggest holes I have ever seen and we fall literally nose first into it. I find myself on the bottom of the raft unsure if I am above or below water. I hear Morgan yell, “High side.” I can feel the huge heavy raft getting tossed and surfed by this powerful hole. Somehow we catch some clear water and spin out of the grips of this hydraulic. We almost lost it there. We came really close. The kayaks are loose floating downstream and we broke an oar, but all is well. Almost an Upset.”
The trip wound down quickly. After Upset and Lava (the hardest rapid on the river and the fastest navigable waterway in the Western Hemisphere), the whitewater waned, New Year’s came and went, supplies ran low and everyone became tired of their stuff constantly being wet.
Eventually we reached Diamond Creek, and the trip simply ended. No real coming of age, no glorious realization. Certainly we were excited we had conquered the canyon (we whipped it in fact), and undoubtedly we will be forever deeply affected by the time we spent below the rim. We came together as friends, accomplished a goal, enjoyed the beauty of nature and left with not only a stronger bond but also a deeper respect.
Chief Bell, the founder of Camp Mondamin, always said, “The wilderness can be a magnificent playground and a great university. Education is a series of continuing experiences that build the knowledges, the skills, the habits, the appreciations, the attitudes, the values, and ultimately and hopefully the wisdom that enriches living.” I think those 21 days in the canyon was some of the richest living and the best education I will ever get.
03-31-2005
