Grand Canyon Expedition July 2011

Inside Fern Glen

 

 

Fat and happy inside Fern Glen.

 

 

A 100 degree day turns nice when the sun dips below the canyon walls.

 

 

Not a bad view from our campsite, eh what?

 

 

Freshly bathed. That's about as clear as the Colorado gets.
We woke up the next morning to a red, silt laden river due to rains upstream.

 

 

Day 6 - Hiking in Fern Glen.

 

 

It's the kinda place that makes you feel small.

 

 

Sunshine on my shoulder looks so lovely...

 

 

Contemplating the geologic processes that created this incredible place and oblivious to the dangers that lie ahead.

 

 

Top of Lava Falls, which drops 13 feet in about 50 yards. Our raft clipped the left edge of the infamous
Ledge Hole in upper right. First the left side of our raft went up, then suddenly and with
amazing force, the right side, catapulting me in the air over Laurie as our raft flipped.
The 2 boats in the videos below went straight into the beast.

 

 

Although it doesn't look that gnarly from the photos, feeling the power and hearing the thunderous
roar from this vantage point was scary and humbling. Everyone had their game faces on for this one.
Even KJ, who's run it 100 times said, "You can't cheat Lava Falls, it commands respect".

 

 

Our group scouting Lava Falls (lot of good that did us). Due to the large amount of snowmelt, this was the first
year in many that guides were running river left through this rapid. We swam the whole bloody thing!

 

 

Ben the trip leader giving last minute instructions before we descended into the belly of the beast. "Hey, Tony and
Laurie, you go with the 80 year old, the 70 year old, and the rookie guide.
And go last cause we need to wait below to collect the bodies."

 

 

Jonny drops in, Ben yells instructions, and the rest of us pray that something like what happens below doesn't happen to us. But it does.
There is supposed to be video of Laurie's rescue and I'll post it if I get it. We laughed, we cried, we almost died.
Until then, these youtube clips I found will give you an idea of our ordeal. It's great to be alive!

 

Crank up the volume - the soundtrack is a hoot!

 

 

These folks got stuck in the ledge hole - bit of a sticky wicket, eh what?
Fortunately we clipped the left edge of this hole and got spit out.

 

 

Day 7 - The view from Indian Canyon.

 

 

Gettin' in touch with my inner river rat.

 

 

Cactus at Indian Canyon

 

 

Headin' downstream under blue skies.

 

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