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| Hiking | 18.18 Miles |
4,951 AEG |
| | Hiking | 18.18 Miles | | | |
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| 4,951 ft AEG | | 27 LBS Pack | |
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| no partners | | After testing out my Sevylor Trailboat at Lake Pleasant and in the Verde River a few times, I thought I might step it up a bit and give the mighty Colorado a shot. I know the CO is serious business but after going head to head with the drunk boaters and maniac jetskiers at Lake Pleasant I figured I was ready for a bigger challenge.
Feeling apprehensive, I wanted a section of river that was relatively smooth with no rapids and with easy access from a trail. After looking at some satellite images and reviewing some personal photos, I chose a short leg that runs just before the Phantom Ranch area.
I Headed down the S. Kaibab Trail with my boat, paddle, life jacket and wetsuit all stuffed in a backpack. My original plan was just to lazily float down the river a short distance, passing under the Black Bridge, trying to stay right and exit before the curve and Bright Angel Rapids so I could land at the Boat Beach (where all the raft trips stop to visit Phantom Ranch). Anyway, that was the plan.
Once I crossed the Black Bridge, I walked along a use trail that goes up river past the gauging station. About a 1/2 mile after the bridge, I climbed down from the trail (which is about 50 or so feet above the river) to get to a sandy area along the bank. I stripped down, donned my wetsuit and blew up my boat. I put my clothes and backpack in a trash bag and threw that in my boat, taking up more than half its seating capacity. "You're gonna need a bigger boat".
The river is wide in that section and there aren't any rapids until a ways after the bridge so I thought I'd have little problem. Wrong! As soon as I put in I was amazed by the strength of the current! It immediately pulled me and my little dinghy to the center of the river, spinning me around in circles all the while! I knew the current would bring me down river and right into the rapids if I let it so I paddled as hard as I could to get back near the river's edge. I almost made it but then my paddle snapped in half! Just a few feet from the edge but feeling the strong pull back out, I rolled out of the boat and swam for it, dragging my boat with me. I desperately grasped onto some reeds along the edge as there was no sloping exit at this spot, just a sharp drop off. I pulled myself up and out, having only traveled about a quarter of a mile. The river and cheap Chinese paddle manufacturers won this battle but I may return... with better equipment.
On the way out via the Bright Angel Trail, I Saw a Bighorn Sheep resting along side the trail. I took a few pics but it didn't seem to be bothered by my presence. It may have been sick or injured though. |
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Route Editor
Route Scout
