Afternoon of Day 6 to mid- morning Day 7
For 5 and a half days I have carried these pool toys. Time to inflate and cast off to whatever awaits. I have done enough pack rafting to know that I am not particularly good at it. Also smart enough to recognize that this is a REAL river. I have seen these things dip at the nose hitting what for me is an invisible eddy wall. Scared and respectful, I draft along behind some talented and experienced partners.
Bucky tests his raft out in the Olo riffle and looks so smooth. Three will run the Matkat rapid. I will not be one of them. For 2.5 miles we fly, float, swirl and glide down the river. We are sitting in 48 degree water. The sun is there and warms. Then comes the shade, just before 150 Mile Canyon. I glide along the right wall, terrified of getting caught in Upset Rapid. My pals drag me in. We worked incredibly hard to earn these two and a half miles and we relished it.
At the mouth of 150, the sun is gone and the wind starts to blow. I go to shivering. Matt climbs the wall and set up belays. jenny follows and starts a pack hauling system. It takes a few hours to get the next 100 feet. We head into 150 Mile Canyon and in an hour or so, arrive at our welcome food cache. We take the rigorous bypasses up and around technical sections and arrive at the base of the Redwall section at 3:45 PM. Above us is 6 challenges. We consider stopping for the night, because once we start, we have to finish all 6 challenges as there is no good and safe place to camp until past them all.
The group decides to give it a go, racketing up our efficiency. One upclimb and then we are faced with 4 chockstone barriers between 15 and 25 feet high. On the way down, we had set each drop with thin cord tied in a loop. We attach the rope to the cord, put a biner block 25 feet down the rope and thread the rope thru the ring, way above us. A cleaver idea offered by Todd and Rich.
Once the rope is set, Mr. Brechja goes to work. He jugs up, sets an assist and hauls us up, The second person up, then takes a second rope and moves to the side and starts the pack hauling process. People and packs literally fly up the drops. With time and daylight running out, we pass each drop, from arrival to exit in 12-16 minutes. Six people and their packs too. A long wet narrows must be passed between the first two and last two drops. Finally a 100 foot, low fifth class face must be climbed to get to the top of the Redwall. Success! We have passed the challenges in 2:45 minutes.
I am ready to stop, but with less than 45 minutes of daylight, much of the group pines for the Supai campsites above. I acquiesce. We arrive at a small cave in a side canyon, with an overhang, at last light. Dinner and to bed. The next morning is a casual ascent back up to the cars and drive out to the pavement. We were out in the canyon for 144 hours. Gear makes it way back to its owners and the group scatters to the winds. The memories are fresh and will linger for a long time. I thank everyone for their high spirits and generosity. Something of great value when physical limits get tested a bit. The “light” was in everyone’s eyes.”
Here is a map of the trip
http://www.trimbleoutdoors.com/ViewTrip/1050437
Pictures and slide show to follow
Bucky in Olo Rapid
Jenny carried the cowboy hat all the way and gave it to Aron
Sand at repose
happy man
bye to Olo
All float OK
Matkat
Matt dragging a rope at 150
Textures
Lower 150
back in the Temple Butte
Note left on each set drop[
Up 150, evening light
Selfie
last sun
Morning shadows
Art
Out of the Ditch
Slideshow
Rich Rudow
John, availability didn’t used to be an issue at all, but now that Ram posted this I fear I won’t be able to go back . Ha!
Actually, there is one issue that the Coalition of American Canyoneers will need to tackle in the Backcountry Management Plan comment period. The 150 Mile Canyon use area is VAST and includes the entire Tuckup Canyon area 14 river miles away. Two small groups of 6 people each in Tuckup could lock up the use area so people couldn’t camp in 150 Mile Canyon. In the scoping process 3 years ago I suggested that the NPS break that use area in two at Cork Spring. I hope they do it in the “preferred alternative” because Tuckup is also popular as a canyoning destination this time of year with 4 great slots.
John Diener
Stupendous! A few logistics questions – did you find the 7 days was a good way to go? (a Rich/Todd 4 day seems inhuman(e)) What was the max water carry required? As far as GC permits, are there any “crux” camp zones that are traversed that could be problematic?
Have greatly enjoyed the stories and photos of both GC trips – thanks!
-john
Ram
After 2 days, i didn’t think we were going to pull it off. At first we did 9:30 departures in the AM but soon figured out we needed to start 2 hours earlier. Most days we finished at 6 PM so I was glad for the 7 days. It meant bigger packs and there was 6 of us to get up and down problems, but aside from reascending 150, we relaxed our way through it. While we operated in 7 different days, we came in total time of 141 hours, actually 5 days and 21 hours, so one can adjust camps and total timing by being at the trail head early and/or using more than just the morning on the last day. I sure liked where we camped though. Camping in these places were really a big highlight of the experience.
There is water on this route. It would have to be a true drought or a lot of dead burros to be a problem. If there were no water from the top of Panameta down into Olo, that could be a challenge. We had good springs up and down the fault between these locations. We carried two dromedaries and used them in camp. One 10 liter that got treated and a 6 liter for cooking, that got filled at every camp. These were very helpful.
As to the different zones, there were two, one on each side of the river. I have no idea if availability can or is an issue here. Rich should know?
Kuenn
The combination of ropes, paddling, canyons, and whitewater, even hiking and camping…what an amazing buffet! I really like the whitewater shots. As for the Supai; not exactly a playboating vessel, but looks like a boat-load of fun.
Redrockhikerboy
Ram, this virtual GC trip I have been on via your photos and report has been dynamite–thanks. I like your descriptors for pool-toying Big Red: “scared and respectful”. I have had the good fortune to pool-toy-it a couple of times now, and despite zero incidences, Id say scared and respectful covers my take of the exprience. Oh, and exhilerated…when I take out, that is!