Day 18 - Ledges Camp to National Camp

Another look at the beautiful Ledges Camp.



Downriver.



Lunch at the mouth of Havasu Canyon.











Then the sun came out.



And so did the booze. Partners in crime.



Pirates.

Day 17 - Owl Eyes to Ledges Camp

Into the Heart of the Heart of the Grand Canyon.

Deer Creek Falls.









Ledges Camp. Most the camps in the Canyon are on sandy beaches. Not Ledges Camp. Here your perched on a series of stone ledges in a narrow, dark stretch of river just above Havasu Canyon. There is a small, clear waterfall next to camp and desert bighorns traversing the ridges across the river. Just awesome.



Hair maintenance. No better place.



A game of Mafia to end the night.

Day 16 - Layover Day 4 - Thunder River

We wanted to get up to Thunder Falls for the day. Problem was we missed the camp below Tapeats Creek and ended up on the wrong side of the river. We figured if we could get across, we could scramble along the steep ledges along the river back up to Tapeats Creek. Of course, getting across the river without being swept downstream isn't always a straightforward proposition.

First we tried lining the boats up to a place where we could cross. But the current was too strong and we ended up back where we started.



So J and Benson did it the old fashioned way--they powered us across.



Once across we had little problem hiking the one mile back up to Tapeats Creek. This is the view from Bonita Creek.



Looking down at Tapeats from the trail to Thunder Falls.



There are some amazing cactus gardens up here.



The narrows of Tapeats Creek.



Getting up and off the river feels pretty good.



Looking up Tapeats Creek towards Crazy Jug Point.



First views of Thunder Falls.



Close up.



Stoked.



A full day. The South Rim (or the Powell Plateau).

Day 15 - Fossil to Owl Eyes Camp

Miles 125 -135



Lunch at Stone Creek.



Filling jugs.



Day 15 grime and dirt.



The solution.

Day 14 - Lower Bass to Below Fossil

Miles 109 - 126

The one and only Lower Bass Camp.



Shinumo Creek.



Travertine (getting close to Havasu).



Kate in 'the gems'.




Elves Chasm.





Below Fossil Camp at sunset.

Day 13 - Shist Camp to Lower Bass Camp

Miles 97 - 109

Schist Camp.



Crystal Rapid.









The great Lower Bass Camp.

Day 12 - Big Rapid Day

Cremation Camp to Schist Camp (miles 87 - 97).
Horn Creek, Granite, and Hermit Rapids.

Loading the newbies at Phantom Ranch.



Making calls.



Getting nervous.



The bible.



Scouting the first big rapid of the day - Horn Creek Rapid.



The infamous 'Rapid Hat'. Only brought into daylight when absolutely necessary.


Granite - this one was the scariest looking to me of all of them except Lava. Ran it fine, but got stuck in the big eddy above the island at the bottom and finally had to push out through the very shallow escape route on the right.



Granite Rapid.



Hermit Rapid. Straightforward, but maybe the biggest waves I've ever seen.



Sunset after a long day.



And of course, end the great day with some great Bocce.