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Grand Adventure - Part 2

By Tyler Bradt

By KAVU

May 18^th, 2021

The morning of Day 11 drug into existence. Through sleep blurred vision I started the water boiling at 5:30 am, poured an entire pound of coffee into a mesh bag and plopped it into a quickly heating five gallons of water on top of a propane blaster. Making coffee for 20 people, a 96 egg omelette, and keeping track of my loosely organized gear exchange where the six people hiking out would trade essential gear with the six people hiking in, were at the top of my priorities.

The sea of pre-arranged arrival and departure logistics happening above the rim added the perfect amount of spice to a day of tricky logistics. The night before had been a send off of note and now as I watched small bubbles form on the bottom of the soon to be pot of coffee I couldn’t quite remember the sense in those last four cocktails, being the last one standing, or not setting up a tent before it had started to rain.

What did make sense was coffee.

Grand Adventure - Part 2

Soon the crew came to life and like zombies, started descending into camp looking for coffee. I had barely escaped with my cup to begin prepping breakfast when news drifted into camp from a neighboring party that it had snowed two feet on the rim and the trail was closed.

I smiled. The moment when plans go sideways…

Grand Adventure - Part 2

I buried a quickly approaching hangover with orange juice and another cup of coffee, adjusted a couple plans, and pushed forward with having the crew hike out. I would pit our crew against a couple of feet of snow any day, certainly no one was going to turn around people hiking out of the Grand Canyon because of a trail closure at the rim, but for the three remaining crew to hike in, Max, Jody and Hannah, I knew things could get interesting.

Feeling only slightly better I loaded the raft with Mark, Jude, Lorenzo, Jenner, Nick, Lane and Rush, and their packs of gear. The painful goodbyes happening on shore immediately accelerated my hangover.

From our camp at Lower Cremation to Phantom Ranch pack bridge is ¼ mile of flat water. The new plan was to drop off the hikers, and wander into Phantom Ranch for a bit of news about the trail, then row back to camp.

Grand Adventure - Part 2

At the boat beach downstream of the pack bridge, I hugged the crew goodbye and turned towards Phantom Ranch. The cottonwoods were just beginning to bloom, small green buds spreading into leaves, the smell of fresh rain on the desert, and trail under foot. Another day coming to life was starting to bring me around.

I wasn’t ready for the brush with the outside world, the momentary jolt of the high frequency above rim society that doesn’t at all find rhythm with the pace of the canyon but I decided I might as well make the most of it. I found the toilet, did some business, and took a glance at myself in the stainless steel prison style mirror bolted to the wall. Not bad for a couple weeks in the canyon. A little further up the trail I stepped off the tail for a string of mules marching down from the rim. I gave the woman leading the string as cheerful of a “good morning” as I could muster and asked her how the trail was. “A little snowy, a little cold, but otherwise just fine” came the reply. I thanked her and watched the hard worked animals plod past, guessing that the old game of telephone and some creative imaginations had more to do with shaping the feet of snow and a trail closure than the night’s storm. The second half of the trip would get going just fine.

Grand Adventure - Part 2

Grand Adventure - Part 2

Grand Adventure - Part 2

Back at camp things were still in disarray and with the veterans of the trip gone, the packing, and reorienting the new crew was moving at a painful pace. The weather was lifting however and we finally put the boats together, and pushed off into the second half of our great adventure.

The crew stopped by Phantom Ranch to mail postcards and drink some five dollar lemonades. Having had my fill of Phantom Ranch, I left the crew with the excuse of intercepting Max, Jody, and Hannah at Pipe Creek, a mile downstream.

Grand Adventure - Part 2

It felt good to be back on the water, the Grand Canyon rolling underneath my new kayak. I had commandeered Rush’s boat and I was happy to be back in a hard shell for the bottom half of the trip.

I arrived at Pipe Creek just in time to see our three new crew members strolling down the trail with heavy packs and big smiles. The trip had come together once again. A new crew, new dynamics, and the biggest whitewater of the trip just downstream.

Unlike the top of half of the canyon, the bottom half starts with a bang. Turning the corner into a tightening canyon, Horn, Granite, Hermit, Crystal, and half a dozen other big rapids, come quickly. It’s a great way to kick things off but for the new crew, it would be an immediate awakening to the power of the Grand Canyon whitewater.

Grand Adventure - Part 2

After a bit of a difficult lunch and another scramble to find the gear that everyone was supposed to have, we set ourselves back afloat between the walls of the mighty Grand Canyon, a new tribe of friends in the making with dozens of rapids, 13 days, and 192 miles between us and our take-out, Pearce Ferry.

Grand Adventure - Part 2

Grand Adventure - Part 2

The rapids of the Grand Canyon echo off of canyon walls, amplifying their roar from where they hide just beyond the horizon line. Grey skies and rocks, reflected against the water as we turned the corner towards Horn, the sound of whitewater echoing up the canyon giving testament to its presence.

We scouted river right before entering the a beautiful wave-train of rolling whitewater, Timmy stuck a roll, and the team was back in action.

We pulled into Upper Trinity that afternoon in time to watch the sun climb effortlessly down the canyon wall downstream of camp. Beers were cracked and 16 very stoked people enjoyed happy hour in the final golden hour of the day. Among the new faces was Barry Barr, our commander and chief of KAVU and from the content smile on his face, I knew another KAVU had just entered the books.

Grand Adventure - Part 2

We didn’t know it yet but Day 12 was the day we had been waiting for. There is no single day on the Grand Canyon with bigger whitewater than what we were about to enter. We pushed out of camp around 10:30 in the morning sun for an 18 mile day none of us would soon forget. Hermit kicked off of the day with its towering waves, the crew operating like we had been on the river together for months. The gems came next with Crystal being the biggest. Tight lines, a big yells, and adrenaline fueled stoke lit up the canyon. The swims we’re handled in style and as the day progressed so did the weather.

The snow glazing the rim began to drop down the canyon wall and the clouds now dark began dropping out, snow drifting on the wind high above the canyon which met us as a cold rain in the bottom of the canyon.

Grand Adventure - Part 2

Grand Adventure - Part 2

The day drew out and we ran lean, a few snacks and some whiskey to get us through the last few miles to 110 Mile camp. Hugs, high fives, cocktails and Frisbee games accompanied our stories of the day as we watched a rare sunset light up the sky downstream of camp.

A bottomless supply of KAVU days seemed to be on tap, the momentum continuing to build.

Grand Adventure - Part 2

Grand Adventure - Part 2

From 110 Mile Camp we made a push to get far enough along in the canyon that we might have the chance to score Race Track camp and layover and hike to Thunder River up Tapeats creek, one of the true gems of side hikes along the Grand Canyon. The plan worked well and after another big push, a beautiful camp at Randy’s Rock, and early morning, we floated into a deserted Race Track camp just above Tapeats creek, another adventure at hand.

Grand Adventure - Part 2

Grand Adventure - Part 2

That night I guided Max and Hannah out of camp to find the trail with the intention of turning back to camp but instead hiked with them a journey that took us almost to Thunder River, the desert continually drawing us in. We arrived back at camp as darkness set into the canyon and dinner was being prepared. My flip flop battered feet barely had time to rest before Jody told me that Jerome and Rio hadn’t made it back to camp yet.

The night was dark, a new moon hiding far beyond the canyon walls, clouds covering what little light the sky might have offered. I found socks, boots, headlamp, and my first aid kit and with the help of Whit set off immediately to go look for them, the smells of dinner playing a cruel game with our empty stomachs.

Grand Adventure - Part 2

Grand Adventure - Part 2

We hiked the half mile down river, crossed Tapeats creek and ascended about a thousand vertical feet into the hanging valley. Still no Rio and Jerome. As we walked into Tapeats creek further our yells finally found an answer and we found them exactly where I was expecting to: the First Patio.

In the tricky game of assumptions ours turned out to be right. They had gotten caught in the darkness without headlamps, unable to find the trail down a dangerous down climb. We shared some food and water, gave the two of them some jackets and began the long walk back to camp, happy the family was together.

Grand Adventure - Part 2

The next day we made the push for Thunder River, a river pouring into existence from deep behind the canyon wall straight out the face of a cliff. Our goal was to explore the cave hidden behind the face of the canyon, accessible by a very sketchy unprotected climb to get into the mouth of the cave. It was an ambitious plan and a dream of mine since hearing of the cave as a kid.

Grand Adventure - Part 2

Grand Adventure - Part 2

Grand Adventure - Part 2

Our day indeed led us far up Tapeats Creek to the Thunder River and the mouth of the infamous cave, the climb every bit as sketchy as the legends told.

Grand Adventure - Part 2

Along the way we had an encounter with a very territorial Big Horn Ram.

The Ram had us scrambling as it continually mock charged at the group, eventually "treeing" Barry on top of a rock. The experience was as humorous as it was frightening and provided many laughs as the Ram finally left to cross the creek only to bound back immediately and reappear looking straight at us.

Our day of adventure was just getting started.

Grand Adventure - Part 2

Further up the trail, and high along the red sandstone, the source of the Thunder River roared into the canyon. It’s water creating an oasis of green in a sea of red rocks. We donned drysuits and headlamps and prepared for the final climb into the cave of Thunder River.

As we entered into the cave we were met with cold air and cold water, a labyrinth opening up in front of us. The cave eventually found even ground, a cavernous lake reaching back into the bowels of the great Grand Canyon. We floated in our dry suits, swimming ever further into the darkness, our headlamps illuminating the small circles of light guiding our way. We found the book on an island far back in the cave and turned to find our back to daylight, our mission accomplished.

Grand Adventure - Part 2

The following days were an anomaly on the Grand Canyon. The river dropped to 4K CFS due to some work that needed to be done on the dam and coincidentally our trip started leapfrogging a USGS science expedition studying the dramatic lower flows of the canyon. The scientist giving us an interesting insight into the ecosystems of the river. The low water made for some long but very pleasant days and big beaches.

Grand Adventure - Part 2

Grand Adventure - Part 2

Grand Adventure - Part 2

Ledges Camp and Upper Tuckup Canyon were our next two camps just before the biggest rapid on the river, Lava Falls. Lava is a right of passage on the grand canyon and while it’s certainly not the most difficult rapid, on the Grand Canyon it’s legendary.

A lava flow which once dammed the river spreads across red rocks, black basalt giving a striking contrast to layers of red and orange.

Grand Adventure - Part 2

We floated past the Volcans Anvil, a volcanic plug in the middle of the river, a landmark indicating that Lava Falls is just downstream. Our crew parted glassy waters, finding their way to the scout on the river right of Lava Falls. We did the usual scout, talked lines, and one at a time gave the rapid our best. A cracked helmet and small gash on top of a head was the price our crew paid for safe passage to Tequila Beach, notorious for post Lava parties. Here we decided to call it a day and of course, drink Tequila. The party that night was full of love and laughter, our now tightly bonded team loving every moment of togetherness below the rim. It was the perfect place to be, too long to recollect how long we had been on the canyon and enough time to not need to contemplate its end. It was a perfect moment in time and place and we were exactly where we belonged.

The Grand Canyon is unique in its length but eventually, and in this case sadly, all trips do come to an end. The water was slowly beginning to rise and civilization slowly starting to rear its head. We passed Diamond Creek, a normal takeout, and continued into the lower river. From experience I feared what was downstream. A dying river, a dying canyon, and eventually, the road. It’s a sad way to end a trip after so many days of bliss and beauty, but to follow the canyon its last journey somehow feels right, and that's exactly where we were headed. The rapids of the lower canyon are beautiful and with the higher water we were back in the midst of exiting whitewater, the canyon still towering overhead. Eventually the reservoir line reached the river, the furthest historic extent of Lake Mead. The reservoir has since dropped dramatically, leaving behind its ugly remains. Dead Tamarisk, an invasive tree, holds the silt of the reservoir in place as the river drops below the silt banks. We found a suitable camp at Surprise Canyon on our last day, and settled to await our final hurrah, a night float out out the remaining 30 miles of river to Pearce Ferry.

Grand Adventure - Part 2

Grand Adventure - Part 2

We spent our last night at Surprise Canyon followed by a long day of waiting for night. The gusts of wind ripping up the river and the relentless sun let us know that we were making the right decision. The day slowly turned as the river continued to rise, now lapping at the feet of our kitchen table. We served a quick dinner then began breaking our final camp. It was time to set sail one last time.

We pushed off into the early evening of the grand canyon. The winds had dropped leaving a calm river flowing steadily through canyon. The river here has a consistent gradient as it gets sucked out through old sediments of the reservoir creating a phenomenon I have not seen elsewhere. A current-less stretch of steadily flowing water.

Grand Adventure - Part 2

We lashed the boats together. Three rafts in back, two in front, and hauled the kayaks onboard our floatilla. Beers were cracked and strong cheers rose from the crew. The rest of the night was a dream. A mostly full moon illuminated the last twists and turns of the canyon. We floated effortlessly on a mirror like river, listening to music, watching towering canyon walls and silty sand banks float past. It was a surreal end of a surreal trip. Around two in the morning we could hear the roar of the Pearce Ferry rapid just downstream of the takeout and broke apart from the floatilla.

One by one we made our way to the last eddy, just upstream of the takeout, tied up, and drifted from one dreamland to the next.

Grand Adventure - Part 2

Grand Adventure - Part 2

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Grand Adventure - Part 2

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