Little Colorado River Gorge - 1980

[Iceaxe]

Anyone want to read an interesting tale about a group of canyoneering pioneers? The story is a little on the long side but worth the read. -Enjoy....

Little Colorado River Gorge
January 1980
Rex Welshon

In January, 1980, Charlie L, Gary W, Ron W, Frank V, John B, and I hiked from Cameron, Arizona, to Grand Canyon National Park by descending the Little Colorado River Gorge, traversing the Beamer Trail, and ascending the Tanner Trail to Lipan Point. The trip took us fifteen days from start to finish, four more than we expected. Along the way, we crossed the Little Colorado almost a hundred times and encountered deep quicksand. Gary partially tore his ACL on the fifth day and completed the trip using a jerry-rigged splint and crutch. During the last three days we were in the Little Colorado River Gorge itself, the river flooded and stayed above flood stage almost until we got to the Beamer cabin at the confluence with the Colorado.

It's been a long time since this adventure, and the six of us are now a long way from being who we were then. Nevertheless, many of my memories from this trip remain utterly vivid. No individual part was as frightening as, say, a long free rappel off a single bolt, and no single day was as individually memorable as a couple of others I've spent in the boonies. But the way the various aspects and components added up together have made this trip indelible. A while back, I had the idea of gathering my remaining thoughts about it. It's taken a while.

The rest of the story is here:
http://climb-utah.com/Misc/littlecolorado1980.htm

[canyoncaver]

Fun read on the same subject:

http://www.amazon.com/Quicksand-Blue.../dp/0967459583

[spinesnaper]

Anyone want to read an interesting tale about a group of canyoneering pioneers? The story is a little on the long side but worth the read. -Enjoy....

Shane

That is just an amazing read. Unbelievable! I honestly have not really explored the Grand Canyon. It is just very intimating country. I have to figure out how to hike North to South before it gets too warm at the bottom. I notice they keep the North side of the park closed until fairly late into the Spring. I just don't do well roasting in exposed desert.:loll:

Ken

[nat]

Great story! That sounds like quite an adventure. I did this hike, by myself about 7 years ago. I did it in the first week of June, and so experienced much different conditions and weather. It was during a heat spell, and temps during the day were about 98-108. The whole upper canyon was pretty dry, and I didn't have any wading until a few miles above Blue Springs. The water below Blue Springs was a spectacular aquamarine color, since thee was no runoff from above. It was great to cool off in, in the heat. It is a really spectacular canyon, and I believe that it isn't done too often. I didn't see anyone, even on the exit up the Tanner Trail.

Nat