The anticipation of it all was next level on this trip. My first
Grand trip was scheduled in January but life had a different
plan for me. The same weekend as my trip, I ended up fighting
for my life in emergency surgery instead. Surprise!
My knees still hurt. But this is not unusual. I do one hiking trip each spring to the Grand Canyon, carrying the BIG PACK (camping, canyoneering, pool toying) and it wrecks me. Then it takes a year for me to forget. This year, the crew included two oldsters with more years than me...but they also seemed to be more durable. (Sigh)...
Read MoreCrack Baby is one of the closest Grand Canyon Redwall Limestone slots to "the road", and was thus chosen for a quick trip for a photo shoot. "Give Tom Jones a call", said Rich Rudow, (almost) heading out the door for a 30-day Grand Canyon trip. So Kristen Caldon, photographer on a Sierra Club project, called me, and we threw together a quick trip...
Read MoreGuest Rave by Cassy Brown. Photos by Lindsey and Lynn. The moment I watched Lynn stick the burly Zion Adventure Company Land Cruiser BEFREE in a ravine, I knew we were in for an extraordinary adventure in this ruggedly remote corner of the Grand Canyon. “Game on,” I thought. “Let the foolery begin..."
Read MoreI hurt. For me, hurting and the Grand Canyon go together like ham and cheese. In this case I hurt in many places: bruised feet, stiff quads, funky shoulder, left ankle a bit odd, and the lower back - of course. Unfortunately, this was BEFORE we headed into the Big Ditch, having spent three days with the Unbreakable Ram and Jenny the previous week.
Read MoreIt was the project of others. Dan Ransom had been spying it for a few years. So had Rick Green. When I considered that they may be talking about the same canyon, I put them in touch with each other and proposed some dates.
Read MoreFor them, Spring Break. For me, an opportunity to go do some canyon hiking, test out how my recovery is going, and get out of the office for a few days.
Read MoreWent on a little float trip, with a few short hikes thrown in... Well, perhaps I dis-exaggerate. But here's a sweet canyon we did on Feb 21st, off a Grand Canyon Float trip
Read MoreLast February, Rich Rudow got this crazy idea of drawing a GC rafting permit and floating the big river, and doing as much canyoneering as is (super-)humanly possible.
Read MoreRich Rudow and Todd Martin have been spending a bit of time in the mighty canyon of the Colorado River, as it crosses from Lee's Ferry to Lake Mead. Exploring every little nook and cranny?
Read MoreWe were hoping and planning on re-engineering the BIG DROP to avoid the infamous Rope-Eating Crack, and to set it up so others could too.
Read MoreWe had made our way down a canyon, then down the river a ways, the day before. Today's plan was to boat a couple of miles downriver to President Harding Rapid, then climb out of the Big Ditch at Eminence Break.
Read MoreThe Young Turks of Arizona invited Ram out to explore a few canyons around the north end of the Grand Canyon (the Marble Canyon area). This became 'Ditch Fest' and I somehow wrangled an invite for me.
Read MoreDeer Creek = Really Good! But it's at the bottom of a big ditch. As in, a really big ditch.
Read MoreGot some pictures scanned - thought all y'alls might be interested in.
Read MoreDeer Creek is at the bottom. Of the Big Ditch. As in 5000 feet down, and 5000 feet up to get out. Aaaargh. This is why you wait for fall, so the weather is somewhat reasonable.
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