The Grand Time

Tom's Journal

June 26, 2007 - Day 42

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After another good night’s sleep, we were loading gear when Ranger Dave arrived at about 8 am. Along with his normal duties, he and several others were collecting biological information from some of the side canyons. We had a good chat and found out we know some of the same people.

About five miles down the very flat water we came to Lava Falls.

It isn’t like any other rapid on this river as it was formed by (you guessed it) lava that flowed into the river from a volcano that appeared very recently in geological time. This lava is black and is much harder than any of the surrounding rock.

A huge ledge in the middle about half the river’s width starts the drop. Even the motorized 36 foot long rigs don’t go there; on the right are several waves, each large enough to easily flip a large raft. The left side is a boulder field with many holes and pour-overs.

After studying it from the left shore, I thought that if I could get through three separate drops on the left side, I would be able to move to the center and ride out the last of the big waves there.

Because the water drops over a horizon you can’t see from the low vantage point a kayak affords, it is extremely hard to judge where you are as you enter this rapid. Consequently, I entered farther to the left than I expected and had a rough ride through the upper sections, but stayed upright.

I had just made it into the calmer water where I planned to move to the center when I dropped sideways into a pour-over at the bottom that I didn’t see from where I had scouted the rapid. I was immediately upside down and tried twice to roll back up before swimming out of it.

While I was disappointed, there are two things I know: (1) I tried where others didn’t, including the lead kayaker in another group who ran it just before us, and (2) I made it upright closer to the end of the rapid than I have in four previous tries.

I liked Loren’s comment the best: “it just means we’ll have to come back”.

Spencer kayaked near the route I had hoped to and did fine, as did all three rafts.

Steve and I rode on the raft the rest of the day and enjoyed seeing more bighorn sheep; the wind was mostly light or non-existent.

By 4:20 we had made a total of twenty-five miles and were ready to call it a day. We enjoyed yet another fantastic campsite on the river’s left side at mile 198.
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Mile by Mile Photos

June 26, 2007 - Day 42
Mile 839 through Mile 863

May 16 2007 - Day 1May 17 2007 - Day 2May 18 2007 - Day 3May 19 2007 - Day 4May 20 2007 - Day 5May 21 2007 - Day 6May 22 2007 - Day 7May 23 2007 - Day 8May 24 2007 - Day 9May 25 2007 - Day 10May 26 2007 - Day 11May 27, 2007 - Day 12May 28, 2007 - Day 13May 29, 2007 - Day 14May 30, 2007 - Day 15May 31, 2007 - Day 16June 1, 2007 - Day 17June 2 - 11, Day 18 - 27June 12, 2007 - Day 28June 13, 2007 - Day 29June 14, 2007 - Day 30June 15, 2007 - Day 31June 16, 2007 - Day 32June 17, 2007 - Day 33June 18, 2007 - Day 34June 19, 2007 - Day 35June 20, 2007 - Day 36June 21, 2007 - Day 37June 22, 2007 - Day 38June 23, 2007 - Day 39June 24, 2007 - Day 40June 25, 2007 - Day 41June 26, 2007 - Day 42June 27, 2007 - Day 43June 28, 2007 - Day 44June 29 2007 - Day 45June 30, 2007 - Day 46July 1 - 13, Day 47 - 58July 15, 2007 - Day 59
The last day; The river’s end