2010 River Trip Day 2 09/13 from North Canyon to President Harding Rapid

Journal for Day 2 - this was a very active day with lots of photogenic stops and several key lectures by Wayne.
We travel from North Canyon Camp to President Harding Rapid - camping at RM43.6 
Dinner was halibut and pesto pasta with salad - desert was a great Cherry multi-fruit dutch oven cobbler (one of the best deserts I have ever had on the river or camping in general)


05:45 We wakeup in North Canyon Camp - our first night was fantastic.

06:33 

06:13 Peggy shoots sunrise

06:38 Sunrise On Cliff Above camp

06:40 Breakfast being prepared by Brandon and Jamie - bacon, pancakes and plenty of fresh fruit - first of many great breakfasts

08:13 Morning lecture features Ancient Landscapes - covers formation of strata we passed yesterday and will see today.  This is a fantastic book - below we see some of the great Ron Blakey maps laid out.

Soon we are on the river and see our first reflection of the day

This is a day of great Geology combined with much flora and fauna

08:50 My first goat in Grand Canyon (ever!

John Zambrano better photo of feral goat

09:17 Wayne lectures on the canyon's formation as we enjoy the scenery

Jeff Eorio photo of Wayne

09:18 as we head downriver we see many early morning reflections (I promise to stop  showing these, soon)

09:23 blue heron poses for us.  This is an uncropped and unadjusted SX20is photo - I am loving this camera - first point and shoot I really want to keep.  It does eat batteries and has the usual Canon point-and-shoot issue with sand. But, it shoots very usable photos, has one button video 720HD, better stereo sound than any other low end video shooter and is a LOT of fun to use.

09:24 Views ahead change frequently as we go thru roaring twenties we enjoy many small rapids

09:33 nice deposit of travertine on redwall limestone

09:41 where you find travertine, you will find solution caves - here is an excellent example

we do not stop today but here are photos from 2009 of a stop at this cave

Wayne explains how these caves form from the inside out

10:46 we see Redwall Cavern ahead - we wait a little as another trip is there

10:48 Wayne explains this is not just a giant solution cave - it was mostly formed by scouring at the bend in the river.  Most solution caves are formed by the many springs flowing thru and from the Redwall Limestone - we see examples of such springs below

10:56 Soon we enter Redwall Cavern and are lost in its huge size.

10:59 looking out

11:05 Jeff Eorio photo

11:12 Bryozoan fossil

Adjusted photo of another enhanced fossil from 2009

11:18 calcite crystals in Redwall Cavern formed by seeps at back of cave

John Zambrano photo

11:28 too soon we bid fond farewell to Redwall Cavern

11:33 enjoying the canyon rising above us

11:37 coffee pot rock ahead - matches a Belknap photo of Powell's "Noon day rest in marble canyon"

11:42 hanging grotto ahead

11:46 Wayne points out crystals growing in upper right of photo below

detail of crystals (native SX20 zoom, unmodified)

11:59 RM35.8 Bridge of Sighs (must see Belknap item - every river trip points out)

2008 photo shows more of surrounds

11:59 One of many caves near bridge of sighs - possible future "bridge"

12:28 Lunch Stop - looking up we see a Temple Butte deposit

12:33 I climb up quickly to the right side of the temple butte channel

looking down at beach

 and looking left across the Temple Butte channel

a close up photo I took standing on ledge of Temple Butte

Jeff Eorio took this photo of the deposit

12:40 looking back at Temple Butte "smiley face"

13:37 another Temple Butte Smiley Face

13:46 large boulder fell from above - partially blocking channel.  Just before dam site at river mile 40

13:48 we near planned dam site - below we see a mine adit from dam planning/rock testing

13:49 an afternoon reflection

13:50 More dam site drilling

14:17 Mile 41.5 RR amphitheater in redwall with wall decorations formed by seeps - called Royal Arches

detail of seep and one arch

And a better angle of the arches in Royal Arches from 2009 trip

14:35 Anasazi Bridge appears high up on the wall

details

14:44 moon over rim from river

President Harding Rapid Camp

15:26 Groover is first thing setup in a new camp - a great view is essential

16:31 Moon over camp

16:53 Hansbrough grave at wall above camp

Inscription

16:48 view from grave looking down on camp

Dinner was halibut and pesto pasta with salad - desert was a great Cherry multi-fruit dutch oven cobbler (I want the recipe)