Sunday, November 7, 2010

2010 River Trip Day 5 09/16 Clear Creek to Parkins Inscription Camp RM108.5

Day 5 we wake up in Clear Creek camp (river mile 84.0 and end the day at Parkin's Inscription Camp (RM 108.5 and a new camp for myself).

black bridge RM 87.5
Trinity RM92 ultramafic rock
Crystal rapid RM98 we got stuck for two hours
Ross Wheeler 108.3

Sunrise at Clear Creek.




Morning packing is now a routine - as soon as you wake up you start to pack.

Our AM raven - 


we had multiple ravens this morning - they were plotting tomorrow's fanny pack theft





07:19 sleeping pads ready to load



ammo cans ready to load



07:20 Peggy gets a sunrise picture


07:57 downriver we proceed

07:57 looking up Clear Creek (where the Eorios, Beth and I had hiked the night before)
 

08:05 unconformity below Tapeats



08:14 reflection with inner gorge

08:22 Black Bridge ahead



08:24 boatmans beach ahead - we tie up and walk to Phantom Ranch


09:12 we are at the canteen


09:20 photos of a Red-napped Sapsucker just outside the canteen





09:34 we know what it was as we stopped in the ranger station and checked out a book (Pam Cox was the ranger on duty - she had helped with bat identification in the past)

09:54 damsel fly along Bright Angel Creek



09:53 Jeff and Kevin on black bridge (next four photos by the Eorios)



 09:54 ready to return to the boat (photo by Kevin)

10:08 we are ready to depart

10:50 three more Eorio photos as we head downriver (around 10:50-10:54)



11:54 heading downriver there are plenty of inner gorge wonders

11:20 we proceed downriver and stop at Trinity (around river mile 92) for a quick lunch break
Howard had identified an area with ultramafic rock exposures - these rocks were formed in the mantle.  Howard gave a very nice explanation of the formation and chemistry of these rare mantle rocks.

11:34 photo of drill holes from an earlier geologic trip taking core samples

 


11:43 crystals in ultramafic rock


11:45 ultramafic bouilders in creek bed


11:45 photo of a large ultramafic boulder

Ed and Howard


We proceed down the river but get a surprise at Crystal - we attempt the river right run and get stuck on a rock - we are stuck for about an hour and a half (from about 13:30 until 15:00 or so)
We tried to use the motor and swing the boat, forward and reverse - no luck at all.
Several small trips passed us but soon a Tour West group we had seen several times went thru Crystal on river left and pulled back across below the rapid to tie up on our side of the river around 13:40 - they had to get gear and hike up to us which took a while as they were several hundred yards down with a very rocky hike


13:55 our Tour West rescuers have hiked up

14:05 a line is rigged

first attempt does not work so a 2nd double pulley is rigged and with the additional mechanical advantage and lots of pulling by everyone on the boat we swing off the rock and finally are free

Next two photos by Jeff Eorio




Jeff photo as we pass our Tour West rescuers




15:00 we pass our rescuers (who are rewarded with a bottle of spirits)

15:01 proceeding downriver



15:02 rapid ahead


16:10 Powell Plateau - the distinctive Ponderosa pine tree is one Wayne had hiked to on a trip several years ago - I have referred to it as Wayne's tree in prior trip journals


16:12 we pass another river trip


16:13 tilted supergroup exposure


16:17 river mile 108.3 Ross Wheeler (Bert Loper abandoned this boat in 1914 at Bass Rapid and hiked out)

16:19 Better view of Wayne's tree (the big Ponderosa Pine)


16:53 we stop at Parkins Inscription Camp - why is it called that?  Well . . .


17:14 it has nice drying rocks and we wash clothing and lay out to dry


17:18 Parkins Camp groover view test

17:21 moon over Parkins Inscription Camp


18:15 Castle above camp

18:16 view downriver towards tilted supergroup


18:20 beautiful sunset


end of day 5 at Parkins Inscription Camp
 


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