Sept 2009 Geology River Trip - Day 5 Part 1 Grapevine to lunch stop (Sept 17 from Grapevine 81.5 to Big Dune 118.7)
This journal covers Day 5 – from Grapevine Camp to Big Dune.
06:57 Wayne Geology lecture – inner gorge behind him (which was a key topic).
0657InnerGorgePosesBehindWayneRanney_gc9t_002041.jpg
08:10 Polished inner gorge gleams in the morning sun
0810PolishedInnerGorge_gc9i1_003923.jpg
08:23 The inner gorge climbs above us
0823PolishedInnerGorgeGleams_gc9i1_003967.jpg
08:24 until the Tapeats stands high above our course
0824TapeatsStandsAboveInnerGorgeAsWeHeadDownriver_gc9i1_003971.jpg
We pass Clear Creek pull-in (one has to climb over the fins seen here to enter the creek which is a walkup)
0825ClearCreekPullinClimb_gc9i1_003978.jpg
Clear Creek entry – pleasant hike up to a dry fall – we did not stop this trip as we had distance to travel
0825ClearCreek_gc9i1_003980.jpg
08:35 inner gorge is NOT a barrier for Bighorn - we see today’s first bighorn pair – we would see many today
0835TodaysBighorn_gc9i1_003991crop.jpg
Around 08:50 we pass the gauging station
0852GuagingStation_gc9i1_004025.jpg
And stop at the boat beach to get water and let folks go check out the flesh pots of Phantom Ranch
0923PhantomCanteenSign_gc9t_002054.jpg
09:24 I personally ran to Phantom Ranch for the tee shirts (new styles every year – you just gotta get them all)
0924PhantomRanchTeeShirts_gc9t_002058.jpg
And the famous lemonade
0924LemmyLemonade_gc9t_002059.jpg
We get the water and quickly get back on the river
10:39 Bighorn female on beach
1039BighornOnBeach_gc9i1_004043adj.jpg
11:17 Raven says “This is a great beach, please stop”
1117RavenSaysGreatBeahPleaseStop_gc9i1_004100.jpg
So we do – for a quick lunch break and a few use the opportunity for side hikes – 11:23 here Wane heads up a side canyon to check out the geology
1123WayneHeadsUpSideCanyonExploringGeology_gc9i1_004105crop.jpg
11:37 here is a nice colorful agate in conglomerate we see on the beach
1137AgateInConglomerate_gc9i1_004110.jpg
11:39 and a polished limestone boulder
1139PolishedLimestone_gc9i1_004111.jpg
End of part 1 of Day 5 – continued in Part 2
Subject: Sept 2009 Geology River Trip - Day 5 Part 2 lunch stop to Big Dune (Sept 17 from Grapevine 81.5 to Big Dune 118.5)
This journal covers Day 5 – from Grapevine Camp to Big Dune. Part 2 – from lunch stop to Big Dune Camp at mile 119
12:28 after lunch we head down river – here is a schist vein in granite that looks like it spells out NY or perhaps even I heart NY (OK, only to a New Yorker)
1228ImagineReadsNYNY_IMG_0132crop.jpg
13:06 Amphibolite embedded in gorge wall near the river
1306AmphiboliteInGneissGranite_gc9i1_004134crop.jpg
13:21 More bighorn – first a female spots us
1321Bighorn_gc9i1_004157.jpg
13:21 and there is the bighorn male
1321BighornMale_gc9i1_004162.jpg
13:30 around mile 107 ahead we spot Powell Plateau – notice the lone pine that stands out on the right – Wayne hiked there for his birthday
1329PowellPlateau_gc9i1_004218adj.jpg
13:30 Here is a telephoto shot of that tree
1328WayneTreeDetail_gc9i1_004209crop.jpg
Mile 107.5 shortly before the Ross Wheeler we see Dox Castle ahead on river right (right skyline) – notice other Supergroup below and middle skyline.
Dox Castle is the type locality for Dox Formation and was named by William Bass after Virginia Dox (the first female visitor he guided in the grand canyon).
Link to another photo from the esplanade of Dox Castle on the web.
1343DoxCastle_gc9i1_004246crop.jpg
13:40 in this area we were temporarily lost (at least based on Drew’s expression)
1340WhereIsTheRiver_gc9i1_004237.jpg
13:49 but soon spot the Ross Wheeler around river mile 108 (river left) which we can place on the map and thus get unlost
1359RossWheeler_gc9i1_004254.jpg
Here is a detail zoom of the metal boat (which is chained to rocks above the high water line to prevent river high jinks from “messing with it”)
1349RossWheelerDetail_gc9i1_004253crop.jpg
Mile 108.x supergroup is again visible for the next few miles due to faulting - In this area we see Hotauta Conglomerate, Bass Limestone, Hakatai Shale, Shinumo Quartzite, and Dox Formation
1354Supergroup_gc9i1_004263.jpg
13:52 shortly after we spot the Bass mine tram ruin on river left (around mile 109)
1352BassTramRuins_gc9i1_004259.jpg
13:59 we pass an AZRA trip that had Ed Hasse from the 2008 geology trip as crew
1359AzraTripEdHasseWasOnThis_gc9i1_004270.jpg
14:02 Mile 109 View northwest towards the Redwall-capped Fan Island (on middle skyline). The Tapeats ends abruptly against a Shinumo island below and right of Fan Island.
Wayne discussed this area, the return of the supergroup, and the Shinumo island at some length on the river.
1402FanIslandShinumoIsland_gc9i1_004276adj.jpg
zoomed
14:05 Mile 110 Rapid
1405Mile110Rapid_gc9i1_004285.jpg
In the photo below the inner gorge rock at the lower right is the dark Elves Chasm Granodiorite/Gneiss is the oldest dated rock in Arizona (at 1840 Ma) and represents a metamorphosed granodiorite pluton even older than the oceanic sediments and lavas of the Vishnu, Brahma, and Rama units. It is thought to be similar in age and composition to the Trinity Gneiss. Note the light-colored dikes of the Garnet Pegmatite Suite. Here is a link discussing metamorphic facies showing the relationship of temperature and pressure (and therefore depth) to which metamorphic rocks were formed. Wayne discussed how depth and temperature determined the characteristics of the inner gorge rocks we have been seeing today.
1507Pluton_gc9a_005367.jpg
Mile 115 Light colored dikes intrude Elves Chasm Pluton (nicely exposed at river level)
Mile115LightColoredDikesIntrudeElvesChasmPluton_20080917_3614_resize.jpg
14:50 Mile 115.9 we observe a fault in the Tapeats (notice the Tapeats is not impacted left or right of the fault)
This fault is named the Monument Fold – it dates from the Laramide Orogeny and is about the same age as the Butte fault.
First photo is river right where the displacement is less pronounced.
1450MonumentFault_gc9i1_004316.jpg
Here is the fault on river left where it is much more obvious
1453MonumentFault_gc9i1_004323.jpg
A close-up of the fault
1452MonumentFaultCloseup_gc9i1_004324.jpg
15:09 As quickly as the inner gorge rose, it now starts to descend . . .
1509InnerGordgeDescendsLeavingTapeats_gc9a_005370.jpg
15:09 we were passed by many birds in this section – here are three (sorry for the focus problems in this image – if someone has a better shot it would be VERY welcome)
1509ThreeFlying_gc9i1_004369crop.jpg
15:16 just a few minutes later we have the Tapeats at the river’s edge – this was a beautiful day in the Grand Canyon
1516BeautifulDayHeadingDownTheRiver_gc9a_005377.jpg
15:41 we soon stopped at Big Dune – here Mark and Cindy setup camp
1541MarkAndCindyPrepareCampatBigDune_gc9i1_004393.jpg
15:58 getting to camp early allowed us to do some fun climbing in the Tapeats ledges
1558TapeatsWeClimbed_gc9i1_004418.jpg
16:02 nice views up and down river
1602TapeatsClimbDeforeDinner_gc9i1_004422.jpg
And a photo of the view from just before our turnaround up on the ledges
1559TapeatsClimb_gc9i1_004421.jpg
16:57 the obligatory groover photo in Big Dune Camp
1657GrooverBigDuneCampRM1187_gc9t_002096.jpg
16:58 view of the camp – this was a great campsite!
1658BigDuneCamp_gc9t_002099.jpg
17:06 there are four Sacred Datura (moon flower) buds in the below that will open tonight (these are yellow and standing up – flowers from prior nights are white and fallen down)
1706ZFourSacredDaturaBlossomsToOpenTonight_gc9i1_004433.jpg
Moonflower Blossom
1707MoonFlowerBlossom_gc9i1_004436.jpg
17:08 the point below our camp (where we hiked to)
1708TapeatsWeClimbedAcrossBigDune_gc9i1_004439.jpg
End of part 2 of Day 5 – end of Day 5
This journal covers Day 5 – from Grapevine Camp to Big Dune.
06:57 Wayne Geology lecture – inner gorge behind him (which was a key topic).
0657InnerGorgePosesBehindWayneRanney_gc9t_002041.jpg
08:10 Polished inner gorge gleams in the morning sun
0810PolishedInnerGorge_gc9i1_003923.jpg
08:23 The inner gorge climbs above us
0823PolishedInnerGorgeGleams_gc9i1_003967.jpg
08:24 until the Tapeats stands high above our course
0824TapeatsStandsAboveInnerGorgeAsWeHeadDownriver_gc9i1_003971.jpg
We pass Clear Creek pull-in (one has to climb over the fins seen here to enter the creek which is a walkup)
0825ClearCreekPullinClimb_gc9i1_003978.jpg
Clear Creek entry – pleasant hike up to a dry fall – we did not stop this trip as we had distance to travel
0825ClearCreek_gc9i1_003980.jpg
08:35 inner gorge is NOT a barrier for Bighorn - we see today’s first bighorn pair – we would see many today
0835TodaysBighorn_gc9i1_003991crop.jpg
Around 08:50 we pass the gauging station
0852GuagingStation_gc9i1_004025.jpg
And stop at the boat beach to get water and let folks go check out the flesh pots of Phantom Ranch
0923PhantomCanteenSign_gc9t_002054.jpg
09:24 I personally ran to Phantom Ranch for the tee shirts (new styles every year – you just gotta get them all)
0924PhantomRanchTeeShirts_gc9t_002058.jpg
And the famous lemonade
0924LemmyLemonade_gc9t_002059.jpg
We get the water and quickly get back on the river
10:39 Bighorn female on beach
1039BighornOnBeach_gc9i1_004043adj.jpg
11:17 Raven says “This is a great beach, please stop”
1117RavenSaysGreatBeahPleaseStop_gc9i1_004100.jpg
So we do – for a quick lunch break and a few use the opportunity for side hikes – 11:23 here Wane heads up a side canyon to check out the geology
1123WayneHeadsUpSideCanyonExploringGeology_gc9i1_004105crop.jpg
11:37 here is a nice colorful agate in conglomerate we see on the beach
1137AgateInConglomerate_gc9i1_004110.jpg
11:39 and a polished limestone boulder
1139PolishedLimestone_gc9i1_004111.jpg
End of part 1 of Day 5 – continued in Part 2
Subject: Sept 2009 Geology River Trip - Day 5 Part 2 lunch stop to Big Dune (Sept 17 from Grapevine 81.5 to Big Dune 118.5)
This journal covers Day 5 – from Grapevine Camp to Big Dune. Part 2 – from lunch stop to Big Dune Camp at mile 119
12:28 after lunch we head down river – here is a schist vein in granite that looks like it spells out NY or perhaps even I heart NY (OK, only to a New Yorker)
1228ImagineReadsNYNY_IMG_0132crop.jpg
13:06 Amphibolite embedded in gorge wall near the river
1306AmphiboliteInGneissGranite_gc9i1_004134crop.jpg
13:21 More bighorn – first a female spots us
1321Bighorn_gc9i1_004157.jpg
13:21 and there is the bighorn male
1321BighornMale_gc9i1_004162.jpg
13:30 around mile 107 ahead we spot Powell Plateau – notice the lone pine that stands out on the right – Wayne hiked there for his birthday
1329PowellPlateau_gc9i1_004218adj.jpg
13:30 Here is a telephoto shot of that tree
1328WayneTreeDetail_gc9i1_004209crop.jpg
Mile 107.5 shortly before the Ross Wheeler we see Dox Castle ahead on river right (right skyline) – notice other Supergroup below and middle skyline.
Dox Castle is the type locality for Dox Formation and was named by William Bass after Virginia Dox (the first female visitor he guided in the grand canyon).
Link to another photo from the esplanade of Dox Castle on the web.
1343DoxCastle_gc9i1_004246crop.jpg
13:40 in this area we were temporarily lost (at least based on Drew’s expression)
1340WhereIsTheRiver_gc9i1_004237.jpg
13:49 but soon spot the Ross Wheeler around river mile 108 (river left) which we can place on the map and thus get unlost
1359RossWheeler_gc9i1_004254.jpg
Here is a detail zoom of the metal boat (which is chained to rocks above the high water line to prevent river high jinks from “messing with it”)
1349RossWheelerDetail_gc9i1_004253crop.jpg
Mile 108.x supergroup is again visible for the next few miles due to faulting - In this area we see Hotauta Conglomerate, Bass Limestone, Hakatai Shale, Shinumo Quartzite, and Dox Formation
1354Supergroup_gc9i1_004263.jpg
13:52 shortly after we spot the Bass mine tram ruin on river left (around mile 109)
1352BassTramRuins_gc9i1_004259.jpg
13:59 we pass an AZRA trip that had Ed Hasse from the 2008 geology trip as crew
1359AzraTripEdHasseWasOnThis_gc9i1_004270.jpg
14:02 Mile 109 View northwest towards the Redwall-capped Fan Island (on middle skyline). The Tapeats ends abruptly against a Shinumo island below and right of Fan Island.
Wayne discussed this area, the return of the supergroup, and the Shinumo island at some length on the river.
1402FanIslandShinumoIsland_gc9i1_004276adj.jpg
zoomed
14:05 Mile 110 Rapid
1405Mile110Rapid_gc9i1_004285.jpg
In the photo below the inner gorge rock at the lower right is the dark Elves Chasm Granodiorite/Gneiss is the oldest dated rock in Arizona (at 1840 Ma) and represents a metamorphosed granodiorite pluton even older than the oceanic sediments and lavas of the Vishnu, Brahma, and Rama units. It is thought to be similar in age and composition to the Trinity Gneiss. Note the light-colored dikes of the Garnet Pegmatite Suite. Here is a link discussing metamorphic facies showing the relationship of temperature and pressure (and therefore depth) to which metamorphic rocks were formed. Wayne discussed how depth and temperature determined the characteristics of the inner gorge rocks we have been seeing today.
1507Pluton_gc9a_005367.jpg
Mile 115 Light colored dikes intrude Elves Chasm Pluton (nicely exposed at river level)
Mile115LightColoredDikesIntrudeElvesChasmPluton_20080917_3614_resize.jpg
14:50 Mile 115.9 we observe a fault in the Tapeats (notice the Tapeats is not impacted left or right of the fault)
This fault is named the Monument Fold – it dates from the Laramide Orogeny and is about the same age as the Butte fault.
First photo is river right where the displacement is less pronounced.
1450MonumentFault_gc9i1_004316.jpg
Here is the fault on river left where it is much more obvious
1453MonumentFault_gc9i1_004323.jpg
A close-up of the fault
1452MonumentFaultCloseup_gc9i1_004324.jpg
15:09 As quickly as the inner gorge rose, it now starts to descend . . .
1509InnerGordgeDescendsLeavingTapeats_gc9a_005370.jpg
15:09 we were passed by many birds in this section – here are three (sorry for the focus problems in this image – if someone has a better shot it would be VERY welcome)
1509ThreeFlying_gc9i1_004369crop.jpg
15:16 just a few minutes later we have the Tapeats at the river’s edge – this was a beautiful day in the Grand Canyon
1516BeautifulDayHeadingDownTheRiver_gc9a_005377.jpg
15:41 we soon stopped at Big Dune – here Mark and Cindy setup camp
1541MarkAndCindyPrepareCampatBigDune_gc9i1_004393.jpg
15:58 getting to camp early allowed us to do some fun climbing in the Tapeats ledges
1558TapeatsWeClimbed_gc9i1_004418.jpg
16:02 nice views up and down river
1602TapeatsClimbDeforeDinner_gc9i1_004422.jpg
And a photo of the view from just before our turnaround up on the ledges
1559TapeatsClimb_gc9i1_004421.jpg
16:57 the obligatory groover photo in Big Dune Camp
1657GrooverBigDuneCampRM1187_gc9t_002096.jpg
16:58 view of the camp – this was a great campsite!
1658BigDuneCamp_gc9t_002099.jpg
17:06 there are four Sacred Datura (moon flower) buds in the below that will open tonight (these are yellow and standing up – flowers from prior nights are white and fallen down)
1706ZFourSacredDaturaBlossomsToOpenTonight_gc9i1_004433.jpg
Moonflower Blossom
1707MoonFlowerBlossom_gc9i1_004436.jpg
17:08 the point below our camp (where we hiked to)
1708TapeatsWeClimbedAcrossBigDune_gc9i1_004439.jpg
End of part 2 of Day 5 – end of Day 5
No comments:
Post a Comment