2011 River Trip dramatis personae

This blog post is a snapshot of the people on the 2011 Azra Hikers Special  river trip - along with some of the interesting geology, flora/fauna and "stuff" encountered on the trip.

This trip was by Arizona Raft Adventures (azra site) and was a hiker special.
TL was Dennis Smoldt

Dennis' boat Lodore (he built this in the last year)

Jody (played guitar and ran a fun boat)

Kati

Teddy

Holly

Ty/Grant Powers and Jan Raven

Jackie Little (10/8)

Joe/Edmund Ferdinand and Jackie Little at Lee's Ferry

Joe and Edmund Ferdinand

Tom Martinez

Tabitha and Sarol Gay

Jim Jolly (at boat beach on day 7)

James Rayment at Nankoweap Overlook (his photo)

Gary Stock at Nankoweap Overlook (his photo)

Gary Stock and James Rayment climbed well above most camps (they were 2 of the real climbers on the trip)

Michael and Chris (morning of 10/8)

Daniel Herzka and Michael Schar (joined trip on day 7)

group photo 9/27 Nankoweap hike - please email me to correct any name/spelling errors you notice
Bill Merrow, James Rayment, Dennis, Grant, Edmund Ferdinand, Teddy, Joe Ferdinand, Tabitha, Sarol Gay, Alana and Tom Martinez; 
Gary Stock, Michele Liou, Jackie Little

river reflections - meet new ones every day but a key part of any trip

tarantula (my first ever seen in grand canyon - including 5 river trips and over a hundred days hiking)

Big Horn (not as many as 2010 but still more than normal and we did see one large group)

Blue Heron (day 1 - we saw a number of these, especially early in the trip)

rattlesnake seen on Trinity hike 09/30 (one of many on this trip)

harmless snake seen on Nankoweap hike 9/27

"rare" ravens (seen on every trip, at every camp)

I did not get a photo of our cat burglars but they were at several camps

Geology Summary
Kaibab limestone becomes visible at this first point on river left downstream of Lee's Ferry

Toroweap Formation appears (this forms the layer under the Kaibab) - below a 2010 photo of river left around mile 1.7

Here is the Coconino as seen at Mile 3.9 on 2010 trip (Coconino at water level topped by Toroweap and Kaibab)

Coconino cross-bedding

Hermit Shale at Mile 5 (2008 trip photo)

Mile 12 the Supai Group Esplanade appears (2009 trip photo)

Redwall Limestone easily forms solution caves seen in picture below around Mile 25 (cliff forming rock that creates the major barrier preventing access to river from rim)

Muav Limestone (under Redwall LS) above BA Shale (at river level) 2009 photo

BA Shale - very colorful exposure (2009 trip)

Tapeats Sandstone

Granite/Schist Inner Gorge

The moon became visible halfway thru our 16 day trip (images with handheld Canon SX30 superzoom)

10/7 late night shot of moon

daytime shot as the moon was setting

Canon cameras used on this trip:
sx30 35x superzoom
sx20 20x superzoom
d10 12mp waterproof (used for photos in rapids/hikes and to shoot a number of 640x480 videos)
t1i for selected photos both jpg and raw