This is one of my favorite stretches of the river
corridor. The canyon
opens wide for a few short miles, exposing some of the most fascinating
geologic formations in the canyon. Soon, however, the river will
plunge into the black, foreboding bedrock of the upper granite
gorge.
On this trip, we scouted Unkar Rapid from high on the cliff river left.
Hance Rapid, named for a famed miner and storyteller from canyon history, is long, rocky, and big!
Image (left): Plunges into the Gorge - Mile 79.
Rapids get bigger as you plunge into a gorge carved from some of the oldest rocks on earth. The walls are composed of schist, a metamorphic rock estimated to be 1.7 billion years old. This rapid was named Sockdolager by Powell. It means "a knockout punch."
A hike up Clear Creek is a nice break from running the big water in the gorge. Walking through passages of solid schist and granite can be hot though. In summer the temperature tops 115 degrees! A cool splash is welcome.
Image (right): The motor rig in this picture, mostly hidden by waves,
is 37 feet long.
Part of the fun of running the river is watching other boats run the big stuff. Here a group snaps pictures of a motor rig as it steers clear of the huge waves and north wall of Granite Rapid.
Image (left): Crystal Rapid - Mile 98.
Crystal wasn't much to talk about until a flash flood in 1966 turned it into a boatman's nightmare. No one I know likes this rapid. The tongue is fast -- freight train fast. It runs straight center towards the hole. On normal flows, you pull oars like a mad man to get right (oh please, right, right, right!). Although, on really low flows, there is a neat, relatively easy sneak on the left.
Image (left): The "Ross Wheeler" - Mile 108.
This boat was originally built by the legendary boatman, Bert Loper. Two river runners abandoned it here in 1914 and hiked out of the canyon.
Image (right): Camp at Mile 114.
Camps are few and far between in the gorge. This group, setting up tents, is expecting rain. Normally, folks sleep under the stars during the summer.
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