Colorado River SUP - Glen Canyon Dam to Lee's Ferry

You know that feeling you get on a Friday afternoon at work? The one where you're watching the clock count down to quitting time, and you know that as soon as you clock out, you're going to be throwing a pile of gear into the car and heading out somewhere to do something? Well, I had that feeling last Friday, like I usually do. In this case I knew that I was going to be making a long awaited return to my favorite river, the Colorado. I couldn't wait to dip my toes into that 48 degree water. 

Bianca and I had been waiting for just the right time to make the pilgrimage north to one of our favorite corners of Arizona. Our plan called for us to arrive at Lee's Ferry, early Saturday AM, via a Friday night stay in Flagstaff. Instead of piling our gear into rafts, oar boats, dories, etc, for a highly sought after river trip through Grand Canyon National Park, we'd instead pile our SUPs, and backpacking gear into a motorized "haul boat" and head upriver approximately fifteen miles to the Glen Canyon Dam. 

After being dropped off near the Dam, we'd load a weekend's worth of gear, beer, and food onto our SUPs. The plan was that we'd paddle for a few miles and eventually pull off to camp in one of the dispersed camping sites, on the side of the river. We'd spend the night in our tent and the next day paddle downriver back to Lee's Ferry, before making the long drive back to Phoenix. I had never paddled this section of the river and had heard that it was one of the most picturesque of the entire Colorado. Needless to say we were both incredibly stoked to get this party started!

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, it was quitting time. I left work and arrived home to a fully packed vehicle. I hopped in and we got on the road immediately. I had no desire to get caught in the Friday evening parking lot that I-17 can often be, as sun-soaked Phoenicians make their way North in the hopes of having a cool weather weekend. 

Mercifully, we avoided any significant delays and were soon enough pulling into Beaver Street Brewery in Flagstaff for some much needed brewskis and food. I can't recommend the Oatmeal stout enough, by the way. Both hit the spot quite nicely. We picked up some last minute supplies at the store and then grabbed a large pizza from NiMarcos to throw in the fridge over night. We'd toss that in the cooler and that would be dinner the next day.

Soon enough the 3:45 AM wakeup call announced itself and we were ready to begin the day. Even hotel room coffee is serviceable at 3:45. After a quick stop for a proper cup of mud and a breakfast sandwich, we were headed to Lee's Ferry. I was actually looking forward to the drive, as it can be very scenic in some places. 

We met our haul boat Captain at 8:00 and loaded up. Soon enough, we were underway. The ride took about 40 minutes. It was pretty cool to see the route we'd take over the next two days. We were able to see a small herd of Desert Bighorn Sheep, and a ton of waterfowl. The Dam came into view and pretty soon we were on the beach. Hell yes!!

We were the only SUPers amongst quite a few kayakers.

Glen Canyon Dam. A pretty awe-inspiring site, in person. The end of our haul boat ride.

Apache Lake SUP Camping

Despite a forecast calling for weekend temperatures almost twenty degrees cooler than normal, my girlfriend Bianca and I had decided to get away from Phoenix, as we do most weekends during the summer. We decided to head to CC Cragin, Nee Blue Ridge Reservoir, up on the Mogollon Rim, with our stand up paddleboards and our backpacking gear for what we'd hoped would be a quiet campsite in a quiet corner of the reservoir. Neither of us had been there before, but had seen the beautiful pictures online, and decided it would make a perfect weekend trip. 

We threw our gear in the car, and pulled out of town on Friday after work and made a beeline for the Beeline highway. We'd spend the night in Payson with my Aunt and Uncle, and get up early to head to the reservoir. We had a great evening visiting with family, and finally went to sleep stoked about the upcoming adventure. 

After an incredible breakfast with my Aunt and Uncle, we got on the road. We made a couple of quick, local stops for coffee and some last minute supplies. We got back on the road and in no time were turning onto the dirt road that would take us to the reservoir. Shortly thereafter we found ourselves in a long line of cars waiting to get in. A helpful, but sun-baked ranger came over and explained that the parking lot was full and that it could possibly be a few hours until we were able to gain access, and also that the area was pretty crowded. Well, crud. I'm not one to wait in line to get in anywhere, especially when I'm trying to get away from people. Bianca and I discussed our options and decided to head back into Payson, where we'd have a signal, and put together a Plan B.

We decided to head South to Apache Lake and try our luck there. I knew that there was plenty of dispersed camping to be found, and that with temps much lower than  normal, we'd be able to find the perfect situation. We pulled into Burnt Corral area off Apache Trail, where we found plenty of parking. Getting all of our gear together took a bit of time, and we finally set sail a bit after 4:00. It felt good to finally be in the water after a long day of being in the car. 

A couple of pictures of my loaded SUP. Everything needed for a couple of days out, as well as a few luxuries.

Bianca, just after we left the launching area. I carry our cooler, tent, and stove on my board, and she carries a waterproof bucket that carries our food and doubles as a seat.

The weather couldn't have been nicer. It was sunny, with temperatures in the high 80s. The water temperature was perfect. Refreshing, but not too cool. We made our way to the North side of the lake, which didn't take long as it's probably only 1/2 mile wide at that point. Signs that we saw at the lake indicate that it's about 17 miles long.

We followed the North side shore, headed West. We were looking for a beach or an area where we could beach our boards and set up camp. We were starting to lose daylight, so we couldn't be too choosy. After about an hour of some beautiful paddling, we found the perfect spot. 

We set up camp in just a few minutes and then dipped into our beer supply. Bringing some cans of beer from our favorite brewery, Desert Monks Brewery, was a stroke of genius! Bringing our backpacking camp chairs along, was also a stroke of genius. I've had a tendency on my backpacking, and bikepacking trips to forgo some comforts in order to conserve weight and space. As I get well into my 40's, I'm more inclined to bring some of those comforts and not worry about the weight or space cost.

Pretty soon, the hunger pangs were kicking in. All of that driving makes you hungry. I got out the Jetboil and fired it up. Twenty minutes later we were dining on Mountain House's Chili Mac, and a loaf of Italian bread. Not sure it gets any better than that. Due to restrictions, we were not able to enjoy a campfire, but that didn't seem to put a damper on the evening.

                                   Here is where we stayed, Dragonfly Cove. A beautiful spot.

                                                     

                                                    Oh yeah! What a thirst quencher!

After an hour or so, the yawn monsters were attacking, something fierce. We retired to the tent. It was a pleasant escape, as the bugs were starting to come out, en masse. I wish that I could say that a restful night ensued. Bianca's new air mattress, turned out to be just a mattress. No air. I was testing out a new sleep system, more of a warm weather set-up, and clearly didn't have it dialed in. It was an uncomfortable night, but I've certainly experienced worse.

After what felt like an eternity, it was 5:30 and time to wake up. I emerged from the tent into a beautiful, sunny, quiet morning. The lake surface was like a big pane of glass. With the spark of a lighter, the Jetboil came to life, once again. We had our traditional backpacking coffee concoction, Anthony's instant coffee, mixed with Anthony's powdered coconut milk. It's an awesome combination, better even than Starbucks Via or any other instant swill. A bowl of granola and fresh blueberries ensued and we were ready to attack the day.

We had decided to paddle back to where we had parked, to stash most of our gear in the car. It was a pleasant trip, with the glassy water making each paddle stroke count just a bit more. The board definitely feels a tad sluggish when fully loaded with gear, but it is still surprisingly nimble, nonetheless. We off-loaded the majority of our gear and took off to do some exploring. The boards now feeling like race-cars without the extra gear. We decided to head East this time and enjoyed a few hours of some beautiful paddling. We had found quite a few nice spots for future getaways, by the time we turned around to head back to the car. The way back was a tad less enjoyable as a nice little West wind had crept up on us. We definitely had to work a bit harder to get back. Fine by me! A great chance to burn off some of that granola. 

All in all it was an excellent trip. There were a few snags here and there, but we nonetheless had a blast. Can't wait to get back out there!

Winter Camping and Hiking at Grand Canyon National Park

A couple of weeks ago my new girlfriend, Leah, and I were trying to figure out where we could go to get out of town and do some camping and hiking. She mentioned that she had never camped or hiked at the Grand Canyon before. I knew that there was a great chance of encountering extreme cold, ice and snow, but she didn't hesitate a bit in agreeing to go! Sweet!! I got online and made reservations at Mather Campground and (not) surprisingly there was a ton of availability! A quick review of the forecast revealed an expectation of night time temps in the low 20s, daytime temps in the 40s, with a chance of a couple of inches of snow over the weekend. Perfect camping weather! We dug out all of our cold weather camping gear, picked up some supplies and loaded up the car on a Friday after work. We got on the road around 5:30 and cruised into Gabriela's Taco Shop in Camp Verde for dinner at 7:30. The food was awesome, I highly recommend the carnitas burrito, and we were fueled up for the rest of the long drive. In short time we made a fuel stop in Flagstaff and noted that the temperature had dropped significantly, as it was dark, and we were at much higher elevation. I wasn't thrilled about setting up camp in the dark, but what can you do? We continued on and arrived at the Campground after 10:00 PM. The wind was thankfully calm at the moment and we were able to set up camp fairly quickly and easily. It was super cold, so we wore our warm clothes, and dove into our sleeping bags, covered in blankets. Sleep came quickly and hard.

The alarm went off at 5:00 and it was admittedly tough to get out of a warm sleeping bag. The temps outside were frigid. Sunrise wouldn't be around for a while and the winds were gusting to over 30 MPH. I quickly fired up my jetboil and heated water for coffee and oatmeal. I'm not sure that a cup of instant coffee has ever tasted better. A quick bowl of oatmeal, laced with almond butter and blueberries, had me feeling human again. Over coffee and breakfast we went over our plan for the day, once again. We'd hike down the Bright Angel trail to Indian Gardens Campground and make a decision from there. If we were feeling extra ambitious we'd descend down to the river and explore the bottom for a bit before returning to the Rim. Between trail miles and the hike back to the car, this would be an approx 22 mile day. Headlamps were indicated as we'd most likely finish off our ascent in the dark. If we weren't feeling it, we'd simply turn around at IG and head back to the top, logging approximately 11 miles. Still a respectable hike. We got to the trailhead and after posing for the obligatory pics, shoved off around 7:30 AM.

Luckily the trail was in pretty good shape, with a minimal amount of snow and ice. We were able to get away without using traction devices, though the hiking poles were a huge help. It was pretty windy and chilly, but at least the sun was shining. I knew that the temp would get warmer as we descended.

We arrived at 1.5 mile resthouse and made a quick pitstop and got back on the trail. We were making good time. The sun was out and life was good!!

Soon after we arrived at Indian Gardens and stripped a few layers off as the temperature had increased significantly. We ate lunch and decided to skip the trip to the bottom as we wanted to get back to camp in time to have a nice campfire.

We also wanted to hike the next day and we knew that a super long hike to the bottom would most likely make a hike the next day less desirable. As a compromise, we decided to make the trek out to Plateau Point, which is a 3 mile round trip that follows a trail which heads out to the edge of the Tonto Platform, allowing one to have an outstanding view of the Inner Gorge and Colorado River. I'd always wanted to get out there, but never seem to have the time to make that sojourn when I'm in the midst of a backpacking trip. After lunch, we got on the trail.

Not sure why those two lonely Cottonwoods were green and all of the rest of them appeared to be brown and dormant. Must be good, clean living, I guess?

These purple cacti were all over the place. Very beautiful and a dark, rich purple color. I've never seen them in the canyon before.

The trail to Plateau Point was beautiful. Largely flat, it was covered in this beautiful purple cactus that I'd never seen. The sun was out and the views of the snow covered rims were incredible.

After 40 minutes or so, we began the approach to Plateau Point. The views were awe-inspiring. It's really hard for me to choose a favorite place in the canyon, as I have so many, but I'd have to put it right there at the top.

A wrong step here, and it's all over. They say that it's not the fall that kills you, but the sudden stop at the end. I hope I don't ever find out!!

The Colorado was running a pristine, emerald green! I love it! So much more picturesque than the chocolate milk look you get after a storm. We lingered for 20 minutes or so and then began the long trek to the rim. We took another quick food break at Indian Gardens, enjoying the last bit of "warmish" weather. We left IG at around 2:00 PM.

We topped out at around 4:00 PM to a sunny, but windy and chilly afternoon. According to my Garmin, the hike was 14.5 miles, including getting back to the car, with 3600 ft of elevation gain! It was time for some food and adult beverages! Unfortunately, due to the high winds, we had to forgo the campfire. Crud. I guess that that's just the sort of thing that happens in these situations, but we made the best of it. We sat in the car for a while, out of the wind, and ate dinner and had a few beverages. Pretty soon the sleeping bags were calling and we didn't resist.

We slept in until 7:30 on Sunday morning. After several cups of coffee and some hot oatmeal, we decided to pack up camp and get ready for our hike. We pulled out of camp and headed to the visitor's center to catch the shuttle to the South Kaibab trailhead. Today's hike would be a little less ambitious than yesterday's. It was also much colder and was snowing. We'd gotten about an inch of snow overnight and it was still snowing when we began our hike. The South Kaibab trail was much icier, but after a mile or so of descent, we were through the worst of it.

We took a quick break at Ooh Aah Point and took a few pics. The view was pretty awesome, especially with the snow continuing to fall. We decided we'd continue on to Cedar Ridge for lunch and then turn around. We Ooohed and Aaahed for a few more minutes and then resumed our voyage.

Less than an hour later, we pulled into Cedar Ridge. It was partly sunny, but still pretty windy and cold. We sat down as out of the wind as we could be and had lunch. It's hard to beat getting a table at this restaurant!!

We got back on the trail and started heading back up to the rim. The trip up went quickly and before we knew it we had reached the Rim. It felt good to hop onto the warm shuttle. We got back to the car and made it to Flagstaff at 2:00 where we enjoyed a late lunch at one of my favorite Mexican restaurants, Los Gordos. The Menudo is especially delightful. After a quick caffeine stop at Dunkin Donuts, we began the long tedious drive back to Phoenix. Thankfully, having someone to talk to makes the drive go by much quicker! Thanks for sharing the adventure with me, Leah!! We had a great time. This was definitely one of my best GC trips, even though it didn't involve any camping below the rim!