Shorewoods Photography-Boarding Group 2 Travel Blog

Art and I woke during the early morning hours of our 4th day in the Canyon to take some night sky photos from camp. The night sky was again glorious, and we found taking photos with the Nikon Z8, which we had already pre-set for night sky photography, made it easier to get that infinity focus, manage what was in the viewfinder, and play with composition.

Once the sun was up, we prepared for another day rafting down the river. We understand today is Rapids Day! Yay! A day filled with rapids and dousing wetness!

It is Day 4, and for a moment, we calculate where we are time-wise in this adventure, and when we realize we are halfway through, we quickly agree to not think about that just yet, and transform our mindset back to Canyon time- which feels lovingly ageless.

This morning at camp we were treated to an appearance by a bighorn sheep. This photo also shows how we see shapes in the rocks, much like clouds appear as familiar things- here there is a large bunny overlooking the bighorn sheep.

This morning we hiked into 75 Mile Canyon for some more Canyon photos. Just when you think you won’t see anything more beautiful than yesterday, you hike into a Canyon and there it is!

The rock along the canyon wall is a swirl of texture and shadow, that gives license to our imagination to interpret what we see as animals, fish etc.

The rapids were many and rough- honestly some of the waves were the size of a car. Being doused balanced between being cooled and chilled to the bone. Josh and JP shared about the geology we were passing through, along with historical and “historical” stories, some we are sure had some facts in there! Today’s favorite saying was just as we would enter the rapid, and Josh would finish telling us about the history and formation of the rapid, he would announce,”Have a Good Day [Gosh Darn-It]”! (Or words to that effect!)

The first 2 rapids after leaving camp were Hance Rapid, rated 8-9/10 with a 30′ drop over a half mile, and Sockdolager Rapid rated 7-9/10 with a 19′ drop. We like the analogy Colleen shares with us, some rapids are low speed car crashes, while some are bus size. These rapids were like nothing we had ever experienced before! Sitting in a raft, looking at waves far above your head, either speeding past you or slapping you into your seat (as if we could hold on any tighter!) and wondering if the water will drain off of you to get a breath before the next one hits. It was fantastic! I love roller coasters, and the twistier, faster and more spinning involved the better, and for me this was like a day at an amusement park where I got to go on my favorite rides over and over- just with walls of water!

Another interesting note about Hance Rapid- When entering the rapid, the South Rim of the Grand Canyon is on the left, 4700 feet above the river level!

We travelled through a few more rapids and arrived at Phantom Ranch at Mile 88. The Kaibab Suspension Bridge crosses the Canyon here, and hikers can trek to and from Phantom Ranch over the bridge.

We hiked up the trail to the bridge, and had some impressive views of the raft. Caught a few cactus blooms too!

We enjoyed lunch at Granite, Mile 94. It was a great opportunity to let things dry out from having gone through Horn Creek Rapid 8-9/10 with a 9′ drop. We hiked a small trail and enjoyed lunch under the shadow of some trees. Granite Rapid was another class ride rated 8-9/10 with an 18′ drop. We now understand why some birds dry their wings in this pose, it lets the air circulate and does dry you out! Here I am drying my wings.

After lunch we went through more rapids; Hermit Rapid 8-9/10 with a 15′ drop, Boucher Rapid 4-5/10 with a 13′ drop, and the cherry on top of all the rapids: Crystal Rapid 10/10 with a 17′ drop!

We arrived to our overnight Camp at Ross Wheeler Mile 108.5. Through the trail in our camp, you come to some rocks where the Ross Wheeler boat is chained. The boat was abandoned in 1915 when an expedition’s boat sank and they gave up, leaving their last boat where they left to hike out. Art got a nice shot of the boat during sunset.

Tonight we were treated to a remarkable dessert made with chocolate pudding and some very special Oreo cookies! We had no idea you could get a photo on an Oreo, but you can and it was great fun! Josh will live on in infamy!

The river and bank of this camp site are beautiful and rocky. It was a great opportunity to take some in-camera motion shots.

As Art and I watch the sunset shadows fall along the top of the Canyon, we enjoy the contentment of being here in this wild, natural place. The ability to let our minds exist as perhaps they were meant to be, without the constraints of the manufactured, scheduled, mechanically paced world, is a sweet respite. This contentment is uncovering a source inside of us, we have not recognized in a long time.

The level of comfort and peace that I experience in the parks flows like a stream through my life, so that no matter where I am or what I am experiencing, there is a core of me that cannot be disturbed. It keeps me in balance all the time.

Audrey Peterman

Have a good day, gosh darn-it.