Rough Terrain in Marble Canyon

[Kristen M. Caldon Photo]

Photo: House Rock Rapid and Rider Canyon
South Canyon to Soap Canyon ~ Grand Canyon Hiking with Botanists Glenn Rink and Steve Till
In my efforts to complete a Grand Canyon Traverse I have never stumbled on such rough, unstable, scary terrain for so long a distance. Hiking this section in Marble Canyon had me constantly on the edge, physically and mentally, measuring my strength and will for days. The steep slopes that made up the route were littered with sharp limestone boulders of all shapes and sizes, often unstable and directly on the edge of a 400 ft. cliff going down to the Colorado River. One wrong step at any time could have been my last, every step was deliberate. A homespun route found by my hiking companion Glenn Rink just upstream of North Canyon got us up to the Esplanade, but that climb was over the line for me. (I didn’t chose a very good route and lost my footing, leaving me clinging to soft, loose ground unable to go any further up or down for a while…..) It’s funny, three hiking guides said there is no route by North Canyon. Somehow, we made it happen…. truly a reminder of the blessings of passage this Canyon grants us, not something given so easily in this rough country.



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[Laura]

Beautiful pic and I was totally getting into the story-is there more?

 

[slc_dan]

I love your posts Kristen. Keep them coming.

 

[Bob]

Welcome to route finding in the Grand Canyon......we need more pics!

 

[Nick]

Welcome to route finding in the Grand Canyon......we need more pics!

This is par for the course for Kristen. Check out some of her other TR's if you want to see more gnarly routes.

And I agree, more pics!

 

[gnwatts]

Beautiful images.
I am glad you did not fall in.