Scott Chandler
Wildness is a necessity- John Muir
- Joined
- Jan 4, 2014
- Messages
- 1,099
11/10/2014
I've spent most of my life living near the Grand Canyon but have never adventured in it. As a child the place terrified me and I couldn't get near the edge without a death grip on my parents or a fence. "I don't want to go in the giant hole! I'll never get out!" Years later, my fear of heights much less controlling, I wanted to go there but never could time it out. "I really want to go into the big hole but it's not high on the list." Then I got into canyoneering, and learned about canyoneering in the Grand, and got Todd Martin's book that had pictures in it... "Holy cow, I HAVE to get into the Grand Canyon!"
So after 23 years of a complex and evolving relationship with the big ditch I finally got into it, although not via a way that most people go into it. I made the long drive from St George to Marble Canyon and descended Cathedral Wash. I'd read that Cathedral Wash was a good way to get a taste of what the canyons of the Grand Canyon have to offer and I was certainly not disappointed.
In fact, I was kinda blown away!
The Vermillion Cliffs towering above the trailhead.
Ripple marks in the rock above the limestone layers
And the limestone, and the fun, begins!
Reading about this hike it sounded like the canyon would really heat up after a significant dryfall. This dryfall was also the one that would be the hardest to get around. I was apprehensive about how this drop would be. It turns out, not bad at all. The limestone ledges throughout the canyon made travel easy and fun.
The lighting was perfect in the canyon. Light hitting the upper walls lit the floor in nice reflected hues
There was one spot with a gorgeous fluted bottom. It blew my mind for fifteen feet. Amazing that, from what I've heard, the GC has whole slots with stuff like this.
As the canyon neared the river it widened out with some cool cliffy views.
Reaching the Colorado River I was amazed at the power. I've been to bigger rivers on occasion but have never felt the same power that I saw at the end of Cathedral Wash. I could see how this river carved a giant ditch and from here that ditch was only a hundred feet high!
After lunch and a wetting from massive winds blowing spray at me, I headed back up the wash.
Awesome dinosaur skull
Selfie
Getting back to the car I had to face the winds on the drive back. We're talking sand storms, dust devils, semi's blowing across lanes... it was fun.
Since I drove all the way out to Marble Canyon for a relatively short experience I had to stop for something along the drive back. I decided to visit Water Canyon just outside of Hildale.
I've never felt more freaked out in a town than when I drove through Hildale. That place is down right scary. Huge, unfinished houses with giant fences and everyone gives you the snake eye as you go by. FREAKY!
But Water Canyon was worth it. Quite pretty. I'll probably creep through Hildale again to visit it.
My appetite has been wetted! I see Grand Canyon adventures in the future! (Probably 2015 though.)
I've spent most of my life living near the Grand Canyon but have never adventured in it. As a child the place terrified me and I couldn't get near the edge without a death grip on my parents or a fence. "I don't want to go in the giant hole! I'll never get out!" Years later, my fear of heights much less controlling, I wanted to go there but never could time it out. "I really want to go into the big hole but it's not high on the list." Then I got into canyoneering, and learned about canyoneering in the Grand, and got Todd Martin's book that had pictures in it... "Holy cow, I HAVE to get into the Grand Canyon!"
So after 23 years of a complex and evolving relationship with the big ditch I finally got into it, although not via a way that most people go into it. I made the long drive from St George to Marble Canyon and descended Cathedral Wash. I'd read that Cathedral Wash was a good way to get a taste of what the canyons of the Grand Canyon have to offer and I was certainly not disappointed.
In fact, I was kinda blown away!
The Vermillion Cliffs towering above the trailhead.
Ripple marks in the rock above the limestone layers
And the limestone, and the fun, begins!
Reading about this hike it sounded like the canyon would really heat up after a significant dryfall. This dryfall was also the one that would be the hardest to get around. I was apprehensive about how this drop would be. It turns out, not bad at all. The limestone ledges throughout the canyon made travel easy and fun.
The lighting was perfect in the canyon. Light hitting the upper walls lit the floor in nice reflected hues
There was one spot with a gorgeous fluted bottom. It blew my mind for fifteen feet. Amazing that, from what I've heard, the GC has whole slots with stuff like this.
As the canyon neared the river it widened out with some cool cliffy views.
Reaching the Colorado River I was amazed at the power. I've been to bigger rivers on occasion but have never felt the same power that I saw at the end of Cathedral Wash. I could see how this river carved a giant ditch and from here that ditch was only a hundred feet high!
After lunch and a wetting from massive winds blowing spray at me, I headed back up the wash.
Awesome dinosaur skull
Selfie
Getting back to the car I had to face the winds on the drive back. We're talking sand storms, dust devils, semi's blowing across lanes... it was fun.
Since I drove all the way out to Marble Canyon for a relatively short experience I had to stop for something along the drive back. I decided to visit Water Canyon just outside of Hildale.
I've never felt more freaked out in a town than when I drove through Hildale. That place is down right scary. Huge, unfinished houses with giant fences and everyone gives you the snake eye as you go by. FREAKY!
But Water Canyon was worth it. Quite pretty. I'll probably creep through Hildale again to visit it.
My appetite has been wetted! I see Grand Canyon adventures in the future! (Probably 2015 though.)
