May 12: Hiking Club on Mt Waterman

Giant incense cedars at this elevation

 Mt Waterman is an 8000' peak in the central San Gabriel range.  Its summit can be hiked on about a 6-mile loop that climbs 1000'. The day was perfect, the air up there was clear and dry and cool, and a good time was had by all.

Looking down on the Mt Wilson Observatory, and LA behind it, down in the haze

Looking east toward Mt Baden-Powell and Mt Baldy

GC Money Shots

After I got Kay's GoPro videos, I combed thru em for some fun screen grabs.  Enjoy these photos thru Redwall, Hance, Grapevine and Sockdologer Rapids

We thought our guide may have disliked Nina, she always got a faceful while Rob looks on, kinda bored.  Anyway these were all taken by the GoPro while it was safely strapped onto the front gearbag pile on the paddleraft.  The videos are great to watch, but huge in filesize, but I thought the little camera's resolution and clarity were incredible.  Even all the water droplets look like they're hung in space, unblurred...

May 1-6 Rafting Trip at Grand Canyon

Our group of 13 friends from Hiking Club did this upper half-canyon 5-day trip with hike out on day 6.   Below are a few representative photos, but you can see Mark's photos or Sharon's photos online too, and I'd encourage you to have a look at them also.
This outfitted trip offered a daily choice between oar boats, paddle raft, or a hard shell dory. We were accompanied by 8 fun new friends who stayed on the trip for the entire canyon. We were sad to say bye to our new friends, but the big climbout on the Bright Angel Trail awaited.

Our first photo on the river!  The paddlers depart Lee's Ferry.  Does it look cold? Umm, it is.

Meanwhile, at the South Rim... (key the sad trombone)

So Day 2 was freezing cold and it sucked and I won't bother posting photos until Day 3.

We're back!!  Day 3, in Mile 31 we stop for a hike in the Redwall Limestone layer

Yes, that's more like it

In Redwall Cavern, the largest in the canyon

We celebrated Tohru's birthday, and he got cake and a psychedelic hula skirt. The props came from an endless bag that the guides brought.

floating down the inner gorge, where the rock is 2 bn y/o

On day 6, out of the boats and ready to hike out on the Bright Angel Trail! I had fun hiking behind Tohru and watching incoming hikers laugh at his skirt.

The Devil's Corkscrew, in the lower end of the BA Trail. Thankfully, high clouds helped dent the heat today. The South Rim is a 4500' climb from the river in about 7 miles

Our group got greatly spread out, but here's our subgroup after 5 hrs, ready to reach the South Rim. A shuttle back to Flagstaff, showers, and beds await.