March, 2007. We arrived at Bedrock Rapid on a cold and rainy day. Unintentionally, of course, three of our rafts went left. One made it, one flipped and one was maneuvered out of the river left eddy with ropes from river left and the Island, and managed to avoid a high-side against the Island. It rained the entire time, and the wettened polished rock on the Island and the far side was slick, making for very insecure footing. We called it quits for the day upon arrival at Below Bedrock Camp, Mile 131.1. We needed to warm up. It was mid-afternoon, which provided lots of time for sitting around the fire and/or taking a look around.
We put up camp and gathered around the fire
Agave cactus
The colorful Bass Limestone
The colorful Bass Limestone
The colorful Bass Limestone, artistic version
This camp was located at the mouth of a small canyon, in the diabase rock that is exposed here. This is a prickly pear cactus.
Barrel cactus
Claret cup cactus and upstream view to Bedrock Rapid
Hedgehog cactus
Blooming brittlebush in the side canyon
A small jump in the canyon
Fluted boulder of unusual pink limestone (?)
Blooming Mormon Tea
Supai Sandstone boulder
Brittlebush and downstream view from Below Bedrock camp, Mile 131.1
The next morning was sunny, but with clouds hanging on the Canyon rims. We arrived at Deubendorff Rapid, Mile 131.7, in a few minutes.
Ethan Miller, on the tongue of Deubendorff Rapid, with a view up Galloway Canyon to the North Rim
Ethan nears the turn to the right
Other photos of Deubendorff Rapids.
CJ approaches the tongue
Off to the races!
I’m in the front of the boat, with my waterproof Olympus camera
On the turn to the right
Deubendorff view. The beach at Stone Creek is seen at top left.
Looking straight downward at a sculpted limestone boulder, alongside Deubendorff Rapid
Stone Creek Camp, Mile 131.8.
Telephoto view upstream from Stone Creek Camp. The telephoto lens foreshortens the view of Deubendorff Rapid
Stone Creek beach, view downstream
Stone Creek breakfast, with Mark and Dulce. Life is good!
Stone Creek waterfall
Note: This and prior posts on the subject of running the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon are excerpted from my iBook: “The Grand, the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon, a Photo Journey and Visual Guide, 2nd. edition”. The book costs $5.99 and is available from the iTunes Store, using this link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/the-grand/id672492447?ls=1
Hey, great photos! But your “Bass Limestone” is actually the Hakatai Shale!
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The Bass Limestone is an unusual-looking rock, seen only in a few places in the Canyon. It’s highly metamorphosed and appears in association with other rocks in the Grand Canyon Supergroup. Ledges of the Bass are seen below the Tapeats on river left at Mile 137, along with other Grand Canyon Supergroup rocks. These will be shown in upcoming posts.
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