July 5, 2015

July 5, 2015

Our Colorado River trip is at an end but the excitement is not over.  We still have to exit the Canyon and return to civilization.  We got up early, had our last river breakfast, and repacked our gear into our own duffel bags.  The dry bags and sleep kits were returned.  We made our goodbyes to the crew.  They have a long day ahead.  After deflating the side tubes, they will do the last 90 miles to Lake Mead, where the rafts will be taken apart and trucked back to Marble Canyon.

After careful weighing of all the passengers and their bags, we boarded a helicopter in groups of five.  This very short trip took us to the canyon top and five miles north to a small ranch called Bar 10.  Aimee and I were in the second group.  Bar 10 Ranch sits inside the very remote Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument. 

At the ranch early, we had the opportunity to take a much-needed shower.  The dirt and sand ran off us for minutes.  Ninety minutes later we loaded onto a nine-passenger Cessna for the fifty-minute flight across the north rim to our starting point.  Both the pilot  and the co-pilot (Aimee) looked a little inexperienced but I was not concerned.  One of my fellow passengers is an F-16 fighter pilot.  We have backup.

In Marble Canyon, we stocked up on cold water and began the long drive back to Tucson.  Very long unfortunately.  Just south of Flagstaff we ran into stop and go traffic.  It is Sunday afternoon and apparently every Phoenician spent the holiday weekend up here in cooler climes.