Clear Creek/Grand Canyon Photos

“I just returned from 5 nights in the Grand Canyon, I enjoyed Jimmysans trip so much last year that I had to do it again. There was much more water this year, Cheyava was flowing well and we had to wade the creek much of the way down to the Colorado. We downclimbed Clear Creek Falls without ropes this time, but had to be helped by the tallest in the group on the technical section. A bit more sketchy especially since our shoes were soaked this time. Saw a rattler in Clear Creek Canyon and some more ruins up near Cheyava. Phantom Ranch had no water the first day through but did on our way out, we again were able to get a meal. Thanks to Jimmysan for the first trip that inspired me to go again, what a magical place and what a difference a year makes! P.S. the weather was 20 degrees warmer too, go figure!

http://paigefalk.smugmug.com/gallery/4649079_AS52w/1/274492129_Ep5wg#274601572”

“Great pictures pagie, 400!!! Took awhile to look through them. Really loved the closeup of that Yellow flower and the ratler was cool too. Glad to see all those lenses with the red ring around the end ;-) Haven't quite figured out a good way to carry my SLR backpacking yet. I hate it swinging around. Looked like you guys had a lot of fun, I need to get into shape so I can do a trip like that, 60 miles, whoa!”

“Paige!!
You’ve done it again girl and just when I didn’t think you could get any better!!!
Those have to be some of the best Canyon shots I have ever, ever seen!!!
Looks like it was a killer trip and thanks fer sharing.
BTW, I did recommend you to the photo editors at Backpacker, you might just be hearing from them soon. I did not give them your email so if it’s not posted, they will have to get in touch some other way!!
See ya later.
Randall
last edited: 4/04/08 5:55:32 PM”

“thanks for looking, believe it or not I did par down the number. Yeah, the SLR while backpacking is difficult, I've learned that just holding the thing in my hands is best for me, easy access and not hanging on the neck, that red ringed lens is heavy! 1/2 the shots were taken with Dave's point and shoot, I think it's pretty easy to tell which are which.”

“jeez, thanks Randall! Glad you enjoyed them. I actually have been published in backpacker 4 times. But, getting another recommendation never hurts!!!! Thanks!!!!
Paige”

“Yeah, I agree too, some of the best backpacking pictures I've ever seen. I don't think, I could do 9 mile days in that type of terrain though, not without some real hard training first.”

“My first Clear Creek trip was in January 1975 before the days of permits and again in Xmas '02.

Maybe next Xmas break.......anybody interested?”

“Wow, can't believe you guys were about 40 miles away and I didn't get to meet you! And you had to drive within 2 miles of me to get to Vegas! A shame!

Very nice pictures! Yes I looked at all 400! Great trip. Surprising that the C was still that muddy! And I love the black jacket. Who makes it? I'd love to get one.”

“Great pictures!!

How warm did it get?”

“Thanks NCThiker, seems when you've done the terrain the next time around it's easier, that was certainly the case this time for me although the rest of my group had never been to that area, two never had been to the GC and they did great. I knew they could handle it though before I asked them to go. They are all strong hikers even when they are not in shape, so much of it is mental IMO.

Marko, yeah, definatley a repeater. Got into the upper 70's during the day. the days and nights were a full 20 degrees colder than last year same month.

Tango, we'll look you up next time, we go at least twice a year can't stay away from that place. The jacket is from Patagonia, new style, cut for a woman, but really expensive. It was an xmas gift. They actually call it a down sweater. Great for chilly nights/days but not great for winter snow trips. I'll use it alot in the Sierra summer season at upper elevations.”

“Except for the short days I really liked doing that trip in the winter.
The daytime temperatures down in the hole were great for hiking with our coldest night being a mere 24 degrees.

I have 11 or 12 days off at Xmas break every year and would love to do it again.”

“Marko, sweet, I tried a winter GC trip in 06' a blizzard blew in and I got the flu. Spent two nights at the Maswik shivering with a fever, never even stepped off the rim. Guess that's kept me away since.

Cheyava flowing that time of year? I heard it only flows for a couple weeks out of the year and we just happened to hit it just right this year. How clear is clear creek that time of year?”

“Wow, that looks like an awesome trip! Thanks for sharing. I would love to do a trip like that!”

“Clear Creek was clear both times I saw it.

In January '75 we drank the creek water with no treatment.
We had fires there too using the abundant dead cottonwood. One evening a young woman who was camping there politely asked us to refrain from having fires. Did we listen?
I guess there were no regulations in those days.............and not a lot of backpackers either.
There was some peyote involved..........some kind of "religious" thing.
(yeah, that's the ticket)”

“Hey Adventurist!!

What are you doing between December 21 and January 2?”

“wish i could have seen cheyava up close and going full blast like that! i am glad this trip worked out paige. great photos as always!”

“Cheyava flowing that time of year?

What is Cheyava??

I don't recall ever seeing that.”

“WOW, those are some great pics. Looks like you had a great time. Another place to add to my "to do" list.”

“Thanks Guys, Marko, Cheyava is a waterfall about 5 miles up canyon from Clear Creek Canyon, chances are you didn't know it was there because it doesn't flow in winter. There are several waterfall pics in my albums of it, if you hit that 2 week window it's an awesome site!
I bet the GC hasn't changed too much since the 70's at least geology wise.”

“Fantastic pics! My first trip to GC was a year ago and I am seriously itching to go back. So many routes and views to choose from! I've got to make it happen next spring. Thanks for some great ideas for my next trip.”

“Paige, both times I stayed three nights at Clear Creek and we explored up and down creek on the two full days we had.

Owing to the short days and our lazy asses we never got all the way to The River on either trip.
The sun doesn't hit the camp site until maybe 10:00 AM that time of year and darkness would fall by about 6:00 PM.

On my last trip the boys and I got about three miles down creek and decided to turn around at about 3:00.
We climbed up to a high spot at a bend in the creek to sit in the sun and eat before heading back.
As luck would have it there was the remains of a dwelling about 1,000 years old, according to a ranger, right up where we were headed.
It was a stone wall several courses high and about ten feet square. It made a perfect place to sit in the sun and eat and commune with the ancient spirits.

The trip too and from Clear Creek is quite a little jaunt and beautiful too.”

“Tango I thought you were still in FL looking to go to TX, never knew you moved to AZ.

Paige, Chinmusic let me borrow this chest strap (more like belly strap) for a day that the lens of your SLR fits through. You still hang it off your neck but the strap holds the camera to your chest so it doesn't bounce around and it takes some of the weight off your neck. If you're skinny enough (not me) you can even lift it to your face in the strap and take a shot, but it's really quick and makes it accessible. I'd like to find one that connects to the backpacking harness rather than my neck.”

“I moved here (Selligman) 2 years ago in June. I bought a KOA campground. I don't know how much longer I'll be here, though, I am putting the campground up for sale and moving on!

This thread started it all:

http://www.thebackpacker.com/trailtalk/thread/32993,-1.php”

“i missed that thread, tango, so thanks for posting this. i have no clue how i missed the thread. your campground is very impressive!”

“I appreciate that Yogisan, thank you.”

“Marko, if I ever head back I'll have to get a better description of that spot, sounds like it's worth seaking out. There are quite a few ruins upstream too.
Dub, thanks for the strap recommendation. My camera ia quite heavy though with that lens, I can't imagine it hanging anywhere even dispersed. I used to be able to hang it off my sternum starp with a neoprene case, but that was with the kit lens which is much, much lighter. There really is no comfortable place to "hang" it now besides in my hands.”

“I carry mine a bit too in my hands, but one day I'm afraid I'm gonna drop it when I slip. Chinmusic had a 1D with the 17-40L and I tried it with my 30D and 10-22mm and my 24-70mm. It held both lenses well...not so true for the 70-200mm f/2.8L...too big.”

“Paige, the place is no more than about three miles down creek and we had no idea it was there until we got up to it.

From the ruin we were looking into the setting sun and on the inside of a bend in the creek.

Across from it is a steep high canyon wall that rose right out of the creek. The ground we were on was like a hill top, a good place to get the winter sun.”

“Nice pic's , sounds like you had a nice trip
I regret having to bail on this years JS Canyon trip but my feet have gotten better and I'm ready to go out again.
did you bring your normal 6 pack”

“Dub, mine's a 24-105L IS, it's pretty big. I'll see if I can seek out what you're describing and try it out. One good thing about carrying it is that I get upper body workouts too! :) I usually carry it in a neoprene case that would protect it a bit if I fell. I've had a Canon 300D take a tumble in the GC before, several rotations and 30 or so feet below me and it was unharmed. Pretty well made cameras.

Marko, thanks for the description. The place is definatley a repeater especially since there are so many hidden treasures to be found.

Oldog glad you're healing, are you ready for this summer's trip? Yeah I had a beer and a Margarita every night, it was pure heaven.”

“yea, I'm ready . I have a 3-d map of Kings Canyon and I was looking at our first day of hiking looks like a NICE climb up to and over the pass then down into the canyon.
I have to see if Song needs help carrying her Crown”

“I want to go back to Clear Creek.........maybe Xmas '08??”

“Great photos. I especially liked the rattlesnake photos, and the one titled "Bathing time". That one should be on the swimsuit edition of Sports Illustrated. Great you got to see Cheyava Falls when it was running. Absolutely spectacular.”

“Oldog, yeah that's a hike up for sure, I've gone down it twice and remember thinking I'd never want to go up it, DOH! absolutely gorgeous area though. Can't wait! Bring some extra money to spend at VVR, can your say PARTAY!!

MarkO, wish I could join ya.

Prosecuter, I had plenty of stories about you guys to keep us entertained, are you still leaning to the left? Glad you enjoyed the photos, would have walked around in my bathing suit on our trip if I was't out numbered by married men ;)”