May 2004
Guides
Passengers
Pre-trip
Day 1 - 5/13/04
Day 2 - 5/14/04
Day 3 - 5/15/04
Day 4 - 5/16/04
Day 5 - 5/17/04
Day 6 - 5/18/04
Day 7 - 5/19/04
Day 8 - 5/20/04
Day 9 - 5/21/04
Day 10 - 5/22/04
Day 11 - 5/23/04
Day 12 - 5/24/04
Day 13 - 5/25/04
Day 14 - 5/26/04
Day 15 - 5/27/04
Day 16 - 5/28/04
Trip dinner
Hints, tips, & links
Matkatamiba Canyon and Upset Rapid
Click on pictures to see larger images
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Morning light |
The skin on my legs was doing better so I got to ride in the front of the boat again (Robert and I rode with Pat). I could see what Pat meant about Matkat and crowding when we pulled in - it was very tight and people in later boats had to climb over the front boats to reach the mouth.
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Mouth of Matkat |
Jason takes the hard way |
We walked up the canyon and had fun stemming over pools and climbing over small waterfalls. Some members of our group walked around on the "easy trail" instead, but most of us climbed up the little slot canyon. It was really fun and the canyon was very pretty. Eventually the small slot opened out into a huge ampitheater with a nice shady overhang where we could all sit and relax.
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Coming up Matkat |
Sam leads the way |
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I chimney up a pour-off |
Matkat amphitheater |
Kelly led a hike further up Matkat. I was feeling lazy and just meandered up the canyon at my own pace with Robert, stopping to look at anything interesting that caught our eye, and just enjoying the scenery in the canyon. We were feeling romantic since our wedding anniversary was the next day, and I must confess Pat caught us kissing as we walked along. (He never let us forget it, either!) Matkat was really a really beautiful place and we had a great time there, so I was extra glad we'd gotten to see it.
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Canyon view |
Lone tree caught in the sun |
Steep cliffs |
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Flowers in Matkat |
Canyon walls |
Apparently while we were up the canyon, another river trip had come to the amphitheater and had the usual fun with making dams by sitting in the stream, but by the time we got back they were all gone. After chilling out in the amphitheater talking to other people for a while, Robert and I took the fun way down to the boats by going back down the little slot part of the canyon.
We had lunch back at the mouth of Matkat (tuna waldorf salad with apples and cookies - my favorite lunch!). After eating, we got ready to head out, which was a little awkward since other trips had pulled in behind us and people were climbing back and forth over our boats. But eventually we pushed out and went on down to scout Upset rapid.
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Pat rows us downriver |
Pulling over to scout Upset |
Jeanne was duckying that day and was determined to survive through a significant rapid (after coming out in 36 mile and then getting sick). Robert and I thought she was crazy to want to try duckying Upset rapid - those waves looked huge! We were in Pat's boat in the front and we got quite a wild ride. Like Crystal, we did this one in two groups, so I gave my camera to Jim (who was in a boat in the second group) and instructed him to get pictures of us. Once down, Pat pulled into an eddy and we got to watch everyone else (complete with commentary from Pat). Paul took one of the duckies down and we saw that he didn't go through the main rapid at all, but hugged the right-hand shore and went very very carefully. This made us really nervous for Jeanne! But fortunately Jim talked her out of it and so she decided to wait for a less scary rapid later on.
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Pat enters Upset Rapid |
Robert and I get drenched |
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Pat hits another wave |
Sam gets his passengers wet |
We kept on downriver between huge red walls, with me enjoying every minute of the scenery. Pat had intended to camp at a spot called "Ledges", but when we got there, a private trip was camped there. Pat was really annoyed because this was part of a private trip we'd seen earlier and they had "split" their trip (meaning some of their boats raced way ahead of the others in order to get a good campsite). Apparently this is a big breach of both etiquette and safety - Pat said that boats in a trip should stick together in case somebody flips in a rapid, so that everyone can rescue people and help right the boat. Pat actually had us stop and he got out and talked to the private trip for a while. I guess you can't escape interpersonal politics even on the river!
After we left the "Ledges" site, we kept going on and eventually pulled in at "Last Chance". (Called this because it's the last chance for a decent camp before Havasu. Pat explained that if someone had taken Last Chance, there was always "Last Last Chance", followed by "You've Got To Be F***ing Kidding Me", but those were pretty sketchy camps.) The camp was small but I thought it was nice. Robert and I camped near a travertine spring that was pretty cool.
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Our tent nestled in the brush |
View from camp |
Dinner was white chili and cornbread, followed by hersheys nuggets and popcorn for dessert. Pat wanted us to get an early start the next day (knowing that there were many trips behind us, probably all heading for Havasu) so we didn't stay up too late. There were some really loud little frogs cheeping and croaking away at the travertine spring, but we were both tired enough to sleep through them.
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