Explorer 1
Explorer 1
Day 6, Part 2 - The journey home
Day 6, Part 2- Lee's Ferry, South Rim
From Fredonia with a full tank of fuel and 5 gallons in the spare can I was off to the North Rim. I had heard that they wouldn't open until sometime in May but with all the warm weather I figured I take a chance.
Sure enough they were still closed so I continued down the other side taking my time enjoying the sun hitting the red Vermillion cliffs.
As I closed in on the Colorado River I decided to take a little side trip to visit Lee's Ferry. having never been here before it was all a new adventure. The road ends after passing a nice campground and ranger station. The Boat ramp appears to be just around the corner from the Glen Canyon Dam.
The lake behind the dam serves as a silting station for the muddy Colorado river so the river below the dam flows clear, cold and fast.
It was here that I met the crew preparing to take a group out on the rafts the next day for 12 days to just past Toroweap rapids where their guests are helicoptered out and then the crews continue on for another 6 more days, I assume taking their rafts out some where in the beginning parts of Lake Mead.
There were a few interesting rock formation at Lee's Ferry that came about as a larger rock falls on soft soil and then served as an umbrella to further erosion.
From here I decided that since I had spent so much time on the North Side of the GC why not head over and spend this final night on the south side.
Arriving so late in the dark I found the campground full so I just choose a place off one of the dirt roads father south of the park for the night.
Got up early and was delighted to find out if was "free day" at the park so I didn't have to pay the $25.00 entrance fee for my few pictures I wanted to take at the South Rim.
Here is my proof that I was there:
After so much warm weather on the North Rim I was surprised how bitter cold it was that morning. I took a quick temp. reading and here is what I found.
No matter which way you look it the Grand Canyon really is well.....Grand!
One last view of the canyon, this one is from the south Rim looking toward where we spent the last 6 days....looks rather flat and plain.....oh how a distant look can be so deceiving.
Hit the highway after a quality breakfast at McDonalds. It was going to be a long haul home that day.
After crossing into California I became a bit board traveling along the interstate so I took the Mitchell Caverns exit and traveled along what I've named the Ludlow Dunes road.
Had the entire road to myself except for one lone JK pulling a AT trailer. A couple who live in Yosemite were traveling along the Mojave Desert. I stopped to explore a couple of mines that for years I knew where there but never took the time to check out. One was a hard rock mine which went directly into the mountain side, the other an open pit.
In the open pit a large body of water had collected in the bottom. See the guy next to the pond in the second picture?
One last set of pictures before I call it quits. There were a few flowers in bloom, fewer than I expected with all the rain this past winter:
As always, even with such an excellent adventure. it's good to be home again. :victory:
Time to power off and say goodbye to the trail until next time!
Thanks,
Fred
Explorer 1
Day 6, Part 2- Lee's Ferry, South Rim
From Fredonia with a full tank of fuel and 5 gallons in the spare can I was off to the North Rim. I had heard that they wouldn't open until sometime in May but with all the warm weather I figured I take a chance.
Sure enough they were still closed so I continued down the other side taking my time enjoying the sun hitting the red Vermillion cliffs.
As I closed in on the Colorado River I decided to take a little side trip to visit Lee's Ferry. having never been here before it was all a new adventure. The road ends after passing a nice campground and ranger station. The Boat ramp appears to be just around the corner from the Glen Canyon Dam.
The lake behind the dam serves as a silting station for the muddy Colorado river so the river below the dam flows clear, cold and fast.
It was here that I met the crew preparing to take a group out on the rafts the next day for 12 days to just past Toroweap rapids where their guests are helicoptered out and then the crews continue on for another 6 more days, I assume taking their rafts out some where in the beginning parts of Lake Mead.
There were a few interesting rock formation at Lee's Ferry that came about as a larger rock falls on soft soil and then served as an umbrella to further erosion.
From here I decided that since I had spent so much time on the North Side of the GC why not head over and spend this final night on the south side.
Arriving so late in the dark I found the campground full so I just choose a place off one of the dirt roads father south of the park for the night.
Got up early and was delighted to find out if was "free day" at the park so I didn't have to pay the $25.00 entrance fee for my few pictures I wanted to take at the South Rim.
Here is my proof that I was there:
After so much warm weather on the North Rim I was surprised how bitter cold it was that morning. I took a quick temp. reading and here is what I found.
No matter which way you look it the Grand Canyon really is well.....Grand!
One last view of the canyon, this one is from the south Rim looking toward where we spent the last 6 days....looks rather flat and plain.....oh how a distant look can be so deceiving.
Hit the highway after a quality breakfast at McDonalds. It was going to be a long haul home that day.
After crossing into California I became a bit board traveling along the interstate so I took the Mitchell Caverns exit and traveled along what I've named the Ludlow Dunes road.
Had the entire road to myself except for one lone JK pulling a AT trailer. A couple who live in Yosemite were traveling along the Mojave Desert. I stopped to explore a couple of mines that for years I knew where there but never took the time to check out. One was a hard rock mine which went directly into the mountain side, the other an open pit.
In the open pit a large body of water had collected in the bottom. See the guy next to the pond in the second picture?
One last set of pictures before I call it quits. There were a few flowers in bloom, fewer than I expected with all the rain this past winter:
As always, even with such an excellent adventure. it's good to be home again. :victory:
Time to power off and say goodbye to the trail until next time!
Thanks,
Fred
Explorer 1
