Cove Canyon: Grand Canyon Trip Report
Guest Rave by Cameron McMillan, Photos by Cameron and Everett
The anticipation of it all was next level on this trip. My first Grand trip was scheduled in January but life had a different plan for me. The same weekend as my trip, I ended up fighting for my life in emergency surgery instead. Surprise!
That was nearly a year ago and this trip represented coming full circle with it all and having my fitness back after losing so much.
With the Grand, you are going to pay the piper. Some feel all the hard work isn’t worth it but to me each step represented entering into something so wild and remote and each step represented a further step away during that scary time…..
and onto my trip report….
The drive in is on a 60 mile long dirt road. There has been no rain or snow so the road is just messy. We caravanned and each had to keep a big distance to stay out of the dust storms created by our tires on that very dry road.
(sidebar: can we all collectively do a rain dance tomorrow at 10am MST…maybe we can get this winter going…whose with me?!?)
The first piper to be paid was a brutally cold 13 degree night at camp on the rim. Burr. Waking up in the dark and super cold to get a first light start…man that takes bravery right there. Oy. Least fun morning poop of my life in that cold. Just sayin.
The hike in was wonderful. The views of the area and the Grand Canyon with each step. The Esplanade is a special place. I enjoyed it very much even though our packs were heavy and BULKY.
(sidebar 2: These packs are next level and you must go to the minimum in comfort. Not only do you need canyoneering gear but your backpacking gear AND rafting gear…lifejacket, paddles and a raft plus your cold water gear. Extra supplies in case you have unexpected nights.)
Dropping in the canyon was spectacular. What was to be in front of us? I didn’t know. I just knew we had the right amount of rope and we were up for the challenge. What’s incredible about canyoneering in the Grand is being able to drop into all the layers that make the Grand. You get to know each layer…its drops, its downclimbs, its boulders and you are challenged with each later.
Adventure Ahead
As we kept dropping, each layer was as stunning as the last. Our first night at camp was at a confluence between the Redwall and Muav. We cooked our meals, looked at the stars and were treated to an all night serenade by an owl in canyon. For real? This my life I kept thinking, we all did.
(sidebar 3: Cassy brought in fresh veggies and crazy stuff to make the most incredible Thai Noodles with peanut sauce. It was incredibly epic and delish!)
The next day we finished the canyon with one rappel after another. An important note\ about the Grand…rappelling with a heavy pack is one thing but most of these rappels have awkward starts and go free hanging. Belay please!
Cassy getting the multi stage ready into that Redwall!
We made great time both days and walked to the mouth of Cove where it meets the Colorado River well before noon. I knew my next big challenge was ahead…the packraft. Oy.
I walked to the river and realized the river was a lot more well active than I imagined in my head. Eddys everywhere, ripples, waves and moving fast. Welp, I gulped and said here goes nothing. After getting everything in a dry sack, our rafts blown up…it was go time. We said our goodbyes to Wayne and Melissa who climbed out the Red Slide instead of our route. It was time to launch….
On the river
I watched Cassy paddle through an eddy and taken into the current in this tiny tiny canyoneering pool toy. I followed behind her and as soon as the current snapped me forward…..I saw several 3 foot waves right in front of me…and I thought “oh sh*t” and realized here goes nothing. Luckily, I made it safely past those first set of ripples and sighed knowing okay…yeah I can do this….I got this.
Paddling a packraft is different than any paddling I have done in whitewater before. Keeping your boat forward is basically your only job and it requires a lot of paddling and being very active…all the while you have water coming into your boat. Its doable but be ready to paddle your butt off in the ripples!
The end of the paddle was flat water, we linked legs and sat back and just let the current take us to camp all together. These are the moments your soul sets on fire. Being with incredible human beings, doing something so incredible in the most incredible place on earth. Is this real life?
We got to camp right where the notoriously hard climb out would be the next morning. I decided not to focus on that but just enjoy camp. The roaring sounds of Lava Falls rapids (the hardest rapid in the Grand) put us to sleep, was our noisemaker all night and woke us up in the morning.
What a night. We crawled into our bags early and got cozy while gazing at the stars. Simplicity. Bliss.
my only pic of the hike out…too busy working my tush off up dat scree
We all woke early and got packed to hit that scramble out, my last and final challenge. I think its 1.5 miles and 2,500 feet of lava rock and cactus to climb out. We put our noses down and got out in incredible time…we emerged from the FINAL hill out to my beautiful truck waiting right there with beers and string cheese.
Grand Canyon, thank you for your safe passage and letting us marvel in your majestic wild and expansive views and experience what an adventure it is to explore your layers, your canyons, your river…….
…until we meet again my new friend….
