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Day 1 Grand Canyon Tanner/Beamer Trail

View of the Eastern Grand Canyon from the Redwall Overlook, Tanner Trail.

Lipan Point to Palisades Creek.

Distance 19.1 km, 1417 m elevation loss, 7 hrs 35 min.

We woke up in the morning and, as forecast, a thick heavy blanket of snow covered the ground. We got up and went to the cafeteria and fuelled up with breakfast and a couple of coffees to prepare for the adventure that lay ahead.

Snow on the rental car.

We arrived at Lipan Point at 9:35am; there was snow everywhere. I was just mildly concerned about the weather, since when looking into the canyon, a thick layer of clouds prevented me from seeing the river at the bottom. We took the obligatory start-of-hike photo, smiles all around, and headed onto the trail, it was 9:40am. Siobhan was wearing a light puffy jacket, I had on a fleece jacket and my rain jacket (to block the wind) and we both had buffs wrapped around our heads.

Snow on the rim, clouds nestled in the canyon, a bit of an ominous start.
Siobhan hiding behind the information boards at the trailhead.
The sign behind says it all, Tanner Trail, smiles all around.

The trail heads into the trees, curls around to the left, then starts descending with a purpose. I was certainly glad to have both a hiking pole and the traction aids on my boots.

There is plenty of snow up high, but it quickly disappears as you descend.
The snow-covered trail.
Siobhan all bundled up.

After only 15 minutes of hiking, we had begun to take off layers, I was down to just a polypro t-shirt and long-sleeved shirt. The trail switches back and forth and drops through the Kaibab Limestone cliffs, the common first rock formation on the South Rim. Within 20 minutes of the start of the hike, we were out of the snow and had removed our traction aids.

First layers are off.
Snow is thinning out, into the sandstone layers of the Coconino.
Siobhan working the descent, still had to watch our footing.

The initial descent was very steep, this is for two reason. First is that the typical rock layers at the top of the South Rim are the Kaibab Limestone, Toroweap Formation and the Coconino Sandstone, typically form cliff, slope, cliff arrangement, but in the Eastern Grand Canyon, the layers form cliff, cliff, cliff. This means that there is no gentle slope between the Kaibab and the Coconino. The Toroweap Formation was laid down in a fluctuating shallow sea that covered most of the Grand Canyon, with a shoreline in the Eastern Grand Canyon. This leads to a predominantly sandstone layer being placed in the area of the Tanner Trail and sandstone, being resistant to erosion, forms cliffs instead of the familiar slope.

The second reason the descent is steep is that there is no mule traffic on the Tanner Trail, so the National Park Service has no reason to level out the grade.


Snow has disappeared almost completely.
The massive crossbeds of the Coconino Sandstone, the Coconino was once a massive inland dune field.
Working through some sandstone rubble, there are some “steps” in the rocks to make it a little safer to travel.

It took only 2.5 km to drop through the three rock layers, losing almost 550 m of elevation! We left the initial canyon, and a view opened up to the west down Sixty Mile Creek. We had been hiking for about an hour, not a fast pace, but it was very treacherous in the snow.

The trail has flattened out, the red colour indicates we are now walking on the Hermit Formation.

The red blocks are the uppermost member of the Supai Group known as the Esplanade Sandstone.
Siobhan against the blocks of Esplanade Sandstone, looking back up the Tanner Canyon.
Looking west down Sixty Mile Canyon.

The next 4.25 km were along the Supai Traverse. This is a relatively flat traverse of the Supai Formation that took us to a spectacular lookout over the inner canyon.  This gave our legs a nice break from the pounding of the initial descent. We passed some very cool-looking rocks, tan coloured with red swirls in them, and trees growing right out of a rock.

Path leveled out–very easy to follow.
There is animal life in the canyon.
Following the path around Cardenaas and Escalante Buttes, bit of moisture in the air.
A red heart in the rocks.
This tree is not a quitter.

The clouds hung in over Lipan Point, but the canyon below us was becoming clear.

Cloud hanging over the top of Tanner Canyon, obscuring Lipan Pt.
Cloud rises in the canyon.

We finished the traverse at an overlook called the Redwall Overlook. We could see the Tanner Grabben and Tanner Rapids where we planned to have lunch and off to the east, the cliffs marking Palisades Creek. It all seemed very far away. This is popular place for camping, I could see that it would provide stunning vistas at sunrise or sunset of the rocks of the inner canyon. We stopped for pictures and a snack. We had travelled 6.75 km, about a third of our trip for the day, in 2 hours 30 minutes.

Clouds are finally moving off, view of the inner canyon opens up.
The Watchtower still shrouded in clouds.
Happy hikers.
Our first goal is Tanner Rapids, at centre, then head east until the cliffs appear at the river, that will be Palisades Creek.
Cliffs of the Palisades, and small figure at right.

We now descended the Redwall Limestone, which was not red! Limestone is typically grey, but in most of the Grand Canyon, red iron-bearing rocks above the Redwall Limestone eroded and deposited red mud onto the grey limestone, colouring it red. But on the Tanner Trail, virtually all the rock above the Redwall Limestone has been eroded away, allowing the limestone to display its natural colour, grey. The trail was very steep and narrow, glad we had poles to provide extra stability.

Have to head down there, can just make out the trail in the green of the Bright Angel Shale.
Coming down the not-so-Redwall Limestone.
The cliffs of the Redwall Limestone in the distance, definite drop to the left (east).

The trail leveled out momentarily, then we descended another limestone cliff.

Trail takes a quick left to find a break in another limestone cliff, the Mauv Limestone.
Head down the slope on the right to cut around to the bottom of the Mauv Limestone cliffs.
Nice view of the fluted face of the Mauv Limestone.

Once below this cliff, the trail hung a hard left and started to head back towards the river.

Trail stays on the slope below the cliffs of the Mauv Limestone, and continues over the rise, centre right.

The rock was a bright green, indicating we were hiking on the Bright Angel Shale formation. This is the rock layer that forms the bulk of the Tonto Trail to the west, which I had hiked on an earlier trip in 2016. After the hard rocky descent through the cliffs, walking on the softer shale was unpleasant change.

The trail cuts through the distinctive green of the Bright Angel Shale.

We weaved back and forth over the ridge. Looking straight ahead, we could see a change in the rocks on the north side of the river. The rocks had a distinctive downward tilt to the east.

The rocks in the centre rise to the left and meet the rocks above at an angle, indicating the lower rocks have been tilted about 20 degrees relative to the rocks above. The tilted rocks belong to the Grand Canyon Supergroup.
The blue line divides the younger Paleozoic rocks above from the Grand Canyon Supergroup below. This is what John Wesley Powell named the Great Unconformity. Note how high above the river the Tapeats Sandstone is–we would be camping at river level right beside the Tapeats on a fault line, the Palisades Fault, indicating a few thousand foot drop to the east along the fault.

This indicates the transition from the Paleozoic rocks of the upper canyon (age 515 million years to 275 million years) to the Grand Canyon Supergroup, Proterozoic rocks (aged 1,250 million years to 800 million years). The difference in ages represents a gap of 285 million years in the rock record of the Grand Canyon. The rocks of the Supergroup only exist in the Eastern Grand Canyon. The reason why the river valley is so wide where we were travelling is that the rocks of the Supergroup are much softer than the Paleozoic rocks we had been hiking through and have eroded to produce the wide valley.

A view down the valley. Lunchtime is getting closer.

An hour and 20 minutes after leaving the overlook, we stopped to remove another layer: I was now in a t-shirt and the temperature had become very nice for hiking.

Blue sky and warmer temperatures.

It felt like we were close, but it still took another hour to make it to Tanner Rapids. The trail had a nice grade as we moved closer to our destination. For the last section, the trail dropped into the dry Tanner Wash, the outlet of Tanner Canyon. We made our way to the Colorado River; it had taken us 5 hrs and 15 minutes to hike the 14.4km from rim to river.

The trail is soft and easy to follow, getting closer to the Tanner Grabben.
Frontal view of the Tanner Grabben, and lunchtime.
Coming down the Tanner Wash.
The Tanner Grabben and rapids.

We took a 45-minute break to eat lunch and for Siobhan to sneak in a nap, she is good at those.

Biological crusts: they are alive, do not step on them. For more info follow link.

The trail heading west to the Escalante Route. We were once on the those dark cliffs below the cloud.
The trail heading east from Tanner Wash.

Just as we started on our way, we felt some rain drops, and some menacing clouds appeared overhead. We hid in a little protective alcove created by some trees near the river. The storm quickly blew over. We had a nearly flat 4.7 km to hike to our campsite.

The first little cliff we have to cross, before the trail descends back to the river.

The hike to Palisades Creek after an initial bit of scrambling over some soft cliffs created by Dox Sandstone was very straightforward. The trail stayed close to the river and was very easy to follow. A few small cairns helped mark the way. The clouds had completely disappeared and the sun had come out with blue skies. It took us just 1 hr and 45 minutes to arrive at Palisades Creek. We had left Lipan Point at 9:40 am, and it was now 5:15 pm, for a total travel time of 7 hrs and 35 minutes.

An hour after I took the photo of the Escalante Trail, how the sky can change.
A small cliff of Dox Sandstone comes to the river, but there is a path right beside the river, no need to hike up and over.
Siobhan making good progress down a sandy trail.
Tilted layers of the Comanche Point Member.

We set up camp and got dinner ready, a delicious meal of rehydrated Mountain House. I collected some water from the river in the bucket, time to see if my plan for getting clean water was going to work. I propped up the bucket and let it sit over night to allow the silt to settle to the bottom.

Home for the evening. Our mascot Frosty Paws has made it. The orange bucket on the left is our water for tomorrow. Temple Butte top right.
Not a bad view! Notice how low the flutes of the Mauv Limestone are. The Palisades Creek formed in the fault that dropped on the east side a couple thousand feet.
The camp kitchen.

I explored up Palisades Creek, wandering up the canyon. I spotted a group of river rafters camped above the rapids on the north side of the river, so we were not quite alone.

Rafters camped on the north side above the Lava Canyon Rapids. Lave Canyon is the canyon on the north side of the river. The cliffs on our side of the river are Tapeats Sandstone!

To the west, the clouds were unsettled, but we had a nice sky. A crescent moon came up as the sky grew dark–it was time for bed. Siobhan was very tired and sore from the day and I was having doubts about our ability to succeed with our ambitious plan of getting to the Little Colorado the next day. We were in a beautiful and amazing place, so I felt that we had already made our destination. Time for bed.

Looking across the rapids to Lava Canyon and to the right Chuar Lava Hill.
The weather is unsettled to the west.
The concrete looking rock in the middle is an old stream bed that eroded the layered rock, visible to the left, that was then filled in by sediment and small rocks prior to the next layers being placed on top.
Exploring up Palisades Canyon. Love looking at the rock layers, in this case the middle gets pinched out to the left.
Rocks never cease to impress me.
Crescent moon rises above the Cliffs of the Palisades, it is bedtime, it is about 8:00pm

Day 2 Grand Canyon Tanner/Beamer Trail

Grand Canyon Tanner/Beamer Trail Home

bootwreckers

View looking West over the Tonto Platform from the View looking West over the Tonto Platform from the South Kaibab Trail.

This April will be our 10 year anniversary of our first trip to the Grand Canyon.

It is truly one of my happy places, have visited five times and camped below the rim three times.

Looking to get back sometime soon, but good things are worth the wait.

#nps, #nationalparks, #slotcanyon, #hiking, #hikingadventures, #familytime, #camping, #campingadventures, #outdoors, #outside, #nature,  #FIndyourpark #landscape #landscapephotography #optoutside #nationalpark #desertphotography #grandcanyon #grandcanyonnationalpark #grandcanyonassociation #100yearsofgrand #100yearsofbeauty #100yearsofgrandcanyon
Sunday morning sunrise! There are perks for getti Sunday morning sunrise!

There are perks for getting up early on a Sunday to go grocery shopping, and the mountain sunrises are one of them.

Shot off my phone from the parking in downtown Canmore.

#sunrise #sunrisephotography #sunrise_sunset_photogroup #earth #outside #outdoors #naturephotography #nature #naturelovers #sky #skyphotography #sky_brilliance
No doubt 2020 was a prickly year, and 2021 has sta No doubt 2020 was a prickly year, and 2021 has started out a little rough.

Just like hiking, if we keep going we will see beauty in amongst the prickles, but we need to stay on the trail.

Here's to good times ahead.

From our hike last year Emily hiking among the cactii towards the feature we affectionately named the Thumb, Passage 16 on the Arizona Trail

#teamzpacks #zpacks #zpacksduplex #aztassociation #aztrail #aztrails #hike #loveazt #desertphotography #desert #hikingadventures #hikes #backpacking #camping #getoutside #familytime #traillife #aztassociation , #hiking, #hikingadventures, #familytime, #camping, #campingadventures, #outdoors, #outside, #nature,  #FIndyourpark #landscape #landscapephotography #optoutside  #rightnow #goparks #aztrails #aztrail #loveazt  #azt #arizonatrailassociation
Looking at a fun trip last summer through Yoho NP Looking at a fun trip last summer through Yoho NP with @sio.mellors 

Lots of waterfalls to see in the park, Laughing Falls is a fun and loud falls right off the main trail located surprisingly, next to Laughing Falls CG.

We stopped by on our way to Twin Falls CG after spending the day hiking the Iceline Trail

Like this photo of Siobhan getting close to the falls for her own picture. 

#friends, #alberta, #parkscanada #backpacking, #yohonationalpark #yoho #friendsofyoho #nationalpark, #nationalparks, #mountains #naturephotography #travelcolumbiavalley #travelbcp #waterfall #waterfall #waterfallphotography #waterfallsofinstagram
Haiduk Lake, Banff NP. Haiduk Lake is just beyond Haiduk Lake, Banff NP.

Haiduk Lake is just beyond Whistling Pass as you hike from Egypt Lake to Balls Pass Junction.

Very pretty Lake. We were lucky enough to pass by early in the morning as we hiked from Egypt Lake to Floe Lake during our #gdt hike this summer.

#friends, #alberta, #parkscanada #rockwall #backpacking #nationalpark, #nationalparks, #mountains #naturephotography #alpine #lifeelevated #getoutside #lifeonthetrail #britishcolumbia #gdt #greatdividetrail
#kananaskis #kananaskiscountry
Chasing th Aurora on Friday night at Lake Minnewan Chasing th Aurora on Friday night at Lake Minnewanka in Banff NP.

Sadly it did not come right out to play,  but was obviously a lot of light coming from th North East.

Always fun to be outside in a dark place to see th glory of the night sky.

#outside, #hiking #camping, #backpacking,
#adventure, #adventureoutside, #nature, #landscapephotography, #nobaddays, #adventureholiday, #hikingadventures, #astrophotography, #milkyway #kootenaylife #kootenaynationalpark #nationalpark #nationalparks
#parkscanada #northernlights #aurora #auroras #auroramax
Hiking the GDT Day 1. I was almost completely sa Hiking the GDT Day 1. 

I was almost completely satisfied with or trip on the Great Divide Trail when on Day 1 we finished the uphill to Turbine Canyon and popped out of the woods and saw this amazing alpine vista.

I remember remarking to Emily "this is why I hike"

#friends, #alberta, #parkscanada #rockwall #backpacking #nationalpark, #nationalparks, #mountains #naturephotography #alpine #lifeelevated #getoutside #lifeonthetrail #britishcolumbia #gdt #greatdividetrail
#kananaskis #kananaskiscountry
Morning from Floe Lake with Floe Peak selection of Morning from Floe Lake with Floe Peak selection off the mirror smooth waters.

Another amazing morning hiking the GDT.

Never get tired of Floe Lake, was my third visit and just a year after my previous visit.

#friends, #alberta, #parkscanada #rockwall #backpacking, #kootenaynationalpark #nationalpark, #nationalparks, #mountains #naturephotography #travelcolumbiavalley #travelbcp #flowers #getoutside #lifeonthetrail #britishcolumbia #gdt #greatdividetrail #goldenhour #goldenhourphotography #mirrorphotography #lake
Golden hour! Morning sun shining off of Tumbling Golden hour!

Morning sun shining off of Tumbling Glacier and the Rockwall. 

Waking up at Tumbling Creek Campground during my Great Divide Hike this summer. 

#friends, #alberta, #parkscanada #rockwall #backpacking, #kootenaynationalpark #nationalpark, #nationalparks, #mountains #naturephotography #travelcolumbiavalley #travelbcp #flowers #getoutside #lifeonthetrail #britishcolumbia #gdt #greatdividetrail #goldenhour #goldenhourphotography
Flower Field, Tumbling Pass, Kootenay NP. From la Flower Field, Tumbling Pass, Kootenay NP.

From last summer's Great Divide Trail hike. At th top of Tumbling Pass on the Rockwall, treated to a visual feast of colour.

Awesome day, epic hike.

#friends, #alberta, #parkscanada #rockwall #backpacking, #kootenaynationalpark #nationalpark, #nationalparks, #mountains #naturephotography #travelcolumbiavalley #travelbcp #flowers #getoutside #lifeonthetrail #britishcolumbia #gdt #greatdividetrail
As we head into winter, a shot from last spring at As we head into winter, a shot from last spring at the end of winter. The snow was just clearing from the trails, and flowers poking through to greet the warmth.

Heading out over Rockwall Pass, Kootenay NP, with @kbsymington  and @neil.real.deal .

Had some snowfields to cross, good day out on th trail

#friends, #alberta, #parkscanada #rockwall #backpacking, #kootenaynationalpark #nationalpark, #nationalparks, #mountains #naturephotography #travelcolumbiavalley #travelbcp #flowers #getoutside #lifeonthetrail #britishcolumbia
Fun photo from Twin Falls Campground in Yoho Natio Fun photo from Twin Falls Campground in Yoho National Park.

As night fell I was able to take some long exposure shots of Twin Falls Creek as it tumbles through the campground.

Fun 3 day trip with @sio.mellors.

#friends, #alberta, #parkscanada #backpacking, #yohonationalpark #yoho #friendsofyoho #nationalpark, #nationalparks, #mountains #naturephotography #travelcolumbiavalley #travelbcp #waterfall #rainbow #spectrum #hikingadventures #longexposure #longexposurephotography #river
Top of Guinns Pass, Kananaskis Country 2016 Guinn Top of Guinns Pass, Kananaskis Country 2016

Guinns Pass connects the valley with Ribbon Lake and Ribbon Creek and the valley with Lillian Lake and Galetea Creek. Stunning views in all directions from the top of the pass.

There is also a scramble up the connecting ridge to the east up to Guinns Peak and onto Mt Kidd South.

Great two days hiking with @emilysjumpinginpuddles

#hikingwithdogs, #hiking, #hikingdogsofinstagram, #outside, #kananaskiscountry, #kananaskis, #spcacanmore, #spcarescue, #snowyowlsleddogtours, #snowyowldogsledtours, #retiredsleddog, #retiredhusky, #backpacking, #tongueouttuesday, #canmore, #canmorealberta, #adventure,
Larch season is coming to an end in the Rockies, b Larch season is coming to an end in the Rockies, but last weekend we were treated to quite a display near Taylor Lake in Banff NP

#outside, #outsidethebox, #liveoutdoors, #liveoutsidethebox #naturephotography, #naturelovers,  #retiredhusky, #rescuer
#parkscanada #banffnationalpark #banffalberta #banffcanada #larches #fall #autumn
Amazing sunset over Floe Lake. An early evening s Amazing sunset over Floe Lake.

An early evening storm and the setting sun shining up and reflecting off the clouds. Completely surreal. 

August 17th

Kootenay NP

Part of a 10 day hike along the Great Divide Trail, from Upper Kananaskis Lake to Field, BC

#outside, #outsidethebox, #liveoutdoors, #liveoutsidethebox #naturephotography, #naturelovers,  #retiredhusky, #rescuer
#parkscanada #banffnationalpark #banffalberta #banffcanada
#sunstar #sun #lake #sunrise #alpin #scenery #reflectionphotography #reflections #sceneryphotography
Well, my epic 15 day hike became a totally epic 10 Well, my epic 15 day hike became a totally epic 10 day adventure.

Lots of photos, but I will start with a picture of the adult wolf I saw just outside of Egypt Lake Campground.

I was luck to see probably the entire pack, 6 wolves, they were coming out of the woods and crossing the trail to Egypt Lake, and I just happened to be there with my camera.

#friends, #alberta, #parkscanada #rockwall #backpacking, #banffnationalpark #banffalberta 
 #egyptlake #wolf #wolves #nationalpark, #nationalparks, #mountains #naturephotography #wildwolf #wildwolves #gdt #greatdividetrail
Bathtub full of gear and Frosty Paws. Must mean ad Bathtub full of gear and Frosty Paws. Must mean adventure is near.

Leaving Tuesday for 15 days on the Great Divide Trail with daughter Emily. 

Hiking from Kananaskis Lakes to Saskatchewan River Crossing. 

1st stage is 7 days to Floe Lake, looking like th backpack will be around 45lbs, with tent, food and camera.

Should be a grand adventure.

#outside #liveoutsidethebox #naturephotography, #naturelovers,  #retiredhusky, 
#parkscanada #glaciernationalpark #bctourism #earthexperience
#sunrise #alpine #scenery #reflectionphotography #reflections #sceneryphotography #alpinelake #amazingearth #morningmotivation #travelcanada #explorerockies
#travelcanada #mountainstories #explorecanada #theearthoutdoors #paradisecanada #gdt #greatdividetrail
Amazing backpacking trip through Yoho NP with Volc Amazing backpacking trip through Yoho NP with Volcano (@senioradventurepups)

Volcano is turning 13 the first week of August but still crushed the 12km from Laughing Falls CG to view Twin Falls and back to the car via the connector.

Volcano not a big fan of water falls, or me sticking the camera in her face, her expression says it all. But Twin Falls is beautiful and I caught a small rainbow at the bottom.

Had a blast with her, she is always keen to go, jst not as far as before.

#friends, #alberta, #parkscanada #backpacking, #yohonationalpark #yoho #friendsofyoho #nationalpark, #nationalparks, #mountains #naturephotography #travelcolumbiavalley #travelbcp #waterfall #rainbow #spectrum #hikingadventures #hikingwithdogs #backpackingwithdogs #retiredhusky #retiredsleddog #alaskanhusky
Milky Way over Brachiopod Mt, Baker Lake, Banff NP Milky Way over Brachiopod Mt, Baker Lake, Banff NP. Super happy to get the reflections on stars in the lake.

Amazing trip to Baker Lake. The resident porcupine chewed a small hole in the fly.

Got up at 2am to take photos of the stars. On the way back, the porcupine was guarding my tent, had to gently shoo it away.

#outside, #outsidethebox, #liveoutdoors, #liveoutsidethebox #naturephotography, #naturelovers,  #retiredhusky, #rescuer
#parkscanada #banffnationalpark #banffalberta #banffcanada
#sunstar #sun #lake #sunrise #alpin #scenery #reflectionphotography #reflections #sceneryphotography
The light favours the early risers. The low angle The light favours the early risers.

The low angle morning rays from the sun makes a rainbow on Helmet Falls, Kootenay NP

#friends, #alberta, #parkscanada #rockwall #backpacking, #kootenaynationalpark #nationalpark, #nationalparks, #mountains #naturephotography #travelcolumbiavalley #travelbcp #waterfall #rainbow #spectrum #helmetfalls
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