Grand Canyon solo

[alanthalan]

Great thread and video.

[Uncle_Skwid]

So the Grand Canyon has once again been soloed -- Doug Green style -- by an open canoe soul boater. With a January 2, 2017 launch, he took 18 days to get from Lee's Ferry to Pearce Ferry, swam once at Hance, rolled once in DORIS (a sort of little known but very typical Grand Canyon boogie water rapid with a curiously strong breaking lateral at the top), and had an absolutely thrilling, terrifying, mystical experience in America's big ditch. He paddled Esquif's Vertige X that was actually returned to him by law enforcement two weeks before his launch, after being stolen back in September. He bailed with a cut-off gallon water jug and bailed a lot. His longest scout was two hours standing in the rain contemplating Granite Rapid, to which he can only say: What a rapid. What a line. Lava Falls was a quick 15 minute scout and didn't hold much of a candle to Granite. He never did see all the flat water people talk about in the Grand Canyon. Even the last 40 miles from Separation to Pearce moved along at 5 MPH. He saw two groups of people. The hikers that bought him beer (they sell IPA at the Phantom Ranch Canteen) and shared their campsite at Phantom Ranch (don't make that mistake as it resulted in a $280 fine), and the rafters he met and with whom he shared Separation Canyon. In an odd duplication of Douglas Green's own experience, the rafters fed him (including some odd mint jelly cracker hor d'oeuvres), got him drunk, and seemed as excited about his trip as he was. Many kudos to Nick and the Oregon crew! And while the Grand Canyon solo in a canoe is by god not for everyone, if you enjoy being alone for weeks at a time, enjoy canoeing and living out of your canoe for weeks at a time, enjoy rather terrifyingly large waves and large water in general for weeks at a time, and then being stone spooked and thrilled all at the same time, then you might consider this the trip of a lifetime. Many kudos to Douglas Green for paving the way. Highly recommended for those to whom this might ring.

Peace.

[PAC]

All I can say is... AWESOME!

[Sir Adam]

likewise -- AWESOME and Congratulations!!!