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GCHBA Gusher at BA:
Grand Canyon Trip Report - Volunteering at the bottom of The Canyon / Grand Canyon Hikers and Backpackers Ass. (GCHBA) / at Bright Angel Campground / Grand Canyon News article about volunteering in The Canyon (October 13 - 20, 2015) Text © copyright by Rob; and Photos © copyright by Rob, Kathy Hayes, India Hesse, and Cheryl Soshnik |
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Co-Adventurers: Wendy Lotze, Susan Nauman, India Hesse,
Kathy Hayes, Denise Hudson, Cheryl Soshnik, Mike Hayes, Jack Lawniczak, and me. Summary: Nine VIPs (Volunteers in Park) of the GCHBA (Grand Canyon Hikers and
Backpackers Association) backpacked into The Canyon (Grand Canyon National Park) for a week-long
volunteer service project at BA CG (Bright Angel Campground). We started off in hot weather,
which changed into intermittent gushers of rain. You can see a list of tasks we accomplished
in this report.
Note: the opinions in this report are not necessarily those of the GCHBA or its Board.
Planning and organization were done by Rob. Some of the in-camp organizing was done by
Sjors, permanent volunteer at BA. Packing was by Ed and the other NPS (National Park Service) Packers.
Support for GCHBA volunteer service projects was by the GCHBA Board
and Backcountry members - thanks
for your support.
Current GCHBA Board members include: Chris Forsyth - President,
Doug Nering, Hank Schnieder, Ned Bryant, Frank Feagans, Josh Case, Delta James Hayford, Madeleine Bryant, and Tom Martin.
GC Gusher - Photos by Cheryl, Kathy, India
GC Gusher - Prelim Photos
Preliminary: Months of planning and finding, replacing, finding more
volunteers culminates in finally heading early
Monday for the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. The Canyon. Nine banana boxes and buckets will be
delivered to the Pack & Fly. Five buckets and nine boxes bounce in the truck on the early drive to the South Rim.
Meeting Kathy, Mike, Wendy, and India at the BIC (Backcountry
Information Center), we repack boxes, label them, and transport all to the Pack and Fly for mule
transport to Bright Angel Camp tomorrow.
Then, to Mather CG and later to Mexican food before an early bed time.
Orion guards the early morning sky, apparently happy to not deal with an intrusive moon.
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Day 1. Into The Canyon: to BA (Bright Angel). 7.5 miles, down
and down. ERM = 17.
Cheryl and I take the 6 a.m. Kaibab Express shuttle bus from the BIC
and launch off into The Canyon just as the sun is rising. Cheryl shares her thick blend of coffee and
sludge while we gently jostle during the bus ride to the South Kaibab TH. Ahh, some low grade speed
to start the day. The bus is packed with those on a Canyon quest, some packers, some light hikers going
to Phantom Ranch or on a day hike; thankfully, few trail runners.
With the overstuffed pack propelling me down the frequent mule steps,
I'm quickly out of the multiple clothing layers and in shorts as the temperature soars and the sun glares
on the layers of rocks made by time.
Below the Tipoff, I meet Casey of the NPS, who is hiking to the bottom to present interpretive programs.
Yes, despite those adorable NPS mules toting in most of our food, my pack is still around or just over 40
pounds. How come? Well, I'm carrying work clothes, gloves, hiking stuff, heavier camping gear (selected for
durability, because we're working this week) a sun shower, and the Roma tomatoes, cheese, wraps and tortillas
and other fresh stuff I didn't want to have sitting in the banana box overnight - you know, things one only
totes when base camped for a week.
With some good discussion, the drop through the basement rocks goes more
easily and I'm in the group camp by 10:15 a.m., securing the camp with the enclosures in the event of expected
rain. Oh, the premonition of rain. I actually look fondly at the other group camp because it has much
better tent spots. Both camps are consecrated with an abundance of shade this time of year.
Cheryl, Wendy, India, and I, as the early ones in camp, sharpen the hoes
and attempt to line-out work projects and move the banana boxes and storage buckets to camp. Later, I
am lazily jostled, submerged in the crisp Bright Angel Creek waters as the dust of the day peels away.
The stars pop out above our thin slice of desert sky as the air cools
drastically. Billions and billions of stars crowd the sky as the Milky Way forms a light strip across
the canyon of the North Kaibab.
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Day 2. Hoe Hoe Ho: Irrigation work. 3 miles.
Susan and Jack are brushing linseed oil on the Ranger Station pergola
while the rest of us 9 volunteers hoe and pull grass and such from the ditches that water the trees in
BA Camp. Battling with the gription roots of Bermuda grass, it's a struggle at times.
We're only mildly successful in avoiding the searing ol sol. At times
it feels like I am being baked like an Idaho potato on its way to dinner at Jacks Chicken and Ribs.
A solar shower near the lower rest house is well received while most
VIPs rinse off in BA Creek. Camp is in the shade and conducive to mango tango and wine while, during,
and after dinner.
The lulling burble of BA Creek provides music by which to sleep.
Day 3: Ditch Witch:
The twin yellow glowing orbs stare, then blink in the darkness of early
morning. What? Walking closer, I see a ringed fluffy tail that appears longer than the thin, Fisher-like body.
Ring-tail Cat.
It's another day of ditch witch work, with Sjors pushing hard to accomplish
this, his central obsession, before the predicted storm arrives and the work becomes more difficult.
To complicate our tour, information comes filtering down that in addition to
the storm or storms, the water may be shut off to connect the new segment of pipeline, which will prevent
the NPS mules from coming in on next Tuesday. So, it's unclear, but some of our stuff may go out in a sling
load today, tomorrow, sometime.
We finish the ditch witch work in the hot sun, then speedily test the irrigation
system. "Go with the flow," we chant, as we ditch riders strive to rake out debris at the head of the flow of
water before the junk clogs a culvert and drowns a camp.
It's a disjointed end to a productive day, trying to determine what to ship out
so early in the tour, rushing through clean-up, and the complications of my day to cook for four, breakfast
burritos. Yummy. (New potatoes, onions, cheese, tomatoes, salsa, wrapped in a tortilla.) Yes, I've brought
some olive oil and my folding handle fry pan.
The Canyon darkness collapses as we finish dinner and Canyon Time endures.
We've finished the irrigation system work and the oiling of the pergola. Wendy and India start trimming
trees while Mike works on digging holes for new trees.
Although we work into the early evening, soon, it's Mango Tango time in The
Canyon. We study the Milky Way as life's issues are solved.
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Day 4. Roll the rain barrow:
The mammatus clouds swing low, pendulous and dark. What a terrific name,
mammatus clouds, full and ripe. A curtain of rain arrives as we huddle in the welcome enclosures that once
served as mule shelters. Delightful. We've worked through breaks and postponed lunch because we could tell
the storm would interrupt our day.
The day begins with searching for tasks - not lined out and supplied like
the Elyssa tasks of Indian Garden (see the report from March of 2015; VIPs at IG). Some of our volunteer
crew continue digging in the Idaho top soil, 90% rock and 10% dirt, to plant trees. Cheryl fluffs campsites,
unearthing coins for lemonade and lots of garbage and trinkets, and Jack and I talk with Jerome about things
to do. Mike, Jack, and I end up repairing wheel barrows and building trash containers, which keeps three of
us busy as the clouds mass and engulf the sky.
I'm able to fit in a tepid shower as the drizzle begins. Then, we lift a table
into the shelter and ensconce ourselves in there and out of the rain.
The rain puddles start to encroach on India's tent, then others as the rain rains on into the night. Is this a
mini-prelude of global warming, where rising sea levels force more and more people out of their homes?
As Wendy sings a series of Scottish ballads, the drizzle drones on, forming
Lake Hesse, and prompting India to relocate her tent to the shelter, one of three.
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Day 5. Wet Wheeler:
Thunder booms and Lake Hesse rises and spills over around some of the
tents. Ick. At least the rain has waited until we are heading back to camp for a late lunch. Most
people are having difficulty finding enough work to do. Mike, Jack, and I continue to rehabilitate and
restore wheel barrows and build trash containers for Jerome. Watching the sky, we work through standard
lunch time and this works well because we accomplish the main tasks of the day before the rain becomes sincere.
Bright Angel Creek is running a Grand Canyon reddish brown and a bit higher
than earlier in the week. It's looking more like a debris flow than a burbling Canyon stream.
We grease and test drive the three wheelers that have been declared as good
as possible so far. Eventually, we will rehabilitate 7 wheel barrows, cannibalizing two others for parts
before declaring them trash.
I hike, between showers, to the Clear Creek Trail junction to send a text
to The Woman. Along the way, I take a video of the sludge that was once Bright Angel Creek (see video above).
It's now like
a red debris flow. Stopping in the restroom, I encounter a thick humid odor akin to wet dogs who have been
swimming in the slough. Cloying and odiferous. A stockyard of hikers are changing drenched and stinky
clothing. Overpowering.
Day 6. Rain-o-rama:
The rain pounds and sloshes and Lake Hesse grows bays and sea ports,
completely engulfing our row of tents. Thunder booms, sometimes closer than the count of 3. Yikes.
This time, it's a dramatic drencher, and it eventually moves on after
drowning our camp. I move my tent after efforts to draw away the lake fail.
The piped water between Indian Garden and Supai Tunnel is turned off to
connect the new pipeline section. Flushing toilets with buckets of water from the creek is the new method.
With Bright Angel Creek running mud, fresh water is at somewhat of a premium.
Today, Mike and I continue to construct frankenbarrels from damaged units
and parts and things we fabricate. We're able to rehabilitate seven from 9 broken wheel barrows and
associated parts.
Jack hikes out, Wendy, India, and Susan contemplate leaving soon.
After the deluge, the stars come out between the cloud banks. Bright
Angel Creek roars rather than burbles and, with the thunder distant, we get to bed at the latest time
so far this trip, nearly 9:30 p.m.
Saying goodbye moon sliver from the bottom of the Canyon.
The mnemonic goes like this (read down, use first letter of starting word as a reminder - from the rim, down):
Know - Kaibab Limestone
The - Toroweap Formation
Canyon's - Coconino SS
History - Hermit Shale
Study - Supai Group (including the Esplanade)
Rocks - Redwall Limestone
Made - Mauv Limestone
By - Bright Angel Shale
Time - Tapeats SS
Know The Canyon's History, Study Rocks Made By Time.
Day 7. Final Tasks:
The day starts with Orion and others decorating the sky. A delightful
clear sky where billions and billions of stars can be seen. Lovely, and highly unusual during this VIP,
Volunteer In Park, tour. Yet, silent flashes of lightning intrude from the direction of the North Rim.
Sjors, Mike, Kathy, Cheryl and I snack on wine around the picnic table
rehashing tasks done and not. Thunder and a rain burst chase us on our way. We've refurbished the last wheel
barrel and helped Jerome construct a sling load of junk, which is flown out suspended from the NPS Hornet, a yellow
and black buzby helicopter without a tail rotor. It's quieter and more nimble than the air tour terrorist version
that decimate the natural quiet in the wildest, most primitive, areas of the Park. Horrid.
Mike and I finish crafting the table top for the interpretive Rangers, and I oil
it and return one of the wheel barrows to the bunkhouse. Time to return Jerome's tools, the McLeod, the hoes, the
loppers, other implements to the Ranger Station, box up the banana boxes for recycling, and stack the buckets for
repurposing next year.
The incessant intrusive mechanical noises of contractors feverishly working on
the transcontinental pipeline frequently shatter the natural quiet of this special place today. Sadly, they're
replacing only a short section of this old line because of repulsican sequestering and the preference to wage
endless war on the nation's credit card, give the rich and corporations more unearned welfare, and shortchange
infrastructure and other projects.
Sure, a storm jumps in as we organize dinner, though nothing like the lake builder
from last night. A lightning and heavier rain storm locks in as we prepare for our last night in The Canyon.
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Day 8. Rise to The Rim: 9.5 miles.
The Ram glides down the Bright Angel Trail, negotiating a switchback uphill
of my slogish pace. Pulling the camera, I wait for him to appear around the corner. Waiting. Where is he?
He's cruised off the corner and down into the trailess portion of the Bright Angel fault line. I watch as
the Ram saunters a distant route between layers of the Supai, obviously quite at home on the ledges and not
willing to have his photo taken today.
The day starts with, surprise, more rain. It's looking dark and the clouds
are low when I get up and start unloading the tent into one of the shelters. Not fast enough, the already
soaked tent gets splashed with mud and the fly, now drip-drying on a rock, is drenched by the rain. We remaining
VIPs enjoy breakfast and wait for the main event to decrease, then return to packing. Susan, India, and Wendy
bolted early for the rim this morning.
I start out in a rain jacket yet stow it in the pack by the time I reach the
Pipe Spring rest area because I'm getting as wet from sweat inside the jacket as from the faint drizzle falling
from the sky.
Up, climbing into younger rock layers, through rocks made by time. Perhaps
because of the frequent rain, or the pipeline shut-off, or the loss of natural quiet in the BA area, the trail
is fairly quiet on the rise to the rim.
As I top out, I see dark clouds hanging low and the cold wind hits hard. It
feels like a snow squall is rushing across the Colorado Plateau. I hurry to my vehicle and change clothes to
warm up. It's a chilly conclusion to a GCHBA Gusher at Bright Angel Camp.
Tasks accomplished include:
Irrigation channel rehabilitation + testing of system
Linseed oil applied to RS pergola and deck rails
Fabricate parts for and rebuild 7 wheelbarrows, altering them for use in rocky terrain
Campground clean-up
Rebury pipe near boat beach
Plant trees and install protective wire mesh in BA Campground
Build 3 sling load trash containers for Jerome
Campground water faucets drainage rehab - cleaning drain pipe and filling in with gravel
Build diversion ditch and berm at edge of campsite to direct water away
Rebuild 2 campground entrance ramps
Sanded 2 trail warning signs by rockfall area
Trim mesquite branches
Prepare one sling load in the sewage treatment area
Links:
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Other WV reports about the Grand Canyon:
Click here or on the Looking Lizard to go to all WV reports about The Grand Canyon
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Maps:
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Related Links:
Grand Canyon Hikers and Backpackers Association site (GCHBA)
Grand Canyon Volunteer Vamoose - Volunteering at the bottom of The Canyon (2011)
VIPs at IG: GCHBA Volunteer Service Project At IG (Indian Garden; 2015)
the geology of the Grand Canyon by the NPS
Eaarth - Living on a fundamentally altered planet by Bill McKibben
More Truth Than Joke:
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