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Grand Canyon Pioneers Society - Monthly Bulletin |
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| Vol 5, No 3 | March 2001 |
"Fateful Journey"
"We were curious about the risk of running the Colorado," Dr. Tom Myers explained to a group of Pioneers at the February meeting in Sedona, "so we did an extensive study of the dangers of rafting the river." The results of these studies are in Myers' recently released book, Fateful Journey, which he co-authored with Christopher C. Becker and Lawrence E. Stevens.
According to Tom, in 1941 no one rafted the Colorado River, but today 26,000 people raft the river each year. What is responsible for the increase? "It was not Major John Wesley Powell," Tom said. "He lost three people to fear of the river. Neither was it Bill Beer who swam the Colorado in 1955." The real reason for the explosion in interest in the Colorado River, he explained, was the controversy generated by the building of the Glen Canyon Dam.
River rafting has come a long way since Powell's trip in 1869. "Portaging around rapids was normal until the 1950s when Georgie White introduced the surplus army rafts that ran all the rapids," Tom said. Today people run the river in kayaks, paddle boats, oar rafts, dories, and motorized rafts much like Georgie used.
In case of an injury in the early days of rafting, rescue could be slow in coming. There were no radios for communication. Guides would signal airplanes to call for help. People often had to be carried out on a litter. The first helicopter rescue was in 1959.
According to Tom, there are more injuries off the river than on the trip -- 62% off river, 37% on-river. Most of the off-river injuries are in Havasupai, followed by the Deer Creek Falls area. The Colorado is rated a Class V by European ratings and a 9/10 by the American system. The most dangerous rapid is Crystal, followed by Lava Falls.
"Eighty percent of all fatalities are males," Tom said. "Younger men die off-river, taking risks, while the older men die on-river." Most on-river fatalities are at Crystal Rapids. Alcohol also plays a part in fatalities. While running the Colorado is certainly a dangerous pursuit, statistically it can be compared to injuries received while bowling or playing golf!
"Fateful Journey" is available at Five Quail Books in Phoenix and McGaugh's Newstand in Flagstaff.
GCPS Outings for 2001
| March 17: |
John Wesley Powell, a living history by Todd Weber. Time: 11:30 AM for lunch Place: Palace Bar on Whiskey Row Montezuma Street, Prescott
Presentation will be at: There also is an exhibit of Gary Ladd's photography at Sharlott Hall Museum. Todd Weber leads Elderhostel trips to Lake Powell and the lower Grand Canyon. He also does a portrayal of Pauline Weaver, early mountain man in the Prescott area. He is also an artist and has his own studio outside of Prescott where he makes jewelry and sculptures; some of his designs are being used by Nambe pottery. And he's a model for George Molnar, painter. The Palace Restaurant is in the middle of Whiskey Row on Montezuma on the west side of the Courthouse. As you come into town just stay on Gurley Street until you pass the Courthouse, which will be on your left. Sharlot Hall Museum is on Gurley Street two blocks past the Courthouse. |
| April 21: |
Hopi Mesas - a tour of three mesas lead by Gary Tso. The tour
includes visits to artisans homes, all transportation, and lunch. The cost
will be $50 per person if we have 20 participants and $75 if we have 15.
Call or email Betty Leavengood (520-885-3570 or HikerBetty@aol.com) now if you plan to take
this tour.
Time: 9:00 AM carpool departs from We will depart from the Hopi Cultural Center at 9:00 AM. The simplest way to Hopi from Flagstaff is to take on I-40 east to about one mile past Winslow, then take I-87 north towards Second Mesa about 60 or so miles. Turn onto Jct. 264 and take a left 2 miles to the Hopi Cultural Center. From there, plan to carpool with friends. |
| May 19: | Photography of Grand Canyon, a slide presentation by Gary Ladd. |
| June 16: | Annual Picnic at Shoshone Point, Grand Canyon South Rim. |
| July 21: | Flights over Grand Canyon - Jim McCarthy will talk about flights over the Grand Canyon. He did his Master's Degree thesis on flights over the Canyon. |
| August 18: | Glen Canyon, the early fight, by GCPS member Harvey Leake. |
| September 15: | Rock Art Ranch tour with owner Brantley Baird. |
| October 20: | Board Meeting. and a talk about "Sunk Without A Sound: The Tragic Colorado River Honeymoon of Glen and Bessie Hyde" by Brad Dimock. |
| November 17: | Backpacking remote areas of Grand Canyon - a slide program by Carol Castleman. Carol has lead Sierra Club trips around the world -- including many, many Grand Canyon backpacks to remote areas as well as about two dozen rafting trips. |
| December: | No Meeting |
Nature's Grandure. Two Tucson Boys Visit the Great Gorge.
John T. Hughes Relates Some Incidents.
Building of the Road From Flagstaff -- Delightful Summer Resort
Source: The Arizona Gazette - September 4, 1895
John T. Hughes and Raymond Satterwhite, of Tucson, returned from the north on Sunday evening after spending two months at the Grand Canyon and various points of interest in that beautiful section of the territory. In conversation yesterday Mr. Hughes gave a brief sketch of the trip and related some amusing incidents from which the following interesting narrative is compiled:
Yes, I have returned from the Canyon, and other parts of Northern Arizona, where we have been work-ing, rusticating and have a general good time. Our party consisted of Porter, Charles and Richard Fleming, Mr. Satterwhite, myself and others under the charge of a Denver engineer started out on the 16th of July from Flagstaff to survey an electric road from that place to the Canyon for Mr. James A. Fleming. Our trip was full of work, adventure and interesting incidents. The distance the road will cover is about eighty miles.
Yes, I think the road is a feasible proposition and will be built. There is no doubt in my mind but that it will be a paying proposition as it will run through a very rich timber belt and will have a large logging trade, besides with a railroad running to the Grand Canyon the tourists visiting the mighty gorge will be increased. You may gain somewhat of an idea as to the number of passengers the railroad will carry when I tell you that during the last two months, the Grand Canyon stage line carried over 500 passengers from Flagstaff to the Canyon.
Well, the Canyon is a wonderful wonder. It is im-possible to describe it so as to convey a proper idea. To appreciate it, you must see it and form your own idea of its grandure and magnitude. So much has been written about the Canyon and its sublimity that I will refrain from saying, but that it is well worthy of a visit, and would it not be a good plan next summer for our Arizonans to go up to the Grand Canyon instead of to the California coast, and really see what a wonderful work of nature we have in our territory. There as the San Francisco peaks towering 13,000 feet towards the sky; the famous cliff dwellings; the bottomless pits, and the relics of the cave dwellers. Any one of these points are full of interest, and will compensate any person for time spent in visiting them. One of the most remarkable points of interest of our trip as a large plain some 12 miles long which was entirely covered with pottery. In running the survey line through this section it was almost impossible to step in any direction without stepping on broken pottery. It is quite different from that made by our southern Indians. It shows that whoever the people were that inhabited this region had quite an artistic mind, as the pottery is marked with almost perfect angles, inscriptions and designs that would indicate more than even a semi-civilized mind. Who these people were, who made this pottery, and what became of them is all conjecture. Whether they were driven out of the country by a superior race, or fell victims to volcanic eruptions throughout the country is a mystery; either one of these conjectures bear marks of credibility, although I should think the latter the most probable, as large parts of the region are covered with lava and cinders to a great depth, and numerous piles of volcanic rock. At the foot of one of the largest mountains, known as the Sunset mountain, there is about 100 acres of this volcanic rock, in all shapes and forms, piled from twenty to thirty feet high, which was evidently thrown out of the crater of the mountain.
Among the amusing incidents of our trip was the loss of several members of our party. Mr. Satterwhite and another young gentleman too timid to have his name mentioned, thinking to make a short cut to camp started out across the forest, the camp was about five miles distant and the party should have reached it by 4 o'clock p.m., but instead they wandered around through the woods hunting the camp, until about half past one a.m., when the fact began to dawn upon them that the short cut to camp was getting to be an exceedingly long one. Tired and worn out, they lay down in the woods by a fire, a typical picture of the "Babes in the Woods," but after rest and much wandering the welcome voice of a searching party was heard through the pines and they were soon lodged safe in camp. When asked how they were lost, Mr. Satterwhite meekly replied, "We are not lost, but the camp is lost." Our trip was full of such incidents. After they were past we all had many hearty laughs over them, although at the time they seemed more serious.
We all feel better for the outing, and our diet on bacon and beans, and can now appreciate city meals, and city life, and look back with much pleasure and in-terest to our experiences among the mountains, plains and forests of Northern Arizona. If the people of Southern Arizona would make a trip to the northern part of the territory and really behold the wonderful points of interest, to see and visit, and experience its delightful summer climate they would derive more pleasure than going outside of the territory where they spend more money and see less than we have right here.
New Members
Andrew L. Christenson - Arizona
Bert Fingerhut - Colorado
Linda C. Knutson - Arizona
Thanks via E-Mail
From: Barrie Beer Hibler (Bill Beer's daughter) To: Editor Sent: Saturday, February 03, 2001 This note has been a long time coming. But, I wanted to thank you, and the Grand Canyon Pioneers, for including a memoriam of my father's death in your July 2000 Monthly Bulletin. He did "always make it fun" and he's taught his family to do the same. Because of Dad, and the powerful draw of the canyon, I am a dedicated canyoneer/river runner who does not get there as often as possible. If I am ever in the area when you are having a gathering, I hope you don't mind if I 'crash' to say hello. Thanks for your kind words and thoughts on our loss.
2001 Easter Hike and
Sunrise Service in the Grand Canyon
Darwin Plateau. Huxley and Spencer Terrace. Bass Overlook. Ruby drainage. Grand Scenic Divide. Mt. Huethawali. This is the setting for the 2001 Easter Hike and Sunrise Service in the Grand Canyon.
Individuals or groups hike in on Friday, April 13. On Saturday there is time to explore this interesting area of the Canyon. The Sunrise Service on Sunday. The group hikes out after the Service.
This is an "easy" Grand Canyon hike - no rock scrambles, no hiking on the edge, no roping of packs to the next level, no chimneys to inch up and down, and no pour off and deep water pools to negotiate.
The most difficult part of this outing is the 30 miles of (rough) unpaved road to the trailhead. The last five miles of the road is commonly called "two ruts" (it is more fun if it is raining or snowing!).
For more information and / or to reserve a spot call Lee Albertson (480-838-2710) or send and email (Albertson1213@msn.com).
Outings Contacts Information
Outings Coordinator:
Betty Leavengood
6045 Edison St.
Tucson AZ 85712
520-885-3570
HikerBetty@aol.com
The Bulletin welcomes comments, stories, or Reflections and Remembrances.
Please send them to
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Diane Cassidy
PO Box 9870 Phoenix, AZ 85068 |
or e-mail them to GCPioneers@yahoo.com
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