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Grand Canyon - Colorado
River Remembrance Trip Our good friend and fellow highpoint climber Karen Abse left us on January 21, 2006. We were honored to take part in her final wishes, having her ashes placed into a wilderness river. Our plan took us to Lees Ferry, AZ, approximately a 2 1/2 hr. drive from Flagstaff, AZ. Lees Ferry is in the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, adjacent to the Grand Canyon. (Basically it's all part of the Grand Canyon.) The historical town of Lees Ferry lies in the break between Glen, Marble and Paria canyons. A natural corridor between Utah and Arizona, Lees Ferry was named for, and settled by Mormon John D. Lee, who established the first Colorado River crossing at this site. It would be here that we decided to remember our friend..... |
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Some interesting rock formations on the drive to Lees Ferry |
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Being tourists... |
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This is balanced rock |
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Tony provides a scale to give you an idea how large these boulders are... |
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Colorado River, with muddy input from Paria Creek |
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The view upriver. We would climb Spencer Trail to the top of the cliff, approximately 1700' from the river. |
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Jim Juritsch reading the poem "When I Must Leave You" before we commit Karen's ashes to the river.... |
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John Wingfield reading the Virginia House Joint Resolution honoring Karen. |
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Everyone took a turn committing Karen's ashes to the river. The river is brown only on one side as the muddy Paria Creek is feeding the green Colorado River. |
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Views from Lees Ferry |
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Afterwards we hiked a great trail to the top of the rim, called Spencer Trail. The trail leaves from the parking area and ascends 1700'. Clouds were building in the distance but they never threatened us. |
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The temp was very hot, with heat radiating from all of the rock. Tony, Scott, John, and Peter are taking a breather. |
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The view from the top of the cliff, looking southwest. |
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Looking to the northeast, Tony is standing in front of the meandering Marble Canyon, with Glen Canyon dam and Lake Powell in the background. |
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On the top! |
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Tony is posing in front of the Paria Canyon |