CHOPPER
Well-known member
Backpacked the Grand Canyon with a good buddy who was over from the homeland a couple of weeks back and just got my photos sorted out so thought Id share a report as I don't do many!!
Plan was to backpack a trail called the Tanner trail from the south rim of the Canyon to the Colorado River! The trail has a 5000 ft elevation drop over 8 miles, so tough on the knees is an understatement and you have to plan you're water carefully as even in the October the temperatures in the inner canyon can reach 90 F! We carried five litres of water each and enough food for three nights assuming that we might not catch any fish!!! The Colorado river in the inaccessible parts of the Canyon is teaming with fish and with an estimated fourty thousand trout per mile of river surely even I couldn't fail at this fresh water lark!!!
So the first day we set off on the trail! The grand canyon is weird as there's hundred of people on the Rim, but one step over it and you're on your own!!
Grand Canyon from the Rim
1500 ft drop after only 0.5 miles is quite a drop and my knees are feeling destroyed already! Marcus heading down the Tanner trail! Only 7.5 miles and 3500 ft to go!
Marcus continues down the trail!
First (maybe fourth!) rest stop at about four miles and four hours down the trail looking back to where we started from.......jesus (we have to go back up!!)
Our first glimpse of the river and the only water source, the Colorado River, but still a few miles away!!!
After 7 hours and with the sun dropping fast we finally make it to the River and get camp set up for the first night and boil some well deserved mac and cheese!! Pitch black by 7 pm and fast a sleep in our tents by about 9 pm! Never seen so many stars so just laid back, had a few sips from my hip flask and watched the satellites go by, after 7 hours hiking falling a sleep is easy!!!
The next morning we were itching to get the rods out so headed straight for the Tanner Rapids to see if any Rainbows were feeding! All you need is six foot spinnning rod and some lures!
Heading towards the Rapids
Tanner Rapids
First chuck at the Rapids and Marcus strikes into a nice little Rainbow...thats breakfast sorted then!!!! These trout strike like missiles and clear a foot of water when they hit you're lure!
Unfortunately Chopper never got one at the Rapids (Typical!).
After a few chucks at a very nice looking eddy pool near our camp and three Rainbows for Marcus it was nearly time to hit the next trail, but not before Chopper got a little Brownie!
Small Brownie for Chopper!
Well after lunch it was back on the trail! This time following the Beamer trail along the Colorado river!
We were greeted by a rafting party coming down the Colorado at one point, lazy gits!!
A few miles up the river we pitched camp for the night and then tried our luck for some Rainbow trout for supper!!!
Marcus having a go at the entrance to a small side stream!
The junction between the main river and this stream was chocker with fish and it wasn't long till we had enough for supper!!!Marcus took the best rainbow of the trip, probably just over a pound!
With a few trout bagged for dinner it was back to camp to enjoy a couple of beers we had been soaking all day! Well worth the extra couple of pound in the back pack and with the river at a constant 48 F they were well chilled!!
Trout cooked on a fire in the back country has to be one of greatest tasting dinners ever!
The next day we set back along the river and camped at the trailed head to get back out the Canyon catching plenty of Rainbows in the process! One morning while cleaning out a pan I spotted a common carp that I estimated to be about 10-15 lb close into the bank! Marcus being a coarse angler quickly set about trying to get it on power bait!
.................Unfortunately it never showed, sorry lads!!!
After another night under the stars and with the hip flasks empty we prepared for an early exit from the Canyon the following morning to avoid having to hike in the mid afternoon sun!
We were back heading up the Tanner trail at first light! Marcus heading up the trail!
Looking down the Tanner trail back to the River
Chopper on the trail! That stick gave my knees about another 5 years of life!!!
After nine hours of grueling hiking and five litres of water each we made it out the Canyon!!!
If anyone ever gets to visit or back pack the Grand Canyon then I would seriously recommend it! I've spent a lot of time the back country and this place was easily one of most rewarding!!
Next stop on the road trip was a couple of nights at the Hard Rock Hotel, Vegas, Damn I love that town...............but that's another story!!!!
Tight Lines lads, hopefully get a sea angling report up over the forthcoming festivities!
Chopper
Plan was to backpack a trail called the Tanner trail from the south rim of the Canyon to the Colorado River! The trail has a 5000 ft elevation drop over 8 miles, so tough on the knees is an understatement and you have to plan you're water carefully as even in the October the temperatures in the inner canyon can reach 90 F! We carried five litres of water each and enough food for three nights assuming that we might not catch any fish!!! The Colorado river in the inaccessible parts of the Canyon is teaming with fish and with an estimated fourty thousand trout per mile of river surely even I couldn't fail at this fresh water lark!!!
So the first day we set off on the trail! The grand canyon is weird as there's hundred of people on the Rim, but one step over it and you're on your own!!
Grand Canyon from the Rim
1500 ft drop after only 0.5 miles is quite a drop and my knees are feeling destroyed already! Marcus heading down the Tanner trail! Only 7.5 miles and 3500 ft to go!
Marcus continues down the trail!
First (maybe fourth!) rest stop at about four miles and four hours down the trail looking back to where we started from.......jesus (we have to go back up!!)
Our first glimpse of the river and the only water source, the Colorado River, but still a few miles away!!!
After 7 hours and with the sun dropping fast we finally make it to the River and get camp set up for the first night and boil some well deserved mac and cheese!! Pitch black by 7 pm and fast a sleep in our tents by about 9 pm! Never seen so many stars so just laid back, had a few sips from my hip flask and watched the satellites go by, after 7 hours hiking falling a sleep is easy!!!
The next morning we were itching to get the rods out so headed straight for the Tanner Rapids to see if any Rainbows were feeding! All you need is six foot spinnning rod and some lures!
Heading towards the Rapids
Tanner Rapids
First chuck at the Rapids and Marcus strikes into a nice little Rainbow...thats breakfast sorted then!!!! These trout strike like missiles and clear a foot of water when they hit you're lure!
Unfortunately Chopper never got one at the Rapids (Typical!).
After a few chucks at a very nice looking eddy pool near our camp and three Rainbows for Marcus it was nearly time to hit the next trail, but not before Chopper got a little Brownie!
Small Brownie for Chopper!
Well after lunch it was back on the trail! This time following the Beamer trail along the Colorado river!
We were greeted by a rafting party coming down the Colorado at one point, lazy gits!!
A few miles up the river we pitched camp for the night and then tried our luck for some Rainbow trout for supper!!!
Marcus having a go at the entrance to a small side stream!
The junction between the main river and this stream was chocker with fish and it wasn't long till we had enough for supper!!!Marcus took the best rainbow of the trip, probably just over a pound!
With a few trout bagged for dinner it was back to camp to enjoy a couple of beers we had been soaking all day! Well worth the extra couple of pound in the back pack and with the river at a constant 48 F they were well chilled!!
Trout cooked on a fire in the back country has to be one of greatest tasting dinners ever!
The next day we set back along the river and camped at the trailed head to get back out the Canyon catching plenty of Rainbows in the process! One morning while cleaning out a pan I spotted a common carp that I estimated to be about 10-15 lb close into the bank! Marcus being a coarse angler quickly set about trying to get it on power bait!
.................Unfortunately it never showed, sorry lads!!!
After another night under the stars and with the hip flasks empty we prepared for an early exit from the Canyon the following morning to avoid having to hike in the mid afternoon sun!
We were back heading up the Tanner trail at first light! Marcus heading up the trail!
Looking down the Tanner trail back to the River
Chopper on the trail! That stick gave my knees about another 5 years of life!!!
After nine hours of grueling hiking and five litres of water each we made it out the Canyon!!!
If anyone ever gets to visit or back pack the Grand Canyon then I would seriously recommend it! I've spent a lot of time the back country and this place was easily one of most rewarding!!
Next stop on the road trip was a couple of nights at the Hard Rock Hotel, Vegas, Damn I love that town...............but that's another story!!!!
Tight Lines lads, hopefully get a sea angling report up over the forthcoming festivities!
Chopper
and great pics
enjoyed reading it
