Itineraries
As part of your paperwork to be completed before your river trip, the folks at Grand Canyon National Park are going to want you to list the date you intend to pass Phantom Ranch, arrive at Diamond Creek, and if you are going on to South Cove, when you plan to arrive there.
In order to figure out where you will be when, some folks will plan out a trip itinerary. This will consist of a list of the proposed places you intend to camp at, with activities you inetned to do that day. Don't sweat this. You can put down a rough idea, and change things as you go. Remember, itineraries are written in sand with a stick. They are changeable.
Remember, YOU are the Boss, and you can plan out what you want. Keep in mind there might be another trip with the exact same itinerary, and you'll need to be flexible on the river as you work with other trips to make sure everyone gets to see and do as much as they can playing well with others.
Remember, Itineraries are written in sand with a stick. Yes, we said this already, but keep this in mind when you pull into your intended camp and one of your party can't catch the eddy and floats on by pulling like mad looking very sheepish. Get over it (fast and with a smile) and go on to camp somewhere downstream.
Here are examples of a 15 night-16 day, a 17 night-18 day, a 20 night-21 day trip and a 24 night 25 day Lees' Ferry to Diamond Creek itinerary. For Diamond Down, scroll down.
Proposed 15 night 16 Day Itinerary
Camps are in a range of +/- 5 miles River miles estimated from Martin/Whitis Guide 3rd edition
Day Camp Notes Launch Hot-Na-Na (16.7) first day on water Two South Canyon (32) through the roaring 20’s Three Nankoweap (52) Vasey’s, Redwall Four Tanner (69)-Upper Unkar (72.5) LCR Five Grapevine (81)-Cremation(88)** Unkar, 75 mile, Hance, Sock Six Monument(94)-Schist (97) Phantom, Horn, Granite Seven Bass/110 Crystal Eight Below Fossil(126.1)-Randy’s(127.0) Blacktail Nine Deer Ck or below (136.8-138) Hike Tapeats/Deer Ck Ten Ledges (152) Hike Matkat Eleven First Chance (158.3) Havasu Twelve Stairway (171.8)-Cove(174.7) Fern Glen Thirteen Whitmore(188.4) to Fat City(192.2) Lava Fourteen Indian Canyon(207) Visit 202 Fifteen 220-224 209 right Sixteen Diamond take out
**Cremation only if exchanging folks at Phantom
Proposed 17 night 18 Day Itinerary
Camps are in a range of +/- 5 miles River miles estimated from Martin/Whitis Guide 3rd edition
Day Camp Notes Launch Hot-Na-Na (16.7) first day on water Two South Canyon (32) through the roaring 20’s Three Nankoweap (52) Vasey’s, Redwall Four Nankoweap (52)-layover Explore Five Tanner (69)-Upper Unkar (72.5) LCR Six Grapevine (81)-Cremation(88)** Unkar, 75 mile, Hance, Sock Seven Monument(94)-Schist (97) Phantom, Horn, Granite Eight Shady Grove/Emerald/Bass/110 Crystal Nine 120/122 mile camps Elve’s Ten Deer Ck (136.8) Specter, Bedrock, Dubie Eleven Deer Ck or below (136.8-138) Hike Tapeats/Deer Ck Twelve Ledges (152) Hike Matkat Thirteen First Chance (158.3) Havasu Fourteen Stairway (171.8)-Cove(174.7) Fern Glen Fifteen Whitmore(188.4) to Fat City(192.2) Lava Sixteen Indian Canyon(207) Visit 202 Seventeen 220-224 209 right Eighteen Diamond take out **Cremation only if exchanging folks at Phantom
Proposed 20 night 21 Day Itinerary
Camps are in a range of +/- 5 miles River miles estimated from Martin/Whitis Guide 3rd edition
Day Camp Notes
Launch Soap Creek-13 mile first day on water Two 24.5 mile-Shinamo (29 mile) through the roaring 20’s Three Buck farm (41)-Eminence (44) Vasey’s, Redwall Four Nankoweap (52) Nanko granaries Five Nankoweap (52)-layover Explore Six Tanner (69)-Upper Unkar (72.5) LCR Seven Grapevine (81)-Cremation(88)** Unkar, 75 mile, Hance, Sock Eight Monument(94)-Schist (97) Phantom, Horn, Granite Nine Shady Grove/Emerald/Bass/110 Crystal Ten 119/120 mile camps Elve’s Eleven Galloway (132)-Racetrack(134) Specter, Bedrock, Dubie Twelve Below Deer Ck (137-138) Hike Tapeats/Deer Ck Thirteen (145 to 146 Mile) Hike Kanab Fourteen Ledges (152) Hike Matkat Fifteen National (167) Havasu Sixteen Hell’s Hollow area (182) Lava Seventeen Hualapai acres-194 Easy late departure post Lava day Eighteen 209 right visit Parashant-202 Nineteen 209 right Layover, hike 209 drainage Twenty 220-224 Twenty-one Diamond take out
**Cremation only if exchanging folks at Phantom
Proposed 24 night 25 day itinerary
Camps are in a range of +/- 5 miles River miles estimated from Martin/Whitis Guide 3rd edition
Day Camp Notes Launch 13 Mile too cold to hang Two 24.5 Mile too cold to hang Three 41 Mile too cold to hang Four Nankoweap (52) too cold to hang Five Nankoweap (52) Layover, explore Six Cardenas-ish (71.6) make miles, LCR is too cold Seven Cardenas-ish (71.6) Layover Eight Clear Creek (84.6) Hance, Sock Nine Clear Creek (84.6) Layover Ten Monument(94)-Schist (97) Pass Phantom Eleven Bass to 110 Run Granite, Hermit, Crystal Twelve Bass to 110 Layover Thirteen Fossil (125) Blacktail Fourteen Fossil (125) Layover Fifteen Galloway (132)-Racetrack(134) Specter, Bedrock, Dubie Sixteen Below Deer Ck (137-138) Hike Tapeats/Deer Ck Seventeen 145 mile Day Hike Kanab Eighteen National-ish (167) Too cold to see Havasoo Nineteen Whitmore (188.4) Lava Twenty Whitmore (188.4) Layover,hike Twenty one Parashant (199) Easy river day Twenty two Parashant (199) Layover, hike Twenty three Indian Canyon(207) Visit 202, hike 207 in PM Twenty four camp 220 to 224 Twenty five Diamond Creek **Cremation only if exchanging folks at Phantom
What about Diamond Creek to South Cove? As of March 2, 2010, the new Pearce Ferry ramp take out has been constructed, but the gate is still locked. River runners passing Diamond Creek will have to still take out at South Cove.
Here's the allowed schedule (cite CRMP ROD 2-17-2006 pg 5)
Nights in the Lower Gorge
Peak Season Non-Peak Season
Diamond Ck to Separation 1 1
Separation to RM 260 1 2
RM 260 to Lake Mead 1 2
Here's a Proposed Itinerary for a five night six day Diamond to South Cove
One 243 Mile hike Travertine Canyon Two 260 Mile Three 260 Mile Burnt Springs layover, hike Four 280.7 Pearce Ferry Rapid Five camp end of current 293 Six Take Out South Cove
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