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Lake Powell Adventure 2006 – Day 7

Synopsis: Brief dayhike, then motor to Camp VI near the marina. (Saturday, November 25.)

We had a long way to motor, but there was time in the morning for a dayhike. My dad, Petey, Erin, and I headed due north in search of rumored slot canyons.

Our morning hike northward from camp.

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Water pockets on the Waterpocket Fold.

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Heading towards the rumored slots.

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Trail down into a minor canyon.

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Exit route from the minor canyon. The slope we followed down is visible in the background.

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Eventually we came to a place that looked promising: a dark crack in the rock with unknown beyond. We entered.

Pinnacle. We explored both the dark slot at right and the trickling wash at left.

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Unfortunately, there wasn’t much to explore — there was a very rapid boulder-chocked ascent and a bit an alcove, but this was mostly a fault rather than a serious watercourse.

We looked around the corner, which led into a bowl-like area. There was no slot canyon, but we could climb up a lobe of rock above the crack we had just explored.

The wide, flat red rock of the Waterpocket Fold with Navajo Mountain far in the distance.

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At the high point.

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Me descending.

Photo by Erin Tatge.
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We climbed the Navajo mound between the small canyon opening towards the camera and the dark slot at right.

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Returning to the boat, we heard of a strange “cave” accessible by boat. After untying the houseboat and getting under way, Bill K. took some folks to check it out.

Bill K. piloting us toward the strange “cave”.

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Inside the cave.

Photo by Erin Tatge.
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It turned out to be an extremly underhung alcove: once inside the low ceiling, the void extended upward far above the opening. Inside was green algae and reflected light shimmering on the rocks.

After returning to the houseboat, it was a long motor back north. We passed the marina and tried to camp in Moqui Canyon, but there wasn’t anything to be had. Finally, we found a spot across the way.

The reading nook.

Photo by Kathleen Gruetzmacher.
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Karl being trustworthy.

Photo by Kathleen Gruetzmacher.
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Boat anchor, Mountaineers style.

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Don and Kathleen had located the site in the motorboat. While we were mooring, Kathleen sat on the rock and watched us. The next thing I knew, I looked over and she was hobbling back to the boat on one foot, supported by Karl and Martin!

It turned out that she had jumped out of the motorboat onto shore and landed funny, hearing a nice and satisfying crunch when she hit the ground. So, it was first aid time...

Kathleen resting on the front porch shortly after her rescue.

Photo by Bill Priedhorsky.
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It turned out later that she had broken it, but we didn’t know that at the time. Most of us left on a short walk, to avoid hovering with nothing to do.

Karl, Erin, Petey, and Martin resting on our quick walk.

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Sunset over Lake Powell.

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Returning to home on the water.

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Finally, we had our last gourmet dinner on the water.

In the morning, we took the houseboat the last couple of miles back to the marina, refueled (Don crashed into the fuel dock rather embarrassingly), docked and unloaded. The trip was over. I was sad.

Trundling Kathleen home.

Photo by Bill Priedhorsky.
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Karl, me, Kathleen, Melissa, Ginger, and Erin.

Photo by Bill Priedhorsky.
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