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46 THE GREEN RIPER AND ITS UTILIZATION
<br />just above the water line. This was repaired in about an b ,
<br />Later in the day Upper Disaster Falls was reached. Here,
<br />rapids about 500 feet apart, full of rocks and having a rocky
<br />between, with shallow rocky channels on either side, furnU
<br />another source of diversion. It was here that the Powell part
<br />one of its boats in 1869.
<br />About half a mile below this rapid is another one which ha
<br />some reason unknown to the writer been named Lower Disj
<br />Falls. This rapid is at a sharp turn in the river channel when
<br />stream has cut most of its low-water channel under the sand
<br />cliff that forms the right-hand wail of the canyon. The curre
<br />swift into this undercut channel; and to attempt to take aJ
<br />through the rapid without "11nIIIg" or "nosing", it would no di
<br />spell disaster. Camp was made at the head of this rapid. -
<br />the cook prepared supper other members of the party made a
<br />of the rapid, and around the bonfire that evening opinions we
<br />wanting as to the best way to get the boats through. Early th
<br />morning the beds and other bulky cargo were packed to a cony
<br />place below the rapid. This work was a great stimulant to
<br />petites, and no one needed a second invitation to breakfast
<br />breakfast the boatmen "nosed" the boats with their lightened
<br />along the shore; wading alongside of them in water just deep
<br />to float them and at the same, time keep them under cont
<br />soon as the danger point was passed one of the boatmen wo
<br />into the boat and bring it into the still water below. An old`"
<br />several empty tin cans, and the remains of a camp fire be
<br />rapid bore mute evidence that another party had spent some y
<br />this point.
<br />A short distance farther down the canyon Dunns Peak co
<br />view. It is a flat-topped portion of the east, wall consist
<br />of gray quartzite, on top of the characteristic red saw,
<br />capping through which the canyon is cut. The contrast between the dI
<br />colored_rocks_is very striking and is greatly enriched by the dt
<br />hues of red in the canyon walls. The peak-was named bye
<br />and it stands more than 2,000 feet: above the river.
<br />At the foot of this peak are the Triplet Falls, three rapids 1
<br />sti
<br />about 800 feet. These rapids are swift and rough, but the
<br />the river was high enough to carry the boats through without tij
<br />Not far below these rapids the river became as placid as a
<br />then suddenly it plunged with a roar into a long steep si;A
<br />channel that is one confused pile of boulders for nearly hay
<br />l fling 'as_Inade in the still wale: on the left bank neox
<br />of fjli atrpteh; and it b came apparent ver?'_quickly tli?t A'
<br />would 'oa neesaiy. A copy of Folb's book was the p*In.cipsz ?,
<br />of the party's library,.and from the pi--tuxes given then=1-11
<br />passible to identify this rapid as "-e1,lc Ralf Mile.
<br />GREEN RISER CANTONS 47
<br />fter a careful study the boatmen were satisfied that the empty
<br />;,oats could be run through the rapid. Accordingly they were un-
<br />,,,aded and the hatch covers screwed down tightly. Each boatman
<br />i; sned his life jacket, and when all was ready the other members of
<br />}ie party stationed themselves along the bank at places of vantage,
<br />,: me with kodaks and others with ropes. The Utah went through
<br />the first plunge of 9 feet fall in a distance of 400 feet and in an eddy
<br />the right-hand bank waited for the other boats. The Tyom'
<br />-;n it successfully, but for a moment everyone expected to see her
<br />;shed against one of the huge boulders and capsized. The Colorado
<br />ur'r less fortunate than the other two and was washed high and dry
<br />on a boulder. All efforts of her boatman to dislodge her were futile.
<br />.k;'ur several attempts a line was cast to the boatman from shore,
<br />sac the boat was finally pulled loose.
<br />'The boatmen did some very clever maneuvering to miss as many of
<br />the rocks as they did, for to the observer on the banks it appeared im-
<br />nossible to miss them. After the first plunge the river spreads over
<br />8 Channel about 600 feet wide in high water but at this time (August 3,
<br />!?°?) it was divided into two or three channels, all of them full of
<br />br lders. With the exception of about 40 yards of the remainder of
<br />Hells Half Mile the boats drifted along under control of the boatmen,
<br />but through this 40-yard stretch they were "nosed" because of
<br />shallow water and numerous rocks. It was very obvious after the
<br />bottom of this rapid was reached that the stage of the river had very -
<br />much to do with success, for it was easy to see that no end of trouble
<br />Mould have been probable with a stage a few inches lower.
<br />All afternoon the party toiled on the portage of the supplies. The
<br />trail led across a small ridge, across a deep red gully, into the high- .
<br />aster channel of the river, over this boulder-strewn course as far se
<br />Y,, siule, up a steep hillside of loose earth and rocks to a deer trail
<br />7' feet or more above the river, and along this trail around a steep
<br />torl,y point down to the sand bar, where camp was made. Forty-
<br />4`ree trips were necessary to place the cargoes below the rapid, and
<br />tL?e coarse was very close to half a- mile-long. -Each load was about
<br />66 or 70 pounds, and when the work was done every member of the
<br />Party was quite exhausted. However, a refreshing plunge in the
<br />airn a g hole" just off the sand bar and some dry, clean clothes
<br />jade a great change, and everyone had a good appetite for supper.
<br />The Canyon of Lodore is about 17' miles long and has a total fall
<br />a'269 feet, or about 15.4-feet to the mile. As Major Powell says:
<br />It darts abruptly at ghat we have called the Gate of Lodore with walls never
<br />bra than this Until we .reach Alcove Brook-.about.3 mules, above the foot. They _ •_
<br />irre€War, standing ln'vertical or overhanging in steep slopes, and are broken
<br />v%c side gulches and canyons, The highest point on the wall is at Dunn's
<br />rear Triplet Falls, where the rocks reach an altitude of 2,700 feet, bait the
<br />a little way back rise nears 1,000 feet higher. Yellow pines, nut_pines,
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