Posted on 12/26/2018 8:56:13 PM PST by BenLurkin
Not in the Grand Canyon, Horseshoe Bend is in the gorge between Lee’s Ferry and the Glen Canyon dam. This is a world class trout fishery. My first visit there was two years ago this month, and my buddy’s jet sucked up a bunch of weeds causing us to beach on the inside of the curve where he had to get in the water to clear the pump.
A professional guide named Skip had warned us earlier that getting into the water was “an over rated experience”, and my friend learned he wasn’t lying! Right after that as a storm moved in, the wind came up fierce as can be. Huge waves with white caps were coming over the bow of this little speed boat as we headed back to the ramp and the pump couldn’t get us up to planing speed.
It was extremely dangerous as the boat kept taking on water and the waves were soaking us. Had we capsized, we would probably have been the victims of hypothermia and possibly perished.
Things change fast in water, and on the edge of 700 foot cliffs.
From San Jose? Certainly no guarantee she was in this country legally.
A few years ago, my son and I drove on a road in the California desert which was straight and had nothing near it to hit. Except little crosses. It was lined with them. I have no idea why a straight road with nothing but sand and a few small plants next to it should be such a death trap.
This is just heartbreaking. Thee accidents are such needless and senseless losses. It’s also the second recent death. There was a Greek tourist about 15 years ago but two of late.
Drunk driving and speeding, the two main killers on the street in these regions. Sadly, it's as simple as that. Kids will race and the locals with not much else to do will imbibe.
They start the stupid adventure seekers young in CA.
That's why it's called the Guardin' State.
A few miles away from the South rim of the Grand Canyon is steep gorge cut by the South Colorado river. What is remarkable about it are its steep sides which go straight down probably 1,000 feet to a tiny ribbon of water below. The gorge is less than 100 yards across where I saw it, and the ground leading up to it and away from the other side is almost perfectly level. In the days past, without signs and guardrails, there would have been no warning that you were approaching it, until you went over the edge.
Last year my wife and I were in Yellowstone. My wife was braced against some rocks taking pictures at the big falls in the park, but I yanked her back a couple of feet because a busload of Chinese tourists had entered the observation area and were bumping into everyone while they backed up with their selfie sticks. It was a long way down...
“Things change fast in water...”
Thanks for sharing your experience. Things can change fast when hiking in the wilderness or open desert too . ... weather and also being part of the food chain.
It is really sad in that if you went over, you definitely have enough time to think, "This is gunna hurt."
“This is gunna hurt.” “but not for long...”
WOW!!!! Thank you for posting this I have never seen it, I am in AWE just beautiful!!!
I was driving at night in the California desert, perfectly straight two-lane road, going about 90, and there was a truck on the same road, going the same way, doing about 30, painted black, without a single reflector or rear-facing light.
I jerked the wheel just in time to avoid a collision and managed to keep control, but it was a near thing.
More accidents these days by folks falling asleep at the wheel, or texting and drifting over onto the soft sand shoulder.
I try to slalom the Bott’s Dots on the dashed lines to keep awake, so as not to hit them, but passengers hate me for it.
” I have no idea why a straight road with nothing but sand and a few small plants next to it should be such a death trap.”
People drive wide open, 100 mph plus, hit some little dips and and get a little sideways and over correct, rolling at high speed kills.
We live near Yellowstone and we occasionally have tourist buses stop along the road to take pictures of our herd of bison.
Stupid Chinese people seem to have a death wish because it is ONLY the Chinese who think it’s a good idea to cross a ditch and then climb through a barbed wire fence to get pictures of angry, territorial 2100 pound bison bulls.
The part that REALLY pisses us off is how many of these people think that our ranch is some sort of public park! Like they have a right to come on our ranch like that!
Put up a sign "admission $35.00" and see how many stop then.
There is so very much more. It is part of the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. Which is gigantic. 1.25 million acres. It is a lot more than can be seen in half a dozen visits.
First, the regional perspective map.
http://gcdamp.com/images_gcdamp_com/d/d8/USGS_2008_HFE_Report-_Colorado_River-_MAP.jpg
Then, “just” the Glen Canyon part.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glen_Canyon_National_Recreation_Area
https://www.nps.gov/glca/index.htm
https://www.nps.gov/glca/faqs.htm
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