I'm headed down the Grand next month for 20+ days and am looking for basically any kind of beta I can get my hands on for some of the repels and other side canyons of the grand (names, general location, how many ropes needed?). I'm not looking for long multi-day canyoneering trips. I understand there are many of them from all kinds of levels of commitment and difficulty. What I really want are some first person accounts as to what to do off the river on down days, where the best and most accessible/logical repels are, and any suggestions on reading material such as books, web-sites, personal accounts that I should take a look at. Anything at all that may make locating and executing the repels/decents smoother. Any ideas and suggestions as to what's best and not to be missed would be greatly welcomed and appreciated. Thanks in advanced, and may the schwarts be with you all.
Any of the Grand Canyon river oriented hiking guidebooks have the info you need. Get a copy of There's This River and the Emerald Mile to read. Google lots of trip reports and youtube videos - especially Jeff Aronson's three from the high water in 83.
Don't miss North Canyon, Silver Grotto, Saddle Canyon, Nanokoweap, Unkar Delta, the hike at Granite, Buck Farm Canyon, Redwall Cavern, Nautiloid, the hike just below Dubendorff, Deer Creek/Thunder River, Little Colorado, Havasu as far as you can go, the area around Bass camp, Shinumo Creek, Clear Creek, Matkat(my favorite place in the Grand), Elves Chasm, Fern Glen, National, and lots of other places i'm forgetting. Olo would be an adventure if you can get into it. I've always been there during the summer so i've not done any of the long away from water hikes.
Don't worry about rappels - you'll need to climb up anything you'd rappel down so a short hunk of rope, a few biners, and some webbing is plenty. Your first time will be overwhelming enough just being there that you don't really need to look too hard for extra adventure. Work really hard carrying stuff and on kitchen/dishes crew if you aren't a boatman - shirking passengers are evil.
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