Spring Camping at Toroweap/ Tuweap - Page 2

JoeH · 02-02-2018, 08:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Christopher Thwaites

I met up with 5 or 6 SMBs at Toroweap....I don't know how many years ago. Mac came in his 2wd van and on the last turn past the ranger camp hit a rock. Mike and REF and his wife and son and I think Steve and Mac and...and? Great spot. Long haul into it though. Ranger was cool. It was hot. Best story was Mac talking about riding a rented jet ski down the Colorado with a buddy and loosing it in a rapid just below the cliffs of Toroweap. He could point out the spot from the overlook. Great story Mac!

Chris and Ruth

Ha, I think your friend is telling a tall tale. It's ~175 river miles to Toroweap from the first place you could launch a jet ski. Besides that it's illegal and has been since the 1960s when the last up-river jet boat run was made. I have, however, seen jet skis poach Grand Canyon National Park by uprunning from Lake Mead to Diamond Creek. Anyhow, if he really did it I'd like to hear the story.

REF · 02-02-2018, 11:46 PM

Let’s not get anyone in trouble now.....Rest assured while I have no doubt Macs story is legit, no one ever said he did it legally.....like a select few of us here did, you’ll probably have to meet up with him at Toroweap to hear the story for yourself.

'03 Ford E350 7.3L Diesel
SMB RB50 w/CCV top
Quigley 4X4 w/Deavers & Agile RIP kit

**macmcintire** · 02-03-2018, 05:10 AM

Chris,

Our wonderful Toroweap trip was in September 2010. There used to be a thread on here with all of my pictures from that great trip, but this will have to do since I can't find it.

http://www.sportsmobileforum.com/for...ever-6523.html

I'm definitely up for doing this trip again. Especially since my van is lifted and I should have any problems mashing my now removed aluminum steps against a rock.

JoeH · 02-03-2018, 08:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by REF

Let’s not get anyone in trouble now.....Rest assured while I have no doubt Macs story is legit, no one ever said he did it legally.....like a select few of us here did, you’ll probably have to meet up with him at Toroweap to hear the story for yourself.

'03 Ford E350 7.3L Diesel
SMB RB50 w/CCV top
Quigley 4X4 w/Deavers & Agile RIP kit

Ha ha, no of course not. Besides I don't believe his story anyway. I've got nearly 100 river trips in Grand Canyon (as a guide and scientist) and I don't see it as logistically possible. It's 275 miles to L. Mead. A jet ski on a tank of gas can make what 50 or 75 miles? Besides, he would have had to go past numerous private and commercial river trips as well as NPS patrol trips, all with sat phones and no doubt mightily pissed off to see a jet ski poaching the crown jewel of N. American whitewater rivers. Even in the dead of winter there are trips on the water.

Anyhow, it's a National Park and somewhat special to me and really not an activity to be celebrated. Except taking it to the Man and getting away with something I suppose. But having known and worked with Kenton Grua who set the original speed record through the canyon (illegally I might add) which is also the subject of a pretty good book, The Emerald Mile by Kevin Fedarko, it sounds like a pretty good story if true.

REF · 02-03-2018, 09:41 AM

Here tis’.....see post #50

Get Together Vegas/Southern Utah in Sept(TRIP REPORT posted)
https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink?sha...0&share_type=t

'03 Ford E350 7.3L Diesel
SMB RB50 w/CCV top
Quigley 4X4 w/Deavers & Agile RIP kit

JoeH · 02-03-2018, 10:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by REF

Here tis’.....see post #50

Get Together Vegas/Southern Utah in Sept(TRIP REPORT posted)
https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink?sha...0&share_type=t

'03 Ford E350 7.3L Diesel
SMB RB50 w/CCV top
Quigley 4X4 w/Deavers & Agile RIP kit

Interesting. I would think Lava would be terrifying on a jet ski. It's plenty big enough in an 18' raft. My only flip was in Lava. Still, I was on the river ~120 days in 1996 on 6 different trips around the 1996 controlled flood. I've never heard of anyone doing it so he's probably right in that he's likely the first and the last. My guess, however, is that they came up from L. Mead. That sounds way more plausible. Guess I'll just have to see if Mac wants to tell his story again or maybe I'll make it out to the next Torroweap shindig. I'll be at Sowats Pt in April to set up a GPS base station for work and then was going to explore a bit before I have to pick it up a few days later.

Lava Falls!

**macmcintire** · 02-03-2018, 10:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoeH

Ha ha, no of course not. Besides I don't believe his story anyway. I've got nearly 100 river trips in Grand Canyon (as a guide and scientist) and I don't see it as logistically possible. It's 275 miles to L. Mead. A jet ski on a tank of gas can make what 50 or 75 miles? Besides, he would have had to go past numerous private and commercial river trips as well as NPS patrol trips, all with sat phones and no doubt mightily pissed off to see a jet ski poaching the crown jewel of N. American whitewater rivers. Even in the dead of winter there are trips on the water.

Anyhow, it's a National Park and somewhat special to me and really not an activity to be celebrated. Except taking it to the Man and getting away with something I suppose. But having known and worked with Kenton Grua who set the original speed record through the canyon (illegally I might add) which is also the subject of a pretty good book, The Emerald Mile by Kevin Fedarko, it sounds like a pretty good story if true.

In hindsight, I agree with you that we shouldn't have done it. For several reasons. The least of which is the loss of one jet ski and a lot of damage to the other. We took our trip when the canyon was being flooded by the release of water from Glen Canyon Dam. I can't remember what year this was. In was in the 1990's. We strapped four fifteen-gallon gas tanks to each jet ski. We also had a very fast downstream current, which required less throttle. And yes, we passed numerous rafting guides along the way. They were shocked to see us. We did not see any NPS employees, but we were moving pretty fast. If anyone notified the authorities about us we never saw them. Nor did we stop anywhere where there were people. We disembarked at Pearce Ferry resolved to never do such a foolish thing again.

P.S.: I've always thought it was 283 miles to Lake Mead from Lee's Ferry. And yes, it was terrifying the entire time. It was the dumbest thing I've done in my life.

**macmcintire** · 02-03-2018, 10:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by REF

Here tis’.....see post #50

Get Together Vegas/Southern Utah in Sept(TRIP REPORT posted)
https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink?sha...0&share_type=t

'03 Ford E350 7.3L Diesel
SMB RB50 w/CCV top
Quigley 4X4 w/Deavers & Agile RIP kit

The pictures start on page 8 of the thread link.

Christopher Thwaites · 02-03-2018, 04:33 PM

Hey Mac...thanks for the pictures and I'm sorry I ratted you out to the authorities. Seems like 2010 was a long time ago! After a 2 year hiatus building the Sprinter we hope to get back to some off road travel. I'm waiting to hear back from the organizers of the Canadian trip about whether a Sprinter will be able to travel the route.
Chris and Ruth

**macmcintire** · 02-03-2018, 04:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Christopher Thwaites

Hey Mac...thanks for the pictures and I'm sorry I ratted you out to the authorities. Seems like 2010 was a long time ago! After a 2 year hiatus building the Sprinter we hope to get back to some off road travel. I'm waiting to hear back from the organizers of the Canadian trip about whether a Sprinter will be able to travel the route.
Chris and Ruth

You dirty rat! I still like you and hope to cross paths with you again someday.