Irene working on breakfast wraps. She was gifted at puffing and charing the tortillas just right. Rus and Dennis comisserate over "Cowboy Coffee." The early risers, us old guys, would boll a big pot of water, then add half a bag of ground coffee directly to the water. It would sit for 20 minutes to let the grounds settle. Then, one carefully ladled the coffee into a cup. It was strong and good.

Both the outfitter and the Park Ranger placed emphasis on not getting sick during the trip. The trip is committing, and a sick traveler has the choice of hiking up 4,000 feet on one of a few trails, or paying for a helicopter rescue. Dish washing had a precise formula. In bucket 1, food was washed from the dishes in cold river water. In bucket 2 they received a warm soapy wash. In bucket three they were rinsed in warm water with a cap of chlorox added. In bucket 4, they were rinsed again in cold water with a cap of chlorox. The dishes were then air dried in the net bag, allowing the chlorox to dry on the dishes.

The Groover:

A strict requirement by Park regulation is that all solid human waste be removed from the canyon. Urine was to be placed in the river, not on the soil. Other waste had to be taken out. A World War II system of pooping into a 20MM ammo can was used. In war there were no toilet seats, so the user was left with two tell-tale grooves on his bottom. Hence, the cans were called, "groovers." We had the luxury of a toilet seat. We also needed a pee bucket, as any urine in the can would increase its odor substantially.

To compensate for the indignity of doing one's toilet in a can, we tried to site the groover in the most scenic location possible, privacy permitting. Indeed, we had some beautiful spots.

The system worked fairly well, except that the heat of the day caused the gases in the cans to expand, releasing some fumes into the raft. Dan, Charlie and I had all the groovers in our raft. We noticed that we rafted alone a lot.

Dan enjoying the splendor and privacy of the groover.

Mornings were enchanting as the sun moved steadily into the canyon.

There were always more things to explore than time available. In this case, the water-filled caves were inviting.

Mark rows past waterfalls spewing from the Redwall. Photo: Amber

Running the riffle around a rock jam.

REDWALL CAVERN

Redwall Cavern is a popular stopping place. Mitch catches the eddy up to the cavern.

Walking back into the cavern.

Bocce Ball in Redwall Canyon. Photo: Mark

Ready to move on at Redwall Cavern Photo: Mark

Exploring the smooth limestone of Nautiloid Canyon. Here chambered nautilus fossils can be seen in the rock.

Fossil of a Chambered Nautilus

Curious weathering in the rock, probably caused by dissolved fossils.

Completely different wear, likely due to water flow.

From the Pacific Northwest, Dana has explored the outdoors throughout her life. Photo: Rus

With little access for fishermen, the rainbow trout were plentiful. Photo: Dana