River Runners for Wilderness presents this report of conditions for those river trips traveling below Diamond Creek in Grand Canyon National Park. This update covers the Colorado River from Diamond Creek at river mile 226 to South Cove at river mile 297.
Lake MeadLevel and End of Current
As of August 23, 2010, Lake Mead's water surface stood at approximately 1087 feet above mean sea level, 138 feet below the lake's maximum elevation of 1225 feet.
The drop of ten feet in the reservoir level since January of this year has re-created two nick point rapids, in the Devil’s Cove and Gregg Basin area upstream of the South Cove take-out. These two rapids are rated as Class III on the I to V International Scale of River Difficulty.
As of August 18, 2010, river runners traveling downstream of Diamond Creek will come to the end of river current at approximately river mile 294.5. This is roughly three miles from South Cove. While there is good current all the way to the Iceberg Reef area, river runners are advised to keep an eye out for sandbars and other navigational hazards in Iceberg Canyon.
Diamond Creek
The Hualapai Nation does not allow vehicles to be parked at Diamond Creek overnight. The Hualapai Nation strongly requests that river runners schedule their Diamond Creek put-ins and take-outs before 7 AM or after 10 AM, as the 7 AM to 10 AM time is used to launch downstream Hualapai River Runners river trips.
The Hualapai Diamond Creek road access fee is $60 per person (shuttle drivers and river runners) and $60 per vehicle if you pay the day you launch. This fee applies whether arriving or departing from Diamond Creek. A Hualapai Tribal tax of 7% is now added to the $60 cost, for a total of $64.25 per person/driver. This fee is decreased to $55 plus tax if you pay in advance. For fee information contact the Hualapai Tribe River Running office at (928) 769-2219.
New Rapids and Other Hazards
At river mile 275.5, the river current is still being deflected off of a submerged cliff on river left and forced into vegetation on river right. Care should be taken here to avoid floating into strainers along the right bank and right third of the main river channel. Look for a clear side stream entering the river here on river right.
Pearce Ferry Rapid is a must-scout Class V nick point rapid at river mile 280.8. Nick point rapids are formed where the Colorado River bed traverses over exposed rock outcrops. River runners are advised that this rapid does not look like or behave like the debris fan rapids encountered upstream.
All the river current goes straight into a reverse wave as the river runs into a hillside at full force and makes a sharp right turn. Meanwhile, bedrock islands have formed at the throat of the rapid.
Night floating through this area is NOT recommended. Scouting on river left is recommended, and wearing lifejackets is a must.
At Pearce Ferry Rapid, there is an exposed rock ledge in the center right of the rapid, and at lower water levels, a new rock is emerging as an extension of this rock ledge in the center of the left tongue.
Due to increased down-cutting of the left channel, the right slot is now a series to two four foot drops. The right chute allows lining options if river runners are not confident in their skills to navigate the left channel.
The channel on the left side of the rock ledge leads into what is now called “Lava West”, a series of very large holes, with a strong secondary hydraulic below these holes and a series of exposed rocks in mid channel at lower water levels.
This rapid continues to change and will no doubt impact upstream channel flows in the near future as the rapid down-cutting continues. Photos taken of this rapid August 17 and 18, 2010 have been posted at the RRFW Pearce Ferry Rapid Gallery here:
https://rrfw.org/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=35
There is a Class II riffle at the Driftwood Island nick point between miles 286.5 and 287.0. The Devils Cove nick point at river mile 292.3, and Greg Basin nick point at 293.0 are Class III rapids at this writing. Please approach this area with caution as conditions can change quickly depending on the level of Lake Mead. Photos of the Devils Cove Rapid taken August 18, 2010, are at the RRFW Devils Cover Rapid Gallery here:
https://rrfw.org/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=36
and a Gregg Basin nick point Rapid photo is posted at the RRFW Gregg Basin Rapid Gallery here:
https://rrfw.org/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=37
Jet Boat Operations
Jet boat operations are occurring most days in the summer along the 40 miles from Pearce Ferry Ramp to Separation Canyon. Typically, jet boats will not slow down for muscle powered watercraft, and their wake is substantial.
New Pearce Ferry Take-Out
The Pearce Ferry take out ramp is operational, with mud/dirt take out areas either side of a middle concrete ramp also covered with mud/dirt. The concrete ramp is for removing watercraft by trailer. Two parking areas are adjacent to the take-out, and two portable bathrooms are in the lower parking lot.
Lake Mead National Recreation Area does not allow river runners to launch at Pearce Ferry Ramp for the day run to South Cove. River runners arriving from Diamond Creek or Lee’s Ferry are allowed to proceed.
Photos taken August 17, 2010 of the Ramp are at the RRFW Pearce Ferry Ramp Gallery posted here:
https://rrfw.org/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=38
Campsite Update
The first good campsite below Diamond Creek is on river right at the foot of Diamond Creek Rapid. Additional camp options include Travertine Canyon at 229.3 left and Travertine Falls at 230.6 left. There is a nice camp on river right at 231 Mile.
Bridge Canyon Camp at 235.3 mile is campable, but a flash flood at Gneiss Canyon Camp at river mile 236 makes pulling into this camp difficult. Bridge City Camp just above river mile 239 and Separation Canyon Camp at river mile 239.8 are campable. The camp at mile 243 is still useable.
There is a large camp at mile 246.3 river left on cobble at Spencer Canyon. The Surprise Canyon Camp at river mile 248.7 is large and on a gravel outwash of Surprise Canyon.
A low water camp is along the right shore at Burnt Springs Canyon at mile 259.8 river right. There is a small camp for a small group at mile 261.2 on river left. Campers at these camps will note a heavy volume of helicopter activity.
A large mid river sand bar offers camping at mile 265.5, and there is shore camping on river right at this location as well. Sand bar camps are susceptible to complete and unanticipated inundation at any time, especially during the monsoon season.
There is a camp on a sandy beach at mile 271.0 and at 271.4, both on river left. A small and long camp has formed on river left just above mile 274. A large beach camp is at 279.4, however the pull-in is easy to miss and river runners looking to camp at this location will need to be ready to pull to shore on river left and look for the best place to camp. There is a nice camp at mile 280.0 on river right just above the Pearce Ferry Ramp at mile 280.15 on river left.
There is a large sandy camp just below the Pearce Ferry riffle at approximately 281 Mile on river left. A corner camp with access to the river for cattle is at 284.0 on river right. There is a camp at Lava Point on river right at 286.1 river right. New large sandbar camps without shade have formed at Devils Cove to Gregg Basin around river mile 292.5 to 293.5 on both sides of the river.
There are many camps on Lake Mead above and below Sandy Cove and above South Cove on the Arizona side of the reservoir (east side).
National Park Service rangers note that no camping is allowed at the Pearce Ferry and South Cove ramp and take-out areas.
Pearce Ferry and South Cove Takeout Information
The Mead View SCAT (toilet wash out) machine is operable at this time, but as of August 18 did not have either potable or recycled water available for clean up purposes. The NPS notes it is illegal to leave unattended toilet cans at this location.
River runners are asked to be patient and understanding in the de-rig area at Pearce Ferry as public rafters, Hualapai, and river concessions rafters are all taking out in the same area. River runners are encouraged to maintain as small a take-out footprint as possible, and to de-rig as quickly as possible. Early morning take-outs are recommended in the high use seasons of late spring, summer and early fall, to beat the heat and crowds. Daytime temperatures in the heat of summer can reach 115 degrees.
Night Floats
The NPS is still suggesting river runners avoid night floats due to the existence of rapids, the potential for collision risk with other watercraft and or submerged trees. A new navigational hazard includes a cable exposed in the sediment bank at mile 266.85 on river left that runs at an angle down into the river at the Bat Towers.
All night float trips, as per US Coast Guard regulations, must have a person on watch with a lantern or flashlight ready to warn oncoming boats. Any boats with a motor running at night (only four stroke motors allowed), whether tied together as a single craft or running as separate craft, must have navigation lights displayed red/green on the front and a white 360 degree light at the stern (back of the boat visible 360 degrees).
Other Information
Helicopter and tour boat activity continues to increase near Quartermaster Canyon. An operational fleet of eleven to twelve powered pontoon boats operate out of two floating docks between 262 and 263 Mile. These pontoon boats conduct 20 minute boat trips for helicopter passengers from Grand Canyon West and Las Vegas. These boats ply the section of river around 262 Mile daily, with intense helicopter activity in this area sunrise to sunset.
River runner trash can be deposited at the Cerbat Landfill on the drive to Kingman on highway 93. The landfill turnoff is at mile marker 60, and the landfill site is 2 miles north from 93 up the Mineral Park road. Landfill hours are M-F 7 to 3, Sat 8 to 3, closed Sunday. Landfill fees are $29.75/ton cash or local check only, with a minimum load fee of $5.85 for 300 pounds or less.
For Homeland Security purposes, all trailers and box trucks are being inspected on either side of Hoover Dam. Box trucks and trailers need a clear aisle down the middle of the load for visual inspections of 80% of the load. Inspectors may re-route any or all of your group at their discretion. The Hoover Dam Bypass Bridge is scheduled to open in November of 2010, and will have no security check stations.
For river runners traveling east, the Stockton Hill Road is paved all the way to Kingman. The turnoff for the Stockton Hill Road is a quarter mile south of the dirt and washboard Antares Road to Antares on Highway 66.
The Wildcat Hill Solid Waste Treatment Facility in Flagstaff allows river toilet clean outs and provides a large grated dump port and ample water for cleaning out containers. There is a $1 per container fee.