June 23, 2018 - Leaving the Grand Canyon

We got up a little earlier than usual, because the first helicopter was arriving at 7AM.

We had a continental breakfast instead of the usual eggs to order, then loaded our Night Bags into the boats, never to see them again.  Today, the guides would take the boats all the way down to Lake Mead where they would be trailered back to Marble Canyon.  Notice the side pontoons have been removed from the boats, deflated and stored on the boat.

 
   
This little sandy space surrounded by bush was where Lynnette and I had our cots last night.  A prime spot!
   
Looking west down the river in the cool morning shade.
   
It's never what you expect.  I had imagined Whitmore Helipad to be this asphalt-covered area with some facilities.
 
This is the Helipad!  A ten-foot diameter area of packed dirt.
   
Our group after a week on the river.  It had been an awesome adventure, but I think we were all ready to return to civilization.
   
And here comes the first helicopter!
   
The helo looked pretty small against the big rocks.  We were very happy to be airlifted out of the canyon, and not have to hike out.
   
The chopper could only carry five people plus their 25 pounds of baggage each.  Weight is critical; they were very careful about it.  They asked everyone's weight and actually weighed the baggage.  Plus the reason we were flying out so early was to avoid the heat later in the day.  The helo performs much better when it is cooler.
 
The order of departure was all scheduled.  Lynnette and I were almost the last to go, since we were flying to Marble Canyon and not Las Vegas.
   
There goes the first group in the helo.
   
Matt heads down the river to Lake Mead.
   
 
   
We are in the helo!
   
We takeoff, and fly down the river a short ways.
   
Then we start climbing.  The pilot flew very, VERY close to the north side.
   
 
   
Did I mention we flew CLOSE to the north canyon walls?
   
Almost there ...
   
And we're out!  Above the Rim.   Scott said if the helicopters weren't available for some reason, it was only an hour or two hike on the Whitmore Trail to the top of the rim, where you would be met by a shuttle van, which would take you to the Bar 10 Ranch, ten or so miles away.  Still, I was happy the helos were flying.
   
Then we skimmed low over the desert.  Very low.  My kind of flying.  At one point, one of the other helicopters came whizzing down our left side, heading back to the river.
   
About to land at the Bar 10 Ranch, looking back the way we had came, towards the river.
   
We made it.  The flight was less than 10 minutes.  Long enough for Lynnette.  The heli-pad here might have been smaller Whitmore Helipad.  Apparently helicopters don't need a whole lot of pad.
   
The Bar 10 Ranch was a very nice facility.  They have the helipad, of course, a 2,500 ft asphalt runway, a little airline terminal counter, a gift store, an air-conditioned lounge area, and most of all:  bathrooms and showers!
   
Looking down at the runway, which is public use.  I'll have to land here someday.
   
A view of the main lodge area.
   
You can even vacation at the Bar 10 Ranch!  Those covered-wagons are actually the hotel rooms.
   
A close-up of a "room".  I didn't see any signs of occupants though.  Although still morning, it was already getting very hot.  I don't think this is the best time of the year to stay at the Ranch.
   
Most of our group was flying fixed-wing to Boulder Airport, and then being shuttled to Las Vegas McCarron Airport to catch flights back home.  So they went first.  Steve, Lynnette and I, and another famiy from our group, had to wait a couple of hours for our fixed-wing flight to Marble Canyon airport.  Not a problem -- I fell asleep on the plus, luxurious sofa in the air-conditioned lounge watching a documentary about the Grand Canyon.
   
There is our ride, a nice-looking Twin Otter.  The airport attendants are prepping the plane and loading the baggage.  They are also the pilots!
   
The Twin-Otter is swinging Hartzell props, just like my plane does.
   
Just after takeoff, there is the dirt road that leads back to the Grand Canyon.
   
Nice overhead shot of the Bar 10 Ranch at bottom and the Bar 10 Airstrip at top.
   
We headed east northeast and overflew the Kanab Creek Canyon, a northern offshoot of the Grand Canyon, but outside its special use airspace.  I flew this canyon in my airplane a year and a half ago.
   
A better look at Kanab Creek Canyon.
   
AAA
   
Pretty.
   
Then we were over the Kaibab Plateau and the North Kaibab Forest.
   
Now we are descending from the Plateau into the big valley containing Marble Canyon and the Colorado River.
   
There's the that road we drove last week when driving to the Cliff Dweller's Lodge.  Seems like a million years ago.
   
Descending below the Vermillion Cliffs.
   
And very close to the Cliffs, as a matter of fact!  I was wondering why, as I doubt if an IFR approach to Marble Canyon Airport would be required today when there isn't a cloud in the blue sky.   Maybe the pilot was just having fun.
   
 
   

Here's a picture of our pilot working hard on final approach.

We made it!  A Hatch van met us at the Marble Canyon airport and drove us back to the Cliff Dweller's Lodge where our rental car was.  And that was that.  The Grand Canyon adventure was over.
   
Lynnette and I got the car at the Hatch Facility, then had a nice lunch at the Marble Canyon Lodge.  We stopped at Navajo Bridge to take one last look at the river.
   
 
   
 
It was a little warm at Marble Canyon.  Check out the temperature on the car display.
   
That was us, a week ago, floating down the river!
   
 
   
 
   
 
   
On the drive to Page, we stopped at this overlook.  You can just see the jagged rim of Marble Canyon running through the valley.
   
 
   
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