For the Crew:At the Ferry site we launch the boats, with laughter and bright eye.We pull upon the oars and slowly bid the world good-bye. We glide beneath the Condors’ bridge, the great birds overhead and enter Marble Canyon, with its nameless shades of red. The River drops ‘midst rising cliffs as the Canyon becomes deeper, and we watch in awe (to the Raven’s caw) as the walls grow ever steeper. The Redwall towers overhead as older rocks unfold and we ride the Unconformity into ages long untold. Between the cliffs the water drifts through quiet, languid reaches and then explodes in savage drops that roar like demon screeches. The River spins its maelstrom of deep hydraulic spasms and swallows all who fall within its churning liquid chasms. We slip into the Inner Gorge, where Schist and Granite mingle, and the River rolls relentlessly to the tune of an ancient jingle. The ragged walls reach skyward in chaotic reds and blacks, and lend their long perspective from within time’s ageless tracks. Beneath the tilted Super Group we touch that ancient Schist, whose story, tales and origin lie hidden in Earth’s mist. It rises to engulf us; we hardly speak a word as we quietly traverse the realm of Tolkien’s dark lord. The old rocks slowly sink away; we again greet former friends, and their colors permeate our souls as the River twists and bends. We camp ‘neath wider vistas now and watch the spacious sky beneath the Ravens’ strafing runs and the Bighorns’ watchful eye. Then the landscape makes a sudden shift into dark basaltic walls and we stare in awe at the Dragon’s maw of the fabled Lava Falls. We plot our course through its writhing mass and silently say our prayers; when all the boats come safely through, we gratefully shed our cares. The Canyon opens wider now in majestic, complex scenes, and we try to absorb the images, to understand what each one means. But our minds can’t grasp the eternity held within those lines of stone, so we’ll carry the thoughts of them with us, one small part of the Canyon our own. And finally, we must face the fact that our trip is nearly done, and we share our thoughts and stories about endless work and fun. We’ve gained new appreciation of why they call this place “The Grand”; it’d be just damned near perfect if it weren’t for all that Sand! |
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