Black Canyon-Kayaking in the Arizona Desert

bearthedog · Jun 19, 2012

After the Angeles Forest trip I headed out to the desert for a kayaking camp trip in the great southwest.

Paddled out of Willow Beach about 4 miles to Cranes Nest Canyon.

Saw this along the way Emerald Cave

Camp- Cranes Nest Canyon

Thickets of Tamarisk

I may have crossed the line

Those chicks from Little House on the Prairie were onto something, bonnets rule.

Temperature at 5:30 pm

Got wood

Fire craft practice with natural materials and new fire steel

These coffee beans had a funny taste

Time to really make fire without man made tinder and using only a SAK

Used thin fuzz sticks as tinder

Add thin dry stuff slowly

Moving onto pencil and finger-thick pieces

Spatula and serving knife

Thai soup mixer

All purpose kindling maker, I was using my hands and steping on them, but the thorns were drawing blood

Night time temps

Morning coffee was made with dry tamarisk and small twigs

Some gear

Heading back

ivan51 · Jun 19, 2012

cool fire steel where did you pick that up at?

silverbullets · Jun 19, 2012

damn bro, everytime I see your pics it makes me wish I were someplace else, what a life enjoy

tknife · Jun 19, 2012

Some serious back to back adventures you had, that's awesome :thumbup: That emerald cave is especially amazing, wow!

silverbullets · Jun 19, 2012

tknife said:
Some serious back to back adventures you had, that's awesome :thumbup: That emerald cave is especially amazing, wow!

I bet the water was refreshing in that heat too

WILLIAM.M · Jun 19, 2012

silverbullets said:
damn bro, everytime I see your pics it makes me wish I were someplace else, what a life enjoy

I agree---

and please keep poting your trips Bro....

MikeyJ · Jun 19, 2012

What a great trip! Excellent photo essay on firemaking too! How did that little Candiru fair for you?

grunt soldier · Jun 19, 2012

great pics man. you sure live the life brother. that green water in emerald cave was awesome

pitdog · Jun 20, 2012

Amazing pics as always buddy, I especially love this one, very jealous !!!

bearthedog · Jun 22, 2012

ivan51 said:
cool fire steel where did you pick that up at?

It was given to me by a friend. I think he had the handles made and just put his own firesteel inside it. Cocobolo wood.

MikeyJ said:
What a great trip! Excellent photo essay on firemaking too! How did that little Candiru fair for you?

The little Candi was the perfect easy-to-get-at knife, especially since my SAK was the only other small knife I had it would take a little longer to get out of my pouch and open.

-RB

kgd · Jun 23, 2012

Awesome pictures Bear. For some reason, whenever I wear a bonnette, I look like a flaming fat guy...

bearthedog · Jun 23, 2012

kgd said:
Awesome pictures Bear. For some reason, whenever I wear a bonnette, I look like a flaming fat guy...

Don't let that stop you!
I end up looking like a terrorist hiding under a bonet.

-RB

22-rimfire · Jun 23, 2012

When I wear a "bonnet", I look like a girl. I guess your beard helps in that department.

Very nice pictures documenting your trip. Since I am not familiar with the area, were you paddling up river or was this empounded water. It looks like it is flowing to me. You seemed to be well prepared in the blade department!

Did you put in and take out at the same location? That is always the barrier for me in paddling rivers alone.

bearthedog · Jun 23, 2012

22-rimfire said:
When I wear a "bonnet", I look like a girl. I guess your beard helps in that department.

Very nice pictures documenting your trip. Since I am not familiar with the area, were you paddling up river or was this empounded water. It looks like it is flowing to me. You seemed to be well prepared in the blade department!

Yes, it was up the Colorado River and surprisingly, up the next day as we went back.

Blades: As long as I got simple, light cutting tools I feel prepared!

-RB