2013 TE at the North Rim of GCNP - Lots o pics

[Fergie]

Mods, I didn't see a trip report section, so I figure I'll this here, but if it in the wrong forum, my apologies and move as needed.

I've spent the past 27 months in grad school, recently finished with the program and had taken the national certification exam....and was impatiently waiting on results. So, the wife told me to get out of the house for several days, and I decided to go to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.

Over three days, I saw one other vehicle and two motos, and spent 70 some miles off-road. I camped one night at Point Sublime, and then went out to Fire Point, then back to Highway 67.

Just past Lee's Ferry


Thought the sign was appropriate.


A few miles in, greeted with amazing views.


Before taking this picture, I spooked a herd of beefalo and wild turkey, just chilling in a meadow. The turkeys paid me no mind, but the bison took off, and it sounded like thunder. Thankfully, they went the other direction.




The Widforss Trail road is much less traveled than other ways to Point Sublime. There were several mogul sections going down hill, so I got out for a quick shot of how the suspension was doing...no issues.


Just on to the road out to Point Sublime, I met this:


I made it around after a delay...would have given my left nut for my Husqvarna right then and got some good views of the canyon.


And a view from camp for the night:


Another shot of Point Sublime and my camp.


Leaving Point Sublime:

 

[Fergie]

Part 2

The next morning, I headed out to Fire Point. I chased this guy a good 3-400 yards, until he took a break long enough for me to get a pic.



And then met another downed tree. This one was a helluva lot easier to get off the trail, so on I went.


I had to wait out a storm at Fire Point, but then things cleared up and I was left with myself and the wind.


It was chilly in the morning, but not terrible by my standards.


I bought this piece of gear at OvEx this year, and have been damn pleased with it. If you want a compact, efficient lantern, this is a decent investment.


The road out:


Back to civilization.


And, what I've been working toward for the past 5 or so years....finally done!

 

[JSparky]

Beautiful. Man I need to get out of the house.. uhg. The eatery at the north rim has really good pancakes if you ever go back.

 

[ScottR]

Great pictures, looks like a calming getaway. Need one of those myself right about now...

 

[jhebert9]

North rim

Great pics. Hope to make it there in the near future. I've run into the same problem with downed trees and carry what's called a "Pocket Chainsaw" ($29 from Campmor, $18 from Wal-Mart). It's a short chain saw blade with every other tooth reversed so it cuts in both directions. It has a loop on each end so you can work it back and forth. It's very fast, efficient and easy to store.

 

[philsey]

And, what I've been working toward for the past 5 or so years....finally done!

Congratulations on your accomplishment.

:cheers:

 

[Fergie]

Great pics. Hope to make it there in the near future. I've run into the same problem with downed trees and carry what's called a "Pocket Chainsaw" ($29 from Campmor, $18 from Wal-Mart). It's a short chain saw blade with every other tooth reversed so it cuts in both directions. It has a loop on each end so you can work it back and forth. It's very fast, efficient and easy to store.

I will definitely check that out; thanks for the recommendation!

Between this hatchet, and a take-down bucksaw, I was able to get the work done, but, I needed a good dose of Vitamin I that evening.



EDIT: Old, dry aspen is so much easier to hack apart than a freshly fallen fir.

 

[Fergie]

Congratulations on your accomplishment.

:cheers:

Very much appreciated!!!

 

[stephan07]

What an awesome getaway.

Congrats on all that hard work. What's the mileage out to the point and back? Just wondering if you carried any xtra fuel

Living in Boston....I'm quite jealous of you folks! Have been mtb in Moab a few times, but thinking next spring I take a 2week trek out there.

 

[Fergie]

Congrats on all that hard work. What's the mileage out to the point and back? Just wondering if you carried any xtra fuel

Living in Boston....I'm quite jealous of you folks! Have been mtb in Moab a few times, but thinking next spring I take a 2week trek out there.

If you were to go straight from the Park itself, to Point Sublime, it'd be about 36 miles.

Fire Point is much farther out, so, with heading to Sublime, then Fire, and back to Highway 67, it was about 70 miles all said and done.

I did not carry any extra fuel. I had topped off in Jacob's Lake before I hit the dirt, and will likely fuel up this morning....roughly 400 miles on the tank.

You could easily kill two weeks out here. Feel free to PM me if you do head this way.

 

[DesertCanyons]

GCNP photos

Thanks for the trip report. The scenery looks great. I'd do that route in heartbeat.
Pardon my ignorance, but what is a PA-C? Congrat's on completing your graduate studies.

 

[Fergie]

Thanks for the trip report. The scenery looks great. I'd do that route in heartbeat.
Pardon my ignorance, but what is a PA-C? Congrat's on completing your graduate studies.

Thank you!

PA-C are nationally certified, mid-level providers, that are able to practice medicine, in general medicine and most specialties.

The actual degree is a Master of Medical Science(MMS). We are utilized in rural settings mainly, but over the last few decades have branched out considerably.

You can read a brief history here:
https://www.aapa.org/about/history/

 

[doctorres112]

Thank you!

PA-C are nationally certified, mid-level providers, that are able to practice medicine, in general medicine and most specialties.

The actual degree is a Master of Medical Science(MMS). We are utilized in rural settings mainly, but over the last few decades have branched out considerably.

You can read a brief history here:
https://www.aapa.org/about/history/

Awesome, another PA on the forums! Army PA here, 4 more yrs until I can hang this hat up and and start work in the civilian sector!

That PANCE was a beast, huh? I swear I thought I bombed it, of course I walked away unscathed.

Congrats,

-Chris

 

[Fergie]

Awesome, another PA on the forums! Army PA here, 4 more yrs until I can hang this hat up and and start work in the civilian sector!

That PANCE was a beast, huh? I swear I thought I bombed it, of course I walked away unscathed.

Congrats,

-Chris

Right on man!

Yeah, my heart was jackhammering when I got the results email....thought I'd be taking it again in 3 months....so damn glad I passed. I'll be doing the NHSC route due to the area I'm in and the specialty I'm starting out in.

 

[doctorres112]

Right on man!

Yeah, my heart was jackhammering when I got the results email....thought I'd be taking it again in 3 months....so damn glad I passed. I'll be doing the NHSC route due to the area I'm in and the specialty I'm starting out in.

I'll likely stay Family Practice unless the Army decides to offer a Derm fellowship. Currently they offer EM, Gen Surg and Ortho, but I'm not interested in adding any more to my current commitment.

Either way, congrats again! Best "work" decision I ever made was becoming a PA.

-Chris

 

[Toffees]

Nice picks, congrats on finishing school