270 Camp to Pearce Ferry – Grand Canyon Days 16 & 17

We only had to cover 9 more miles to get to the takeout and had a full day to do it, so this was a pretty relaxing day on the water. We started off with a relaxed morning around camp. I took a few more photos of the travertine cave I had stayed in for the night now that there was more light, and then checked out a couple of small hot springs that were adjacent to the camp. They weren’t that hot, but it was neat to see warm water come bubbling up out of the ground.

I think the travertine looks biological when you see it up close like this
The larger of the hot springs near our camp. The plant life clearly appreciates the consistent source of water.

Much like the day before, the Colorado is very calm, very wide, and very slow through this section. It was a laid back trip, though it did require constant rowing to make sure we were still making progress.

Looking downstream towards the last curve in the river before we paddle out of the canyon
One of the many slides we saw along the side of the river as we passed

Though it was a short day on the river, it wouldn’t be complete without a lunch time stop. The stop for this section of the river was Columbine Falls. It was a short hike up to this pretty little ribbon of water that flowed down the wall. According to the guidebook this used to be a much more impressive sight though, as the canyon it drops into has been slowly filling up with silt because of the slow pace of the river below. There were signs of the accumulation all around, as we hopped across the rocks at the bottom of the falls.

Looking up at Columbine Falls
Another “book of worms” rock that was laying by the side of the trail. Honestly this was even more impressive than the actual book we had seen a few days earlier

True to form, the canyon did have one more surprise in store for me. It became obvious as we got closer and closer to our camp that the canyon was not going to slowly fade away, but would have to end suddenly. However, even knowing that it was incredible to see how it changed all at once. After we left Columbine Falls the river rounded a bend and cut right out into the surrounding low desert. The cliffs simply ended over the course of a quarter mile of water, leaving us in completely different terrain. By the time we got to camp a mile later you would never know that the canyon was even there. The entrance simply blended into the edge of the Colorado Plateau in the distance. It was pretty surreal, and also made for another unique camp on a sandbar.

Looking upstream from the Columbine Falls trail head. Can you tell we are a half mile from flat terrain?
Our last camp. No lack of space at this one! Definitely a lack of cliffs though…

We all relaxed that evening, played some bocce (I finally won one), and reminisced on the trip and everything we had experienced. The next morning we floated the last half a mile to the takeout and disassembled the rafts. It was an epic adventure. 17 days on the water, miles of hiking, thousands of photos, and more stories than I can count. I would recommend the trip to anyone that loves the outdoors, and I’m sure I’ll be back at some point.

Pearce Ferry Rapid is the reason for the takeout. That wave in the middle would have no trouble flipping a raft

Taken 11/11/21 & 11/12/21