Inner Gorge above Phantom (Leighty)
Mile 87.2 - View WNW of the Inner Gorge above Phantom Ranch. The north end of the Kaibab suspension bridge can be seen at lower left. Granitic dikes form the light-colored streaks and Brahma Schist makes up the darker rocks.

Vishnu and Zoroaster (Leighty)
Mile 87.2 - In this part of the Inner Gorge, the Vishnu Metamorphic Complex rocks (schists and gneisses) are typically greenish gray in color, whereas the Zoroaster Plutonic Complex rocks (granitic dikes) are pink.

Kaibab suspension bridge (Leighty)
Mile 87.4 - Floating under the Kaibab suspension bridge (completed in 1928), which is 440 feet long and 60 feet above the river. The Bright Angel bridge a half mile downstream was built in 1967.

Bottom of the South Kaibab trail (Leighty)
Mile 87.4 - Close-up of the Kaibab suspension bridge where it emerges on the south side of the river.

South Kaibab bridge and trail (Leighty)
Mile 87.4 - View S passing under the bridge. The South Kaibab trail can be seen winding its way down on the right. The metamorphic rocks from here to Hermit Creek are again considered to be high grade (upper amphibolite facies).

Close-up of Plateau Point (Leighty)
Mile 89.1 - Plateau Point overlook is at the upper left atop the Tapeats Sandstone. The Great Unconformity is at the bottom of the Tapeats cliff. Along with Zoroaster granitic rocks (1700 to 1660 Ma), metamorphic rocks of the Vishnu Schist (1750 Ma) and Rama Schist and Gneiss (1750 Ma) underlie Plateau Point. The Rama is composed of largely metavolcanic rocks that were probably felsic volcanic rocks (like rhyolite) originally.

River boulder (Leighty)
Mile 89.1 - A large boulder parts the water beneath Plateau Point.

Granitic dike (Leighty)
Mile 89.5 - A large felsic intrusion in the Brahma Schist (1750 Ma). The Brahma is composed largely of metavolcanic rocks that probably were mafic volcanic rocks (like basalt) originally. The Vishnu, Rama, and Brahma are part of the larger Vishnu Metamorphic Complex and Yavapai Supergroup. This intrusion is probably related to the nearby 89.6-Mile pluton, which is similar to the Garden Creek pluton.

Horn Creek Rapid looms ahead (Leighty)
Mile 90.0 - View WNW approaching Horn Creek Rapid ({10}; 10' drop), named for the spiraling water that rushes against two prominent boulders. The Horn pluton is just downstream of the rapid. It is part of the Ruby Superunit that contains mostly foliated granodiorite and diorite.

Below Granite Rapid (Leighty)
Mile 93.4 - Granite Rapid ({9}; 17' drop) forms as Monument Creek combines with two smaller drainages to deposit debris in the river. Despite the name, most of the bedrock here is mostly Vishnu Schist, albeit with abundant granite dikes. See VIDEO and VIDEO.

Cope Butte (Leighty)
Mile 94.3 - View S of Cope Butte where the Hermit Trail descends to the Tonto Platform. The elevation atop Cope Butte is 4528 feet, roughly 2200 feet above the river.

Scouting Crystal (Leighty)
Mile 98.2 - John and Zack scout Crystal.

Granitic dikes below Crystal Rapid (Leighty)
Mile 98.2 - Prominent Zoroaster dikes in the darker metamorphic rock. The Early Proterozoic rocks in this area are generally lower in metemorphic grade (lower amphibolite facies) than those upstream.

The head of Crystal (Leighty)
Mile 98.2 - A large Zoroaster dike at the head Crystal Rapid.

Intrusions near Emerald (Leighty)
Mile 104 - A lighter-colored granitic dike intrudes darker granodiorite-diorite. Emerald Rapid is also known as "wannabe Ruby".

Rounded Ruby rocks (Leighty)
Mile 104.5 - In general, the Zoroaster Plutonic Complex rocks are typically more rounded in appearance (like the Ruby pluton granodiorite-diorite shown here) than the more layered, highly foliated metamorphic rocks. The Ruby pluton is the last major pluton exposed along the river in the Upper Granite Gorge.

Proterozoic cliff (Leighty)
Mile 104.5 - A massive cliff looms above Ruby Rapid ({6}; 11' drop).

Return of the Unkar near Shinumo Creek (Leighty)
Mile 107.9 - View NW of the rocks of the Grand Canyon Supergroup overlying the Vishnu Schist. The Vishnu forms the cliffs near the river. The Bass Limestone forms the ledges above the Vishnu. A thick Cardenas Basalt sill forms the dark-colored slope and hill above the Bass. The small knob and ledges above the sill are the Hakatai Shale. The North Bass Trail passes to the right of the Hakatai knob as it travels from the river to Shinumo Creek.

Shinumo Creek (Leighty)
Mile 108.6 - Just above Shinumo Rapid ({4}; 8' drop) is Shinumo Creek, with a short, easy walk to a great waterfall. I saw some kind of bright green snake (not a rattler) back near the boats here.

Shinumo Creek waterfall (Leighty)
Mile 108.6 - About 100 meters from the river, Shinumo Creek falls toward the Colorado River. See VIDEO.

Shinumo Creek waterfall (Leighty)
Mile 108.6 - It's an effort to stand up beneath these falls.

Shinumo Creek (Leighty)
Mile 108.6 - Below the falls, the final quiet journey of Shinumo Creek.

Monument fold (Leighty)
Mile 115.9 - Deformed Tapeats Sandstone in the area near Explorers Monument and Elves Chasm (which was a little too crowded to visit on this trip). This fold is termed a monocline becuase the beds are relatively flat above (left) and below (right) the fold. Monoclines are common in northern Arizona. This fold was formed during the compressional tectonism of the Laramide Orogeny (60 to 50 Ma). Some of the movement on the Butte Fault in the eastern Grand Canyon is of the same age.

Sheep in Tapeats (Leighty)
Mile 117.8 - More sheep.

Blacktail Canyon (Leighty)
Mile 120.0 - The dark entrance to Blacktail Canyon beckons near the beginning of Conquistador Aisle. The Great Unconformity is well exposed here, where the Tapeats Sandstone overlies the Brahma Schist.

Violin concert (Leighty)
Mile 120.0 - Ana treats us to a cool violin concert in the Blacktail slot. See PANORAMA and VIDEO.

Ana (Leighty)
Mile 120.0 - Our talented swamper plays the violin. See PANORAMA and VIDEO.

Blacktail concert (Leighty)
Mile 120.0 - An incredible backdrop for music. See PANORAMA and VIDEO.

Boudinage in the Proterozoic rocks (Leighty)
Mile 120.0 - Stretched quartz veins in the Brahma Schist form as rocks are heated and stretched under ductile conditions deep within the Earth's crust. Boudinage is French for sausage links. Quartz forms the boudins because it has more strength than the surrounding schist.

Conquistador Redwall at 122-mile camp (Leighty)
Mile 122.1 - At the west end of Conquistador Aisle, a massive cliff of Redwall towers over camp from the south side of the river. See SKETCH.