Canyon de Chelly and Toroweep Overlook....

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AZKJ

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Canyon de Chelly and Toroweep Overlook Trip​
May 28th - June 1st​

Beth’s cousin from England is making a trip to Arizona. We’ve put together a tour for him going to some of our favorite places we’ve seen while out exploring back country trails in Arizona and Southern Utah.

Our tour is a trip to Canyon de Chelly and the Toroweep Overlook of the Grand Canyon. We'll be leaving Phoenix May 28th and returning June 1st. We’re also going to visit Monument Valley, Valley of the God’s and a few other interesting stops along the way.

We’d like to invite anyone who would like to make all or part of the trip to join us.

Here is the itinerary we‘ve put together:

May 28th

- leave Phoenix NLT 0600
- stop for breakfast at the Rock Springs Café in Black Canyon City
- arrive in Kayenta by early afternoon, check in at the Hampton Inn
- drive the loop trail through Monument Valley
- time permitting, do the Valley of the God’s loop which is a few miles across the boarder in Utah
- dinner at Goulding’s Trading Post which is near Monument Valley
- return to the hotel

May 29th

- breakfast at the hotel
- leave NLT 0700 for Canyon de Chelly
- arrive at Visitor’s Center about 0800 and hire the guide
- spend about 8-10 hours touring the two canyons
- return to the hotel and have dinner at their dinning room

May 30th

- breakfast at the hotel
- leave NLT 0800
- stop and play on some OHV hills above Lake Powell
- continue on to Kanab, UT via Hwy 89, in southern Utah, doing a loop trail (Massey and Wilson SW 15 & SW 16) that skirts the Escalante National Monument with a short side trip to Grosvenor's Arch and stop for a short hike through Willis Creek Slot Canyon
- arrive in Kanab, check in at the motel and then have dinner

May 31st

- breakfast and leave NLT 0900 for the Toroweep Overlook of the Grand Canyon (Wells #1) which is a 120 mile round trip on a graded dirt road
- time permitting, take a quick ride through the Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park on the way back to the motel
- return to the motel and have dinner

June 1st

- leave the motel NLT 0600 for the trip back to Phoenix
- take a short detour east to Tuba City and do a trail that runs above Coal Mine Canyon, a beautiful, but rarely visited scenic canyon
- arrive back in Phoenix, stopping for dinner if anyone is interest

Note: We are required to have a Navajo guide to take us into Canyon de Chelly. The cost is $15.00 an hour for one vehicle or $20.00 and hour for up to five vehicles (we can split the cost).

Pets: No pets are allowed in Canyon de Chelly.

Hotels: We'll be staying at the following hotels:

Hampton Inn - Kayenta, AZ on May 28th and 29th

Victorian Inn B&B - Kanab, UT on May 30th and 31st

Don't let the "B&B" in the Victorian Inn scare you off. It is very nice BUT it is no more expensive than the motels in town. They have only 20 rooms and just a few are left if you are interested. Rather than booking on-line, call them direct at (435) 644-8660 and you'll get a slightly better rate.

The little motel I was planning on staying at in Fredonia has been sold and is not taking reservations at this time.

A suggestion... if you're even thinking about doing this trip, reserve your rooms now. They fill up fast at that time of year. You can always cancel a few days ahead if you can't make it.

The manifest:

AZKJ - w/co-pilot and one passenger from England flying econo class
o8k - solo
rkeegstra - w/co-pilot


Here are a few pictures from our trip up there last year:

Playing on the hills above Lake Powell….

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The entrance to Willis Creek Slot Canyon….

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Willis Creek Slot Canyon….

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The far end of Willis Creek Slot Canyon….

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The trail through the Escalante National Monument….

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Grosvenor's Arch….

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Coal Mine Canyon….

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Toroweep Overlook of the Grand Canyon (less than 5,000 people a year make it to this remote part of the canyon)….

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Also posted on AZ L.O.S.T.
 
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o8k

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AJ sounds like a fun trip, count me in, its a bit far in my future, but all things considered, im in, may have to shave off the first day or so based on my ability to get time off from work tho. If so i will find you! Beautiful pictures too by the way!
 

clmrt

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I get nervous around cliff edges and such - that last pic makes me queasy right here in front of my PC....urp
 

rkeegstra

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We're in! Especially if Willis Creek is on the itinerary.

I get nervous around cliff edges and such - that last pic makes me queasy right here in front of my PC....urp

Toroweap is pretty bad for cliff-o-phobes. Our mantra is RESPECT THE EDGE, and it applies doubly there. There are spots where you can be on a rock, and both in front of you and behind you is a precipitous drop. Don't reframe pictures with the camera up to your eye, that's how we lose so many foreign tourists into canyons.

Russ & Mary
 
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AZKJ

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We're in! Especially if Willis Creek is on the itinerary. Russ & Mary
I knew if anything, Willis Creek would get your attention!!! I've added you and Mary to the manifest.

Will you be camping or staying and the Hampton Inn we talked about last weekend? Let me know and I'll give them a call.

Here is a web site about Willis Creek and here is another site with some pictures of the slot canyon.

AJ
 
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rkeegstra

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Will you be camping or staying and the Hampton Inn we talked about last weekend? Let me know and I'll give them a call.

After much discussion and planning of alternatives, we're going to go ahead and hotel it with you guys for all four nights, so yes, please, grab us a room as well. We probably won't be doing Toroweap, but can find something to do for that day - maybe try to get a walk-in permit for The Wave.

Russ & Mary
 

AZKJ

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I get nervous around cliff edges and such - that last pic makes me queasy right here in front of my PC....urp
You want queasy, you got it - 3,000 feet straight down of queasy.... ;)

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On the edge.... :p

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rkeegstra

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I can play this game! More Toroweap pictures, that is.

I think this one is from the exact same spot your first picture is from, AJ:
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AZKJ

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LOL... if you're going to play this game, your next move is to post a pic of Mary sitting/standing on the edge or you're out!!! :p
 
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AZKJ

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(bump) this to see if anyone else is interested....
 

AZKJ

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AJ still looking at this as an option.
The more the merrier and cheaper too!!! We can split the cost of the guide which is $20.00 an hour for up to 5 vehicles. Hope you guys can make it as it's a fun trip with the sand, water crossings and lots of cliff dwellings to see....
 

AZKJ

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Bumping this back to the top...

Casey, Mike, anyone else???
 

Signcutter21

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AJ, not so good news. I will not be able to make this great trip. I'm so bummed about it. Gas prices, noisey jeep, work commitment etc. ect excuses excuses I know. I'd tell you to take lots of great pics, but I know you guys will. Cant wait for the write up of your trip.

Mike
 

AZKJ

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Mike... sorry to hear you can't make it. Yeah, gas is going to be an issue. I guess we'll just tighten our belts. You got it... between me, Russ and Mary, we'll post up a lot of pics.

How about a run down your way?

AJ
 

Signcutter21

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Yeah been wanting another trip up to the Chiries. Just went with Exped Portal gang for a couple days of camping and exploring. We did some serious exploring of the Kasper/ Hilltop tunnel. Probably a mile plus of tunnel in that place. I've got a pretty busy may and june. but i'll see what I can put together.
mike
 
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