River miles 140-165; Matkatamiba Canyon
In Gary's oar boat again, we ran a few small rapids before making a tricky landing at the
entrance to Matkatamiba Canyon. We walked through a slot canyon and up a creek. We chimneyed up
and over the creek, and scrambled over boulders until the canyon opened up into an amphitheater
with sheer rock walls. We lounged for a bit, and then walked up the creek for a while.
In the afternoon, a hot wind blew upriver. We poured jugs of cold river water over ourselves to
keep cool. Evan lounged on the raft, and said he was a plant and needed to be watered. We camped at
Tuckup, at mile 165.
looking downriver as the sun started to light up the canyon walls
Evan played in the sand while the guides finished loading the boats.
The colors, shape, and light of the canyon changed continuously.
After the guides made a tricky landing just above a rapid, we walked up the creek into Matkatamiba Canyon.
Some spots in the canyon required chimneying.
The canyon opened up into a beautiful wide flat area surrounded by towering walls of rock.
We followed the creek upstream to see where it went.
The canyon walls went almost straight up hundreds of feet.
We saw new views with every turn of the creek.
on our way out of Matkatamiba Canyon
Sometimes the river disappeared around a bend in the distance.
Sometimes we could see the rim way above us in the distance.
The bighorn sheep really like to eat the invasive bermuda grass.
Our guide had a jug for pouring cool river water over ourselves to keep cool in the heat.
We camped at Tuckup, around mile 165.
We brought paperback books to read before dinner.
looking upriver from Tuckup camp