Chapter 5: Clear Creek/ Iceberg Canyon/ The End

After hiking Friday, some of us, okay—I—had to get off my tenderized feet for a while. A group of us sat around and played Quiddler, while others wrestled the Willow Monster. The evening was spent enjoying good company and good food. Saturday morning, we packed up to find a new campsite closer to the Marina so our long float Sunday morning wouldn’t be quite so long. Along the way, we stopped in Clear Creek to explore a bit. There, we parked the houseboat, (named “Powell Around”) and loaded into the raft, or wave runners, to see further up Clear Creek. We were pleased to find a beautiful little waterfall with velvety sand beaches to play in. After Clear Creek, we left the Escalante and joined the Main Channel again. Another wonderfully long, relaxing float…and we headed into Iceberg Canyon.

Different from the Escalante and Willow, but beautiful in it’s own unique way, Iceberg Canyon was a delight. Uncle Kevin once again found an incredible campsite. After Captain’s 12-point-turnaround through the cottonwood skeletons to park the houseboat, we disembarked to another gorgeous camp. Desertbound, Michex and myself braved the cold waters and bathed and washed our hair amid the skeletal remains of trees. So fun. Laughed SO hard at the whole skinny dipping/breeching thing. Being our last night, I didn’t set up our tent, but chose instead to sleep on the upper deck underneath the stars. I remember falling asleep to the sounds of Tall-Taler Bob telling old stories to a new audience. Besides the snoring of Stan, and the UFO (unidentified floating object) that night, we slept quite peacefully under the Milky Way, which was squeezed between the dark, canyon walls. The next morning, I decided to go for an early morning stroll up our private canyon. I hadn’t gone far when I heard Dreampacker calling for my assistance. She had become precariously perched on some steep-ish slick rock and had been waiting for help to arrive. This is where I don’t mention “natural selection”… (love ya, Mom!) We packed up and again bade farewell to another special place in the vast desert.

The float back to the Marina was interrupted only to give the houseboat an enema—I mean, uh…pump out the “septic tank” at the nearest “dump station”…. We had a lot of people on the boat….apparently…who ate well….anyway, moving along…

The unloading of the houseboat at the marina went a little more smoothly than the loading, we didn’t have nasty winds to compete with. I don’t know how many handcart trips back and forth it took…too many. On our way home, we stopped in Hanksville to grab some grub at the local diner. This diner had about ten stairs leading up to a raised porch and the front door. After ordering my dinner, I turned back out to the front porch (of the crowded diner) in time to see NAM living up to his name…off the porch into the bushes. This arch had quite the span. Apparently, the bushes looked thirsty, and NAM was able to do something about it. Nice way to end the trip, eh?! (No, he never peed off the boat…to my knowledge…)

Above: playing quiddler after a great hike. Photo by....Desertbound?

Above: Me in Clear Creek. Photo by Desertbound

Above: the kids in the sand in Clear Creek

Above: Iceberg Canyon

Above: At home in Iceberg. Photo by Grizzly Bob

Above: NAM spent hours playing in the sand.

Above: Our entire group! Love ya!
(For more pics and stories, see the blogs of Desertbound, Sayyadina, and Dreampacker)