Category Archives: Grand Canyon

Grand Canyoneering Film Makes Splash at Telluride

Posted on June 15, 2012 by

Dan Ransom’s 22-minute documentary, “Last of the Great Unknown,” is receiving great reviews on the adventure film documentary circuit this summer. The Aspen Times wrote a nice review in anticipation of the 5Point Film Festival (April 26 – 29) and Outside Magazine picked “Last of the Great Unknown” as one of it’s Top Ten Documentaries from the Mountainfilm Festival (Memorial Day weekend) in Telluride. The acclaimed Banff Mountain Film Festival (Oct 27 – Nov 4) has yet to make final film selections, but will announce them on their website at the end of July. Here’s hoping Ransom and canyoneering get to show their stuff in that great annual showcase of fine outdoor films.

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“Last of the Great Unknown” Premieres in Phoenix, 4/24

Posted on March 18, 2012 by

Last week, I posted the trailer for Dan Ransom’s new documentary film, “Last of the Great Unknown,” and promised to post when the premiere was announced. Ransom has decided to premiere the film April 24th in Phoenix, AZ, in honor of the late Ioana Elise Hociota. Hociaota died tragically in an accident deep in the Grand Canyon in February, and proceeds from the premiere will fund a ASU scholarship endowment in her name. You can find all the details at the film website. If you can make it, get out to support the film, the scholarship fund, and the memory of a spirited adventurer… it promises to be a memorable event and an impressive film.

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Film Trailer Released for Grand Canyoneering Documentary

Posted on March 7, 2012 by

Over the last year, Dan Ransom has been filming and editing “Last of the Great Unknown,” a documentary on the canyon explorations and discoveries Rich Rudow and Todd Martin have been doing in the Grand Canyon. I just heard from him today that the trailer and website are now live, so check out the awesome sneak-peek and get ready for the full movie to come your way later this year. He’ll be sending in the film to a variety of film festival committees soon. Once committees have made their decisions, I’m sure Dan will broadcast what festival will carry the world premiere. Keep your eyes peeled and your ear to the ground for this one. My favorite part of the trailer is the last shot, where the camera zooms down the canyon behind the hiker, catching and then passing him. What a shot! I asked Dan how he got it, and gave me a cryptic explanation of some kind of homemade zipline. But where is the rigging? Ziplines have to be anchored to something, right? However he did it, the effect is gorgeous, and I have high hopes for these guys and their entry to this year’s film fun.

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Grand Canyon Slideshow & Documentary Sneak Peak

Posted on November 29, 2011 by

Todd Martin and Rich Rudow will be in St. George on December 15th to present their multimedia talk, “Grand Canyoneering,” an account in words and pictures of their incredibly in-depth explorations of the Grand Canyon’s hidden slot canyons. Todd & Rich are promoting Todd’s recently published book, also entitled Grand Canyoneering, which has met wide acclaim in the canyoneering community for its detail, thoroughness, and aesthetic. Bring along an extra $30, and you can take home a copy of Grand Canyoneering for the wonderful armchair canyoneering season ahead. Photographer and videographer extraordinaire, Dan Ransom, will join the GC guys to show some sneak peeks from his upcoming film, “Last of the Great Unknown.” Dan’s film brings us into some of these gorgeous, remote canyons through the eyes, ropes, and helmet cams of the canyoneers who found these canyons and were likely the first people to descend them. Check out the link above for a taste… come to the event for a more nourishing helping. Available space for this presentation is filling up quickly. To reserve seats for your group, visit the Grand Canyoneering Facebook event page and simply request a number of seats for your group.

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Todd Martin and Rich Rudow Speak On “Grand Canyoneering”

Posted on September 20, 2011 by

We may not have many blog readers who live in Mesa, but I’m highlighting this talk for anyone who might want to invite Todd and Rich to speak in their own town. These guys have a ton of experience and stories regarding their extensive explorations of the Grand Canyon, and I’m sure it would be fantastic to hear them tell a few tales along with some complementary pictures and video. Of course, it may be difficult to attend such a talk without purchasing Martin’s beautiful Grand Canyon guidebook (Grand Canyoneering, $29.95), but that seems like a just reward for all the slogging, driving, thirsting, and pouring over maps these guys have done for the past however-many years. Here’s the event announcement from Rich: Todd Martin and I are giving a talk Thursday night at Mesa Community College – Red Mountain Campus. Todd will cover a lot of information about Grand Canyon and Canyoneering in Grand Canyon. It will answer a lot of questions that people have about permits, pack rafting, canyoneering technique, etc., and you’ll see some never before shown photos that provide wonderful motivation on why we enjoy canyoneering in Grand Canyon so much. I’ll discuss a specific adventure … Continue reading →

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Canyoneering Images from Garden Creek, Grand Canyon

Posted on September 13, 2011 by

Mr. Ransom and his camera have been out of house again, much to the delight of armchair canyoneers everywhere. See what where he went in his gorgeous pictorial trip report. After you’ve whet your whistle, plan a trip to Garden Creek Canyon yourself, with beta from Todd Martin’s new Grand Canyon canyoneering guidebook, Grand Canyoneering.

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“Grand Canyoneering” Now Available from Author Todd Martin

Posted on August 26, 2011 by

Todd Martin’s widely anticipated canyoneering guidebook for the Grand Canyon, Grand Canyoneering: Exploring the Rugged Gorges and Secret Slots of the Grand Canyon, is now available for purchase through Todd’s website. Since Rich Rudrow wrote such a fine introduction for Mr. Martin’s book, I thought I’d simply copy it here: After four years of painstaking work, and occasionally some heart thumping adventure, Todd Martin’s encyclopedia of Grand Canyon drainages is finally finished. Grand Canyoneering is the first extensive guidebook covering technical canyoneering in Grand Canyon National Park. At 500 full-color pages, highlighting 117 drainages from Waterholes Canyon upstream of Lee’s Ferry to Tincanebitts Canyon at river mile 264, there is an adventure for everyone. Backpackers will enjoy 34 hikes through remote drainages that do not require ropes. Technical canyoneers will marvel at the stunning microenvironments and challenges to be found in the only limestone slot canyons on the Colorado Plateau. And river runners will be surprised at the slot canyon adventures within easy reach that they’ve floated past for years. Of course, Grand Canyoneering has complete and accurate beta to assist in exploration of these places in Todd Martin’s proven writing style, and more than 100 pages are dedicated to … Continue reading →

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Pictorial Grand Canyon Report from Photographer Dan Ransom

Posted on August 10, 2011 by

From my favorite canyoneer/photographer, Dan Ransom. Click the image above for the complete slideshow, and check out more of his work on his outdoor adventure photography site. Back to the Grand, finally… I was only a few days removed from the operating room table in early june when an email for this trip came from Slawa. Barely able to walk, I laughed it off. But in the back of my mind I thought “Man, how awesome would it be to make it back by then?” “So, how about some hot, hot Kanab canyons on Aug 5,6 and 7? We’ll meet the night of Aug 4 on the Kanab Plateau. Rich is leading this one. It will be HOT, it will be MISERABLE – 4:00 AM departures to avoid the heat of the day, but it will be sooooooo AWESOME! Dan – honey – I will carry your stuff! And no need to make a decision now. Just keep this on your calendar and let me know when time arrives.” Alas, I’ve been able to get out on a couple overnight adventures in the last two weeks, and figured my fitness to be a bit better than I thought, even if … Continue reading →

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Preparedness, Common Sense Save Lost Grand Canyon Hiker

Posted on June 19, 2011 by

Amidst the tragic stories of fatal outdoor accidents and trips gone bad, it’s always great to read a story of folks doing the right thing in a bad situation. This report from Grand Canyon reminds me how good preparation, communication, and calm common sense can keep you out of deep trouble and give the outside world a chance to help you out when you’re down. Thanks to Billy for keeping cool and teaching us all a good lesson. Grand Canyon National Park (AZ) Overdue Hiker Found On North Rim Late on the evening of Wednesday, June 15th, rangers received notification that 64-year old Billy Driscoll of Fredonia, Arizona, had not returned from a backpacking trip in the Grand Canyon. The reporting party, a friend of Driscoll’s, said that he had been expected back no later than Tuesday. Driscoll had provided his friends with a detailed itinerary of his planned hiking route, which helped the agencies focus their search on the Sowats Point/Fishtail Mesa/Indian Hollow area, about 30 miles northwest of the North Rim developed area. Driscoll had planned to enter the park at Indian Hollow, then find a route down to Hualapai Spring, cross to Kwagunt, and come back up … Continue reading →

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Sneak Peek Into “Last of The Great Unknown”

Posted on April 13, 2011 by

I’ve only met Dan Ransom in person a couple of times. But I visit his website often, and enjoy his work very much. Each project from Dan grows more and more sophisticated and beautiful, and this one is no different. Looking forward to seeing where he takes this one. His own intro is included, below… Last of the Great Unknown – Preview from carpeybiggs on Vimeo. The Grand Canyon is an immense place, almost unfathomable in scale, and one of the last places in the American West to be explored. John Wesley Powell called it the “Great Unknown,” having no idea what rapids, falls, or canyons awaited him on his first descent of the river in 1869. In the decades since, the Canyon has been a playground for dozens of explorers. River runners, backpackers, routefinders, lithic hunters, and peakbaggers have all laid claim to the Canyon’s iconic landmarks, often seeking out the prestigious “firsts.” While many significant points of interest were being explored, there was one feature that was left almost entirely ignored: the Canyon’s innumerable technical slots. Deep within this vast wilderness are secret and intimate tributaries rarely visited by man, hiding some of the Canyon’s most remarkable features. … Continue reading →

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