Tony Grey (left foreground) loading the boat for the trip with his son and father at the public access just above Baker Crossing
Looking downriver from the public access toward the low water bridge at Baker Crossing
Three generations of the Tony Grey family maneuvering the shallow waters of the Devils River on April 23, 2011
The Devils River is an often narrow, reed-choked, shallow stream with crystal clear water and Class II to III+ rapids
The Tony Grey family making their way from the reed jungles to open water (one of many times over two days!)
Tim Stanton helps guide the Tony Grey family downriver
An area where the river is actually wide and uncluttered with reeds, ledges and boulders
Just paddling downriver on a beautiful, almost windless day
Low foothills adorn the banks along most of this Chihuahuan Desert trip
Tim Stanton taking a photo of guide Marc McCord taking a photo of him
Entering another of many narrow channels through reed jungles in mid-river
Emerging from a reed jungle in mid-river
Jarrett's Crossing low water bridge is a mandatory portage and an illegal obstruction to navigation
Tony Grey, with his son and father, picking their way through a narrow, shallow channel
A gorgeous rock cliff just below Jarrett's Crossing
A small rapid hidden by a reed jungle in a narrow construction of the Devils River
These beautiful rock cliff faces obscure the very dry and very brown desert just beyond the river corridor
Many caves in the rock cliffs provide shelter to rattlesnakes and desert wildife just as they did for native peoples a hundred years ago
Placid waters, a green river channel and cliffs with caves line the river left side approaching the Del Norte Devils River State Natural Area above Dolan Falls
Tim Stanton paddling toward our Del Norte campsite for our night on the river
The Tony Grey family paddling toward our Del Norte campsite for our night on the river
This reed jungle looked like the perfect place to pose for photos (notice that the water is only ankle deep)
Will these reed jungles never end? Yes! At the end of the trip!
The start of Day Two takes us a little over a mile to the lip of Dolan Falls, a 10-12 foot vertical drop that the group will portage
Even when Dolan Falls is runnable by very experienced whitewater paddlers, the boulders encountered getting to the lip make it difficult and dangerous
Looking back upriver toward Dolan Falls
After the Dolan Falls portage it is time for a swim!
After the Dolan Falls portage it is time for a swim ... and granddad is not going to miss out on the fun!
Tony Grey shows how to do it gracefully
Tim Stanton ain't jumping, but he is enjoying watching others take the plunge
The Tony Grey family posing just below Dolan Falls
Looking back upriver at the formidable Three Tier Rapid in dangerously low water conditions
Tim Stanton posing with the Tony Grey family below Three Tier Rapid
Cathy and Gary Tupa running Three Tier Rapid on April 24, 2005 - they nailed it! (This was their first ever river trip!)
The big rapids are now behind us and the river to the takeout is just low water and reed jungles
