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Today's route stats: 

    Distance:  5.0 miles

    Elevation Gain:  200 feet

    Elevation Loss:  250 feet

I really do not like hiking along the Colorado River.  It is almost always difficult and slow. Today was no exception.  Although we only covered about 5 miles, it took most of the day.  After about 1/4 mile, the route (occasionally there is a faint trail) heads up to higher ground to avoid impassible cliffs.  And shortly after gaining a hundred feet or so, the "trail" enters a small, shallow canyon where a spring is located.  Steck calls it Siesta Spring.  I picked up a couple of quarts of water before continuing on. 

After several more hours where we made very slow progress, we were ready to look for a beach to camp.  We kept going and going, finding nothing big enough for all 7 of us.  Eventually we settled on a small beach.  Not great, but adequate.   Because I destroyed my camera later on this hike, I am using Chuck's photos.  Apparently he didn't take any pics along this section.  Not surprising since the hiking was difficult and monotonous.