On the opening evening of the Powell Symposium, attendees were treated by the dynamic stage presence of author Craig Childs who provided a keynote address entitled "Approaching the Colorado River Overland." Craig told tales of three uniquely personal river crossings of the Colorado River and its tributaries: tracking a black bear across the San Juan River, rappelling to a river crossing in Canyonlands National Park, and of the powerful emotions of looking up and downriver at a modern bridge crossing.

The symposium continued on Friday morning as Bud Rusho provided an historical overview of Glen Canyon and various historical and modern engineered Colorado River Crossings including the Crossing of the Fathers, Lees Ferry, the Hole-in-the-Rock, Halls Crossing, Glen Canyon Dam and Bridge and the Dandy Crossing located near present day Hite.

Lamont Crabtree then provided additional details of the 1879 Hole-in-the-Rock expedition including their motives, their challenges, their spiritual commitment, their perseverance, and their various engineering solutions. This expedition involved 250 men, women, and children, with 80 wagons and 1,000 head of cattle, had found themselves up against terribly broken, seemingly impassable terrain. For six weeks, the men labored on a wagon road down the sandstone cliffs to the Colorado River by chiseling and blasting a path through a steep crevice named the Hole-in-the-Rock. Today, their road stands as a testament of pioneer ingenuity and determination.

The afternoon session took attendees on a boat trip to Lake Powell’s Padre Bay, the site of the Dominguez-Escalante’s “Crossing of the Fathers” and later used as part of the Old Spanish Trail. Paul Ostapuk, Arizona Director of the Old Spanish Trail Association reported the recent finding of a 1776 Inscription in Glen Canyon that is being studied in regards to its potential authenticity.

        

Photographer Frank Talbott then shared tips to taking successful Lake Powell photographs and the creative uses of digital cameras and scanners.

A Friday evening reception was hosted at the Powell Museum with music provided by Native American flutist Dale Tsosie.

On Saturday, the attendees enjoyed a raft trip through Glen Canyon National Recreational Area from Glen Canyon Dam to historic Lees Ferry. Geologist Ivo Lucchitta provided interpretation while on the river and upon reaching Lees Ferry led participants on a short hike to a geologic overlook where the discussions continued.

        

        

The group then traveled to the Navajo Bridge Interpretive Center for lunch, an interpretative talk on the construction of historical and modern-day Navajo Bridges presented by Sharron Malmquiest of Glen Canyon NHA, and a group photo.

© 2010 Powell Symposium
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