# A new GC speed record?



## InflatableSteve (Jun 12, 2013)

Pretty cool I guess, but you will never see me trying to beat it. I got the chance to go through when I was 16. My parents only let me go through half the trip (8 days) because I was still in school. I feel cheated and hope I get the chance to do it again. I will make the trip last as long as possible.


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## benpetri (Jul 2, 2004)

I always figured that record could be vulnerable to skilled kayakers in a fast craft. Best of luck Ben and Harrison!


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## Randaddy (Jun 8, 2007)

Very cool. Good luck fellas! I'm glad they're using what small publicity they get to oppone that stupid tram!


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## jmacn (Nov 20, 2010)

3 hours and 30 miles to go to beat the record. It'll be a big final push to get there on time. An impressive effort no doubt, especially this time of year!


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## k2andcannoli (Feb 28, 2012)

Kayaks ruin everything


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## restrac2000 (Mar 6, 2008)

255 Mile....Hard miles ahead of them even with the stunning sea kayaks they are using.


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## zercon (Aug 30, 2006)

*Speed run*

The word from Ben's dad is they broke one of the boats at Crystal and had to stop for repairs. That lost them some time and put them behind 12 miles from where they wanted to be.


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## Greenroom (Jun 6, 2014)

It's going to be very close, go Ben and Harrison.


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## restrac2000 (Mar 6, 2008)

If I am doing the math right it looks like they won't make it for the record? Is that correct? The last point showed them doing about 7 mph on the flat water and they have another 7-ish miles ahead of them at that time. Even if they don't make the record they made quite the impressive push for this time of year, flows and running into kayak damage.

Phillip


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## buckmanriver (Apr 2, 2008)

*Not recored breaking but amazing nonetheless!*

There lasts pin was at about river mile 267. About ten miles to the grand wash cliffs at river mile 277.1. Total trip time just under 36 hours. They are on track to hit grand wash cliffs at about hour 38 of their trip! Which is not recored breaking but astonishing giving the respectively low flows from the record breaking dory trip.


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## buckmanriver (Apr 2, 2008)

They are within 5 miles of the finnish approaching Columbine Falls river mile 275. Grand wash cliffs are are 277.1 The team is track to finnish in 37.5 hours.

Incredible given the dory recored was set with about ten times as much water in the river as compared to this trip.


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## Greenroom (Jun 6, 2014)

They didn't break the record set by the Emerald Mile in 83, but this was one hell of an effort. It also proves that the record of 36 hrs. 38 mins. 29 secs. will fall at some point. Although that record will only be broken by guys in Kayaks, it will take something extraordinary to break the 83 record in a row boat.


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## buckmanriver (Apr 2, 2008)

*Total trip time 37 hours 32 min 45 sec!*

With a total trip time 37 hours 32 min 45 sec, the river has been paddled. 

This is a new recored for kayak self support! Rock on boys! 

More than anything, I think their trip reestablishes what is possible in endurance style whitewater kayaking. 

I hope to see a sub 30 hour trip some day. Might need higher flows to make that possible though. 

Perhaps we will see some big name athletes take a shot at it. But if history is an indicatory of anything that is doubtful.


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## Sinjin Eberle (Nov 8, 2011)

A small note of clarification on speed records in the Grand Canyon

The _Emerald Mile's_ speed record of 36 hrs, 38 mins, and 29 secs was set by Kenton Grua, Rudi Petschek, and Steve Reynolds in June of 1983. Ten years later, in the summer of 1993, a trio of boatmen from Moab, Utah (John Weisheit, John Williams, and Clyde Deal) took a rigid inflatable sport boat equipped with a 50hp motor from Lees Ferry to the Grand Wash Cliffs in a little over 35.5 hrs. So the Moab boys currently hold the motorized speed record for the canyon. But the human-powered record, as of this morning, still rests with the crew of the _Emerald Mile_.

Hats off to Ben Orkin and Harrison Rea for a remarkable effort. It seems as if it's only a matter of time before another group of intrepid kayakers steps up and shatters not only the Emerald Mile's human-powered record, but also the motorized record.


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## rivervibe (Apr 24, 2007)

Hell yeah boys! Good show!

But really, who gives a hoot about the motorized record anyway. Motors are cheating down there.


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## Swank (Jun 20, 2009)

wow


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## GCHiker4887 (Feb 10, 2014)

*Speed Record Categories*



> Hats off to Ben Orkin and Harrison Rea for a remarkable effort. It seems as if it's only a matter of time before another group of intrepid kayakers steps up and shatters not only the Emerald Mile's human-powered record, but also the motorized record.


It seems to me the 'speed records' should be categorized. I would have a hard time putting kayakers in the top spot, when the record is held by a dory. I understand the 'human-powered' argument, but I would like to see the records hold as like-for-like. You could have something like this:

Fastest Trip Through Grand Canyon (regardless of how it was accomplished)
Fastest Human-Powered Trip
Fastest Motor-Powered Trip
Fastest Human-Powered Trip in a Hard-Hulled Boat (Or Raft)
Fastest Kayak Trip

I still advocate for taking ones' time, but there will always be someone who wants to go for speed. Congrats to these 2 guys on a very impressive trip. Seems like they hold the record for fastest self-support kayak trip.

-Josh


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## buckmanriver (Apr 2, 2008)

The dory human powered recored of 36 hours was set at about a mean flow of 70,000cfs (1983 floods). 

The boys missed the time by 2 hours at a mean flow of 10,300 cfs. 

That is Amazing.

The only other person to come close to that is *Fletcher Anderson* who according to Leif Anderson did a solo kayak self support trip to diamond creek river mile 225 in 49 hours in the early 1990s. His trip was also in the 7,000-10,000cfs flow range.


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## kengore (May 29, 2008)

Sorry I don't get it. 
Trip of a life time for most people, why would you want to be in a hurry?


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## restrac2000 (Mar 6, 2008)

kengore said:


> Sorry I don't get it.
> Trip of a life time for most people, why would you want to be in a hurry?


Sometimes a challenge like they set out to overcome has enough value unto itself. Just like I don't want people to define my adventures I don't believe we should have the audacity to assume our own are universal. I can honestly assume their decision was valid enough for them to commit the time and energy to making it happen.

I don't have any desire to seek out speed records myself but can see the skill it takes to make such a spectacular attempt. Hell, I have intentionally spent days (a lot more than needed) alone traversing Lake Powell and I can still recognize the strength, endurance and mental dexterity it takes to paddle 270+ miles in less than 40 hours. My arms would have been dead after 50 miles (in summer time with plenty of light to navigate). 

Phillip


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## buckmanriver (Apr 2, 2008)

The grand is a trip of a life time for some. But for others it is a yearly get away. And for the motor guides it is home for the summer months. The grand canyon means different things to different people. And most people would never even consider a trip down the canyon. 

Kengore how much time would you need to spend in the canyon to feel like you really experienced it? How slow do you need to go? It seems as if your perception is fixed. 

It is possible to do 35 day trips yearly. And you can do that but you will not be adding anything to the river history. You will just be part of it. Just as the 30,000 people a year are. 

This year two paddles did something that no other kayakers / persons have done before. They helped change my perception on what is possible in a kayak and that I think is a spectacular thing to understand.


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## Greenroom (Jun 6, 2014)

Records are there to be broken by young people capable of doing so! 

"A trip of a life time for most people" that is true and they need to get off their dead asses and make the trip, whether it is a 7 day motor trip or a 14 day rowing trip. For those of us able to do our own trips 16 to 20+ days is wonderful, get out there and do it. 

I know for a fact Ben has been down the GC multiple times, rowing and paddling. We made a trip together in 2009 that lasted 20+ days. I can't speak to Harrison's experience in the GC but I'm sure he has ample experience also.

Well done Gents, try it again when the Bureau of Rec generates one of its 30-40K fake floods down there.


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## carvedog (May 11, 2005)

kengore said:


> Sorry I don't get it.
> Trip of a life time for most people, why would you want to be in a hurry?


Because you can.


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## Andy H. (Oct 13, 2003)

Greenroom said:


> Well done Gents, try it again when the Bureau of Rec generates one of its 30-40K fake floods down there.


Agreed. And Hell, they probably would HAVE the record now if they hadn't had to stop and fix a boat at Crystal.


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## zercon (Aug 30, 2006)

Originally Posted by *kengore*  
_Sorry I don't get it. 
Trip of a life time for most people, why would you want to be in a hurry?_


_Ben and his family seem to go down there every chance they get, so why not try to break the record. Funny thing is last time I spoke to Ben he hadn't read the book about the Emerald Mile. _


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## benpetri (Jul 2, 2004)

I would point out that while kayaks are faster, the challenge is actually significantly harder by kayak. In 1983 speed record, there were three people in one boat, so they had relief rowers. When one person tired, another jumped in and effectively each person only had to row maybe 12 hours or so. But in a kayak, you're on your own. The kayaker has to paddle non-stop for the full 36 hours on little sleep, food and rest. So in that regard, they hold the record for the fastest trip paddled in entirety by a single paddler. Quite a long distance marathon. These guys were close to taking the whole deal.





GCHiker4887 said:


> It seems to me the 'speed records' should be categorized. I would have a hard time putting kayakers in the top spot, when the record is held by a dory. I understand the 'human-powered' argument, but I would like to see the records hold as like-for-like. You could have something like this:
> 
> Fastest Trip Through Grand Canyon (regardless of how it was accomplished)
> Fastest Human-Powered Trip
> ...


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## GCHiker4887 (Feb 10, 2014)

benpetri said:


> I would point out that while kayaks are faster, the challenge is actually significantly harder by kayak. In 1983 speed record, there were three people in one boat, so they had relief rowers. When one person tired, another jumped in and effectively each person only had to row maybe 12 hours or so. But in a kayak, you're on your own. The kayaker has to paddle non-stop for the full 36 hours on little sleep, food and rest. So in that regard, they hold the record for the fastest trip paddled in entirety by a single paddler. Quite a long distance marathon. These guys were close to taking the whole deal.


A very good point that I had not previously considered. Sounds exhausting!


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## zpodmore (Aug 30, 2010)

A new story from C&K has more photos and details on the record-setting run: Paddling the Grand Canyon's 277 Miles in 37 Hours | Canoe & Kayak Magazine


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## Pizzle (Jun 26, 2007)

One man's trip of a life time, is another man's cross training.


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