# Campfires in the Grand…



## Will Amette (Jan 28, 2017)

We brought a bunch of firewood for a March trip several years ago. We had fires many nights on the river, and we still hauled a lot of it back.

If you have lumber, that's a good option. Packs well in an old drybag. We just loaded some in the bottom of the load in one of the boats. Note: please don't bring "firewood" from home unless you live nearby. Invasive species can hitch rides in firewood! If you just want to bring firewood, buy it locally once you get to Arizona.


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## kayakfreakus (Mar 3, 2006)

Assumes some gear rented or privates using the ammo can as well but best trick my buddy does is to cut 2x4s (non-treated or toxic) to fit and fill ALL the empty groover ammo cans. Doubles up useable space without impacting boat space, and you are burning it anyway so not worried about the carrier ammo can. Have seen an outfit or two down there using this solution now as well to add capacity for wood. Not so good for a lot of private groover solutions.

Have a Lava box and believe if you are not full on flame all the times the specs are a good estimate, but they can and will burn propane so need to watch that. Love mine and will be taking it next trip if we ever get one.


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## Montet202 (Aug 22, 2020)

kayakfreakus said:


> Best trick my buddy does is to cut 2x4s (non-treated or toxic) to fit and fill ALL the empty groover ammo cans. Doubles up useable space without impacting boat space, and you are burning it anyway so not worried about the carrier ammo can. Have seen an outfitter or two down there using this solution now as well to add capacity for wood...
> 
> Have a Lava box and believe if you are not full on flame all the times the specs are a good estimate, but they can and will burn propane so need to watch that. Love mine and will be taking it next trip if we ever get one.


Thanks for the feedback on the Lava Box. What size do you have? Trying to decide between the standard one and the Krakatoa. How much extra propane would you bring? Figuring I’d burn it on occasional mornings and about half our evenings on a 25 day trip. 
Packing firewood isn’t an issue. I have piles of oak and walnut drops to fill groover ammo cans with. Just trying to determine if there are places to gather, such as the Res, and after leaving the Park in order to figure out how much to bring.


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## stinginrivers (Oct 18, 2003)

No help on your questions, but a really nice advantage of having a propane fire pit is if the weather is crap, you can set it up under your tarp and it really holds in the heat nicely.


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## kayakfreakus (Mar 3, 2006)

Montet202 said:


> Thanks for the feedback on the Lava Box. What size do you have?


I have the standard, and my camping use this fall was grabbing an unknown filled status 25lb tank and never had issues running it a lot. So nothing scientific or worth benchmarking with, compared to other Buzzards I have failed in that aspect. What I can say is the insta fire in the morning is sublime, but does take a bit for the can to cool down so watch that on a raft. Have dealt with their customer support and was beyond pleased, they are boaters and stand behind the product. That's why I back their estimated "12-16 hours on 10lb tank" and would take a couple dedicated for the lava box on a March trip.

If I hit the lottery would also buy the Krakatoa and take another two 10lb tanks and live in luxury whenever it's called for, which is all the time the ditch for me.


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## dsrtrat (May 29, 2011)

You can't gather wood anywhere in the river corridor outside of the regulated season. You are in Grand Canyon National Park from the cable at Lee's Ferry to about mile 271. A tribal permit does not exempt you, it's still in the river corridor. You will burn less than you think, I've carried wood down that never got used several times.


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## Montet202 (Aug 22, 2020)

dsrtrat said:


> You can't gather wood anywhere in the river corridor outside of the regulated season. You are in Grand Canyon National Park from the cable at Lee's Ferry to about mile 271. A tribal permit does not exempt you, it's still in the river corridor. You will burn less than you think, I've carried wood down that never got used several times.


Thanks! That’s the info I needed.


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## DoStep (Jun 26, 2012)

Sept 24-Oct 17 we had maybe three fires and carried out most of the wood we had. But it was hot, about 90 every day, and it was an early to bed early to rise kind of trip.


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## dsrtrat (May 29, 2011)

Montet202 said:


> Thanks! That’s the info I needed.





dsrtrat said:


> You can't gather wood anywhere in the river corridor outside of the regulated season. You are in Grand Canyon National Park from the cable at Lee's Ferry to about mile 271. A tribal permit does not exempt you, it's still in the river corridor. You will burn less than you think, I've carried wood down that never got used several times.


Correction, the park boundary is actually at the Grand Wash Cliffs at mile 277.


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## Big Wave (6 mo ago)

A duffle bag of hardwood cut offs goes a long ways if burned Indian style. I took a propane fire on the last trip. The 2 twenty year olds passed out around it I got up and turned it off about 1:00 am. They had gone through a lot of the propane we had allotted. It was nice to fire up in the morning a few times.


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## ianlondon (Feb 10, 2021)

We did wood pellet fires on a March 2020 trip, using these wire mesh crate things: https://reposenow.com/ . We brought along 160lbs of pellets and had a fire most nights. They do need to be kept dry or they turn back into sawdust. The ash is really fine, doesn't take up any space at all. Worth bringing a small propane torch to get them going faster.


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## BenSlaughter (Jun 16, 2017)

As an alternative to a stand alone propane 'pit, I'd offer this:








Fire pan\burner\ceramic log combo that I built. Detailed here, beginning at post #35....









Portable propane fire pits?


Here is the small one




www.mountainbuzz.com


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## Montet202 (Aug 22, 2020)

BenSlaughter said:


> As an alternative to a stand alone propane 'pit, I'd offer this:
> View attachment 83328
> 
> Fire pan\burner\ceramic log combo that I built. Detailed here, beginning at post #35....
> ...


I saw this in that other thread you linked. It’s on the build list for a time when I have time. I’ll be full throttle until we shove off, so I can’t imagine I’ll be able to build one.


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## BenSlaughter (Jun 16, 2017)

Montet202 said:


> I saw this in that other thread you linked. It’s on the build list for a time when I have time. I’ll be full throttle until we shove off, so I can’t imagine I’ll be able to build one.


With all due respect, if ya cut back on your Mtnbuzz time budget just a smidge, you could build one of those burners, easy. It wouldn't take an hour, once you had the parts gathered. It's one trip to the hardware store, plus an Amazon order. 😉

I know I'd be more productive without you beaters!


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## Montet202 (Aug 22, 2020)

BenSlaughter said:


> With all due respect, if ya cut back on your Mtnbuzz time budget just a smidge, you could build one of those burners, easy. It wouldn't take an hour, once you had the parts gathered. It's one trip to the hardware store, plus an Amazon order. 😉
> 
> I know I'd be more productive without you beaters!


It’s how I stay sane. Ten minutes of mind numbing raft forums for every four hours of sanding.


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## BenSlaughter (Jun 16, 2017)

Sanding IS mind numbing!
I hope you've got Festool's!


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## Montet202 (Aug 22, 2020)

BenSlaughter said:


> Sanding IS mind numbing!
> I hope you've got Festool's!


I use Mirka and Eekasand sanders. Not a big fan of Festool sanders. Love their routers, chop saw, and domino cutters, but do not like their sanders. Mirkas are, in my opinion, miles above anyone else. But even with awesome sanders, it’s mind numbing. And I do PILES of sanding. Though I do a lot less since finally buying a wide belt a few years ago.


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## john vrymoed (Aug 22, 2014)

dsrtrat said:


> Correction, the park boundary is actually at the Grand Wash Cliffs at mile 277.


The Park boundary is at RM 240 - Separation Canyon. Beyond that point in your in Lake Mead National Rec Area


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## Montet202 (Aug 22, 2020)

john vrymoed said:


> The Park boundary is at RM 240 - Separation Canyon. Beyond that point in your in Lake Mead National Rec Area


So who regulates the river once you leave the Park boundary? And if the left side is Reservation land, how can the Park restrict what happens on that land? 
(I am certainly not trying to find ways to skirt the law/rules. Just learning. )


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## dsrtrat (May 29, 2011)

john vrymoed said:


> The Park boundary is at RM 240 - Separation Canyon. Beyond that point in your in Lake Mead National Rec Area


I have to disagree. This map of the park shows the boundary at the Grand Wash Cliffs, approximately mile 277. 









Maps - Grand Canyon National Park (U.S. National Park Service)







www.nps.gov


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## dsrtrat (May 29, 2011)

Montet202 said:


> So who regulates the river once you leave the Park boundary? And if the left side is Reservation land, how can the Park restrict what happens on that land?
> (I am certainly not trying to find ways to skirt the law/rules. Just learning. )


The left side boundary is disputed between the various tribes and the NPS. Until this is adjudicated there is no clear jurisdiction either way. Not to go too far out in the weeds here but the NPS position seems that at least below the historic high-water line is within their jurisdiction.


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## Big Wave (6 mo ago)

Once your below Separation Canyon you have my permission to burn baby burn.


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