Grand Canyon Solo Kayak Trip Report & Photographs

July 23, 2022 by John Nestler in Videos, Trip Report, Kayaking, Camping, Photography

I'm fortunate enough to have been down the Grand 1.5 times previously. Once on a commercial trip from Phantom to Diamond and another full trip as a solo kayaker back in 2014. Both those experiences were magical and I've been scheming a way to return for years now. The schedule in graduate school isn't conducive to taking a month off on a whim, but I caught a lucky break during my 4th year of medical school.

All year I'd set aside January as a planned vacation month. I didn't get a permit in the main lottery and was also denied in the follow up lottery. I was crushed as I knew this would likely be my only totally free month until after 5-6 years of residency. The day after receiving the lottery info I got a call from an unknown Flagstaff number. Thankfully I answered as it was a river ranger saying I was next on the list for a late January launch - I was ecstatic!

Logistics and Planning Advice for Bikepacking the Colorado Trail

October 24, 2016 by John Nestler in Bikepacking, Camping, Photography

This is the second article in a series about bikepacking the Colorado Trail, and it covers basic planning and logistical aspects of the trip. If you haven’t already you should read the introductory article which gives a brief overview of the trail as well as my experience bikepacking the trail in the fall of 2016. This guide is geared towards bikepackers, but much of the information could also be beneficial to backpackers.

A Solo Adventure in the Grand: Swims, a Loaded IK, and Artificial Intelligence

March 23, 2016 by John Nestler in Camping, Kayaking, Interview

“When staying alive is a full time job, there isn’t time for much else.” Truthfully, that’s a perfectly reasonable thing to hear from someone who soloed the Grand Canyon of the Colorado for 22 days – in an inflatable kayak (IK), no less. It’s inspiring to talk to people like Winslow Burleson, an associate professor at NYU, who manage to balance demanding jobs in the academic world with a respectable dose of outdoor adventure. After seeing a couple photos of Win paddling a fully loaded IK into the Canyon, I decided I needed to learn more about how the journey went. I also recently posted about pursuing your personal goals before it’s too late, and this journey exemplifies this perfectly. I gave Win a call, and asked a few questions about the trip.