THE GREATER GRAND CANYON
ITS WESTERN ENDING
The topographic detail of this map permits the determination of the actual drainage; how the land goes (follow the pencilled line) from the final expression (Chuarumpeak Point) of the Grand Canyon's highest plateau, and drops. First, to the Sanup, the intermediate Canyon level connecting the heights with the rims of the final (still unnamed) side canyons that drop into the river's gorge. Then it runs around on the rims to the ridges and gulches dropping west to finally meet the north marker butte, She Who Waves Farewell. From which, the line crosses the river to climb the divide with the Grand Wash Cliffs sliding to the Basin and Range, while looking east into Cave Canyon and the Grand Canyon's final expression.
Tap on the map to see it smaller and whole.
To see more detail, you may be able to use the trick of two-fingers placed on the map and then spread apart.
On this 1970's USGS topo, the out-of-date and inappropriate name Fort Garrett shows up on the final point. I much prefer Chuarumpeak, the name of a Southern Paiute man who worked with J.W.Powell in the 19th century.
The 277 refers to the river mile, now altered a bit, to which the end of the Canyon was referred by the Board of Geographic Names in the last century. It is convenient, of course, since it is right at the good-bye butte. Which, by the way, is appropriately composed of formations (Muav and Bright Angel) we all learn as part of the iconic Grand Canyon geologic column. The butte, otherwise sits on silt and other much younger deposits.
The pencilled numbers identify ridges that I had my pencil hike down from the Sanup to the river. The are all in the Canyon drainage.
This map has no up-to-date boundaries (the red line is an old Lake Mead NRA line). And of course, the land that drains north of the line is part of the Pearce Canyon drainage, not part of the Grand Canyon. More confusing, much of that is inside the National Park, including the land up onto Snap Point.
My error.
I have a suggestion from Tom Martin for a route down the ~3400' from the Sanup rim to the river, using gulches. I will try to add it. Although feet-on-the-ground information is lacking, going from Chuarumpeak Point down across the Sanup along the drainage line, then scrambling down the unnamed west-end gullies to 277 is somewhere in the vicinity of how trans-Canyon trekkers should go if they wish to be in the Grand Canyon all the way. I have nothing against Pearce Canyon, but it isn't part of the Grand Canyon.
