I read the book about Harvey earlier this year and was impressed by his passion and love for the canyon. It was also an eye opener to find out that it was he, not Colin Fletcher who was truly the man who walked through time. Nice article.
I was going to PM you regarding getting it attached to the GC page, so thanks for taking care of that for me. I'm glad you enjoyed the piece. I guess I still have Grand Canyon on the brain after my recent trip.
I picked up a copy of Treks II at a used book store a few months back (for $2.95 - original price listed on the back cover was $1.50 - go figure). I was amazed at many of the route descriptions. It's definitely the guide book for someone that doesn't want their hand held trying to find a route!
Since you've read them, could you answer one specific question? Harvey's logs have terse descriptions of Deva Temple from several different directions. Do the books cover them in any better detail? (Gotta figure out if they are truly worth locating!)
Before I ever stumbled upon the Treks books or even Grand Obsession, the online transcriptions of Harvey's journals inspired me to climb several of the buttes and temples in Grand Canyon. I printed out hundreds of pages, tediously sifted through the text for bits of actual beta here and there...then went for it. I found it a far more rewarding way to bag a temple than with a step-by-step guidebook! Harvey, alone, inspired in me a genuine love of Grand Canyon.
That is such an awesome story! It's great to hear a real life example of someone who has used Harvey's beta to do some exploring and climbing in Grand Canyon. Thanks for sharing. (I just hope to get off the main corridor trails on my next adventure in the canyon!)
Up until late September he was under my radar screen as well, until I read Colin Fletcher's book.
I'm glad you enjoyed the article, and thanks for the nice comments. I spent a fair amount of time researching and putting this all together - a thoroughly enjoyable project - so the positive feedback is appreciated.
While hiking near the Sipapo in the Little Colorado River area in 1996 I found a raft cached with some other old looking gear in a 5 gallon paint can. When I saw the image of Butchart at your write up about his life and saw him holding his raft, it reminded me of the one I found in the canyon.
I too spent many years hiking the Grand Canyon, every other year from as early as October to as late as April from 1983-2003 I would go to the Grand Canyon and stay in its depths for weeks at a time, return to the rim wait on a standby permit and go back in for more weeks. My longest hike in the canyon was 28 days covering 256 miles.
I read Fletchers book the man who walked through time many times while hiking there.
But long before I had ever heard of Butchart or Steck I had explored off trail along the east Red Wall Formation to from O'Neil Butte to Pattie Butte and beyond. And to the Alligator east of the Battleship also along the top of the Red Wall.
I have been up and down most of the side canyons between the Bass Trail and many of them on the north Tonto Trail.
In 1986 while working at the U of A in Tucson I found an old book at the main library written by a archaeologist who studied the canyon in 1927-28. As a university employee I was able to check out the book for a month and went to the Grand Canyon taking it with me and found many of the books places. One was the ruins in Haunted Canyon off upper Phantom Canyon and another below the Red Wall in Clear Creek Canyon.
I am returning to the GC in October this year to send a week during a 2 month hike down the AZT, the Arizona Trail.
I have spent about 276 days a year backpacking and bicycle touring every year since 1982. I work summers from Memorial Day to around Labor Day every year to budget my fall to spring adventures. I currently am backpacking near Zion NP in a canyon called the Parunuweap which is the East Fork of the Virgin River. I am in a small town tonight while resupplying to go back into the canyon soon.
Dean - Dec 20, 2009 11:48 pm - Voted 10/10
Fitting tributeI read the book about Harvey earlier this year and was impressed by his passion and love for the canyon. It was also an eye opener to find out that it was he, not Colin Fletcher who was truly the man who walked through time. Nice article.
MarkDidier - Dec 21, 2009 7:26 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Fitting tributeI also enjoyed reading Grand Obsession, and felt that Harvey was deserving of a place here on SP considering what he accomplished in Grand Canyon.
Glad you enjoyed the article - it made for a fun project.
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year
Mark Doiron - Dec 30, 2009 8:58 am - Voted 10/10
Great Stuff!I've attached this to the GC page. Thanks for taking the time for research and write it! --mark d.
MarkDidier - Dec 30, 2009 7:45 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Great Stuff!I was going to PM you regarding getting it attached to the GC page, so thanks for taking care of that for me. I'm glad you enjoyed the piece. I guess I still have Grand Canyon on the brain after my recent trip.
Mark
MoapaPk - Dec 30, 2009 11:39 am - Voted 10/10
TreksI bought "Grand Canyon Treks" from Spotted Dog Press a few years back. This book should not be read on a Kindle!
MarkDidier - Dec 30, 2009 7:52 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: TreksI picked up a copy of Treks II at a used book store a few months back (for $2.95 - original price listed on the back cover was $1.50 - go figure). I was amazed at many of the route descriptions. It's definitely the guide book for someone that doesn't want their hand held trying to find a route!
Thanks for visiting.
Mark
Dmitry Pruss - Jan 3, 2010 8:29 pm - Voted 10/10
Re: TreksSince you've read them, could you answer one specific question? Harvey's logs have terse descriptions of Deva Temple from several different directions. Do the books cover them in any better detail? (Gotta figure out if they are truly worth locating!)
MoapaPk - Jan 4, 2010 5:23 pm - Voted 10/10
Re: TreksThe first Treks has barely a mention.
cp0915 - Jan 6, 2010 11:47 am - Voted 10/10
Harvey ButchartBefore I ever stumbled upon the Treks books or even Grand Obsession, the online transcriptions of Harvey's journals inspired me to climb several of the buttes and temples in Grand Canyon. I printed out hundreds of pages, tediously sifted through the text for bits of actual beta here and there...then went for it. I found it a far more rewarding way to bag a temple than with a step-by-step guidebook! Harvey, alone, inspired in me a genuine love of Grand Canyon.
MarkDidier - Jan 7, 2010 6:19 am - Hasn't voted
Re: Harvey ButchartThat is such an awesome story! It's great to hear a real life example of someone who has used Harvey's beta to do some exploring and climbing in Grand Canyon. Thanks for sharing. (I just hope to get off the main corridor trails on my next adventure in the canyon!)
Happy Trails,
Mark
dadndave - Jan 23, 2010 3:57 pm - Voted 10/10
Interesting StuffGreat article and well written too. I confess I had never heard of Harvey Butchart until today so thanks for bringing him to life for us.
MarkDidier - Jan 24, 2010 9:22 am - Hasn't voted
Re: Interesting StuffUp until late September he was under my radar screen as well, until I read Colin Fletcher's book.
I'm glad you enjoyed the article, and thanks for the nice comments. I spent a fair amount of time researching and putting this all together - a thoroughly enjoyable project - so the positive feedback is appreciated.
Happy Trails,
Mark
cgptsnaz - Jan 5, 2014 7:48 pm - Hasn't voted
Harvey's RaftWhile hiking near the Sipapo in the Little Colorado River area in 1996 I found a raft cached with some other old looking gear in a 5 gallon paint can. When I saw the image of Butchart at your write up about his life and saw him holding his raft, it reminded me of the one I found in the canyon.
I too spent many years hiking the Grand Canyon, every other year from as early as October to as late as April from 1983-2003 I would go to the Grand Canyon and stay in its depths for weeks at a time, return to the rim wait on a standby permit and go back in for more weeks. My longest hike in the canyon was 28 days covering 256 miles.
I read Fletchers book the man who walked through time many times while hiking there.
But long before I had ever heard of Butchart or Steck I had explored off trail along the east Red Wall Formation to from O'Neil Butte to Pattie Butte and beyond. And to the Alligator east of the Battleship also along the top of the Red Wall.
I have been up and down most of the side canyons between the Bass Trail and many of them on the north Tonto Trail.
In 1986 while working at the U of A in Tucson I found an old book at the main library written by a archaeologist who studied the canyon in 1927-28. As a university employee I was able to check out the book for a month and went to the Grand Canyon taking it with me and found many of the books places. One was the ruins in Haunted Canyon off upper Phantom Canyon and another below the Red Wall in Clear Creek Canyon.
I am returning to the GC in October this year to send a week during a 2 month hike down the AZT, the Arizona Trail.
I have spent about 276 days a year backpacking and bicycle touring every year since 1982. I work summers from Memorial Day to around Labor Day every year to budget my fall to spring adventures. I currently am backpacking near Zion NP in a canyon called the Parunuweap which is the East Fork of the Virgin River. I am in a small town tonight while resupplying to go back into the canyon soon.
MarkDidier - Jan 8, 2014 9:33 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Harvey's RaftInteresting story. Thanks for sharing...Mark