Powell was providing for every contingency he could think of, and trouble with ice was a possible one.

But even without ice the water in winter is so cold that, as men who make the descent must continually be saturated by the breaking waves and by the necessity of frequently jumping overboard in avoiding rocks, the danger of pneumonia is really greater than that from wreck.

They had an abundance of warm clothing for winter, plenty of ammunition, two or three dozen traps, tools of various kinds, nails, screws; etc.

In the line of scientific instruments there were two sextants, four chronometers, a number of barometers, thermometers, compasses, etc.

With the exception of the Emma Dean, which had on board only instruments and clothing, the boats were loaded in such a way that if one should be lost the expedition would still possess a variety of articles and food.
The first day they met with the usual number of minor accidents, such as a starting expedition of this kind is seldom free from, like breaking an oar, running on a shoal, and so on, but all went very well, and when the evening came an early camp was made, and Powell climbed up and away from the river to survey the situation.
"Standing on a high point," he says, "I can look off in every direction over a vast landscape with salient rocks and cliffs glittering in the evening sun.