The eleventh hour forced a change to our original itinerary. Pablito, Kaiser, Mr. Jamrock, and I had planned to hike the Gems between South Bass and Boucher, but over a foot of snow and closure of the Hermit Road for an indefinite amount of time made that mostly impossible. We were told by Park Service personnel that we “would need a tank to get to the trailhead.” When the rest of us meet Kaiser to set up a car camp at the South Rim, Pablito balks at all the snow and offers to buy a room at Maswick Lodge for the night. No complaints from anyone. Plan B’s are discussed and at one point we nearly scuttle The Canyon entirely, but we settle on hiking the Escalante Route.

There is so much snow the backcountry office opens 2½ hours late at 10:30 am. This jeopardizes our chance to get to Tanner Rapids before sundown. We soon learn that’s irrelevant because the Desert View road is closed, thus leaving Bright Angel Trail as our only option. I swallow my pride and swap out the permits. Leading a trip from South Bass to Boucher will remain a thorn in my side for now.

This trip will be different, but the company is perfect, and at least we’re still in The Canyon. We hit the trailhead about noon to begin our descent to Indian Garden. The snowfall and clouds are so thick we can’t even see the mile deep gorge we’ve decided to explore. Fortunately a mule train has preceded our passage and there is a well worn path with no ice. Just up the trail from the 1 ½ Mile Resthouse we see a young California condor perched on a cliff face. It has yet to lose all the darker feathers around the head signifying immaturity.

Atop the Redwall clouds finally begin to lift, revealing nice views of the Inner Gorge and snow capped buttes of The Canyon. If we have to stay in developed campgrounds we picked a great time for a storm. Hikers are few and far between, and we share Indian Garden with only one other group.

Everything is damp and there are some patches of snow around, but luckily the snow/rain mix stops falling. Pablito can’t wait to show us his Mexican plaster mug for hot cocoa. He didn’t tell me about it previously, because he knew I would tell him plaster was a bad idea. Reaching into his pack, he finds it broken, never even got to use it once.  As usual, Pablito’s thundering banshee snore echoes off the canyon walls throughout the night.

Day 2 – Indian Garden Campground to Bright Angel Campground:

Pablito is first to rise early and attempts to wake us all to prepare hot drinks and food for him. He is met with expletive laden rebukes, but it’s enough to get us up and ready for our morning day-hike to Plateau Point. Yesterday a Ranger told us the storm would last for a few days, but the sky is almost entirely clear. The scenery from the point is spectacular. We can see Bright Angel Trail descending into the canyon cut by Pipe Creek. Granite Gorge plummets beneath our feet to the west. The snow clad faces of Zoroaster and Brahma Temples are especially striking.

The trek from Indian Gardento Bright Angelis just shy of five miles. We follow Garden Creek until the drainage becomes nearly impassable; then detour along the trail to the adjacent eastern side canyon and switchback down the Devil’s Corkscrew to Pipe Creek.

Below the switchbacks another half hour brings us to Pipe Creek Beach and our first close encounter with The River. A slight, sandy climb up Canyon leads to the first of two suspension bridges that cross over to Bright Angel Campground and Phantom Ranch. Looking beneath my feet at The River through the grated metal of Silver Bridgecreeps me out more than many other exposed areas of The Canyon I’ve encountered.

We choose one of the bigger B.A. campsites and put Pablito in the corner to mitigate the banshee snoring. Kaiser learns a Canyon lesson the hard way. After nightfall he leaves his tent open briefly and a ringtail darts in, grabs some peanuts and climbs thirty feet up a massive cottonwood, all within a matter of seconds. Throughout the night our perimeter is patrolled and invaded by that ringtail; and one small opportunistic skunk that takes advantage of the peanuts dropped by the ringtail.

For a nightcap we head up to the Phantom Ranch Canteen for a few rounds of $4 cans of beer. One of us asks the young woman behind the counter what kinds of beer they have and she replies, “Bud.” The canteen is warm and our spirits are high, as closing nears we are the only customers in the joint.

Day 3 – Bright Angel Campground to Cottonwood Campground:

The trek continues today as we plan to hike about seven miles up the North Kaibab Trail, following Bright Angel Creekthe whole way.  Shortly after departing upstream beyond Phantom Ranch, we pass the Clear Creek Trail junction. I take a mental note because I’ll be hiking up that way on a another trip only twenty days from now.

The slot canyon cut by Bright Angel Creek is spectacular and deep with dozens of twists and turns. I wish we had more time to explore the even narrower side canyons and tributaries. There are several bridges to cross, before the canyon opens up to a wider, sunny valley. We stop for lunch above Willow Springs. I am reminded once again of the dramatic temperature fluctuations in The Canyon. Two days ago we were bundled up hiking through snow. Right now we’re comfortably hanging out shirtless and eating lunch so our sweaty clothes can dry out.

As usual I conservatively underestimate how far we’ve come, when we approach the junction to Ribbon Falls it’s only lunchtime. We decide to skip the falls for tomorrow and continue on to Cottonwood Campground. There is a small waterfall where the trail crosses Wall Creek.

The campground is situated within a grove of scrub oak, and we choose an open site closer to the creek since we will need to pump water there (the piped water at this campground is shut down during the winter). Again there is only one other small group here and we never even hear them. Pablito’s banshee snore has stirred a vote among the rest of us and he is unanimously banished to the immediate campsite north of us.

We start pumping water at the creek and my filter promptly breaks; some problem with the intake valve. This filter’s been through a lot, perhaps barely enough for this nuisance to be excused. Conveniently, Kaiser brought his pump and we also have backup purifying tablets.

It’s cold and windy tonight but there are lots of stars to gaze at, and some lively debate as to whether the moving ones are planes, satellites, or UFO’s.

Day 4 – Cottonwood Campground to Bright Angel Campground:

The next 2 ½ days will be spent retracing our steps, so we start back towards Phantom Ranch. The side detour to Ribbon Falls is well worth the trip. It’s a beautiful waterfall, perhaps somewhere on par with the likes of Elves Chasm or Deer Creek Falls. We sit behind the falls as sunlight filters through the cascading water to warm our bodies from the cool spraying mist.

Knowing what to expect, we knock out the rest of the hike in short order. This time we choose two sites next to Bright Angel Creek, one is for the banishment of Pablito.

A herd of mule deergrazes in and around our camp. We have seen deer every day of this trip. Two does walk right up to Pablito’s tent while he’s inside, and he never even notices.

After dinner we mosey back over to the Canteen again. This time the place is packed. There are maybe fifty people in here and not a seat to be had. Some folks are just sitting on the floor. We have to drink our first round standing up until some seats finally clear. Luckily the $4 beer tonight is Tecate, so at least there our situation has improved. Back at the campsite Kaiser, Mr. Jamrock, and I enjoy some late night libations.

Day 5 – Bright Angel Campground to Indian Garden Campground:

We awake to cloudy skies, and it appears the bad weather we’d heard about last night from a Canteen patron is going to materialize. Light showers and mist accompany us throughout our hike back up to Indian Garden.

We try to dry our gear out after stopping, but the rain and snow falls just enough to foil us. Mr. Jamrock and I move our tents to a high ground campsite where there’s a little more room under the picnic shelters. We also help to move Pablito’s table so he can stay drier. Kaiser and I finish the last of the whiskey in some hot cocktails, complete with lemon juice and honey packets, courtesy of the Canteen.

Day 6 – Indian Garden Campground to Bright Angel Trailhead:

We get our earliest start of the trip and make the hike up in about three hours. Light snow and rain makes things interesting and chilly. Ice cold Guinness awaits us in Kaiser’s truck.

To see more photos from this trip click here.

Length:

Water: Perennial water sources along the East Tonto Trail are the Colorado River, Hance Creek, Miner’s Spring, Grapevine Spring, Burro Spring, Pipe Spring, and Indian Garden Campground. Seasonal water sources can be found in Red Canyon, Cottonwood Creek, Boulder Canyon, Lonetree Canyon, and Cremation Canyon. Always check with the Backcountry Information Center for water reports before a trip.

Campsites: There is no camping allowed on the trail from between Indian Garden Campground to about a half mile east of South Kaibab Trail.  The remaining use areas for this trail have at-large camping. Campsites are plentiful and can be found in nearly every side-canyon and on the Tonto platform between side-canyons.

Reflections and Attractions: Relative to other GC trails, the East Tonto offers some of the easier hiking to be found in this natural wonderland. Don’t miss the bypass detour as you round into Mineral Canyon from the east, otherwise you’ll have to negotiate the ledge. The Hance Creek area is one of our favorite spots in GC. Grapevine Canyon goes on forever and is one of the longest south rim side-canyons. All of the side-canyons along this area offer excellent exploring opportunities, and fantastic views of the numerous buttes across the inner gorge. Keep your eyes peeled for desert bighorns when trekking this trail.

Warnings and Musings: If you insist on hiking this trail during the summer don’t be foolish about it. Have plenty of water, don’t pass up any midday shade and hike only in the cooler early morning and evening hours. By combining other GC trails, the East Tonto Trail is a scenic thru-way for extended point-to-point or loop trips. The best season to be on this trail is late winter or early spring, as water will be less of an issue.

As Jack and I finish packing at Grandview Point a tourist passes by and asks why we aren’t hiking Bright Angel.  My first thought is, “Dude, you have no idea how many different answers I have to that question.”  Instead I mumble something about fewer people and continue preparations.

Two heavy winter storms have passed through in the last week and there is a lot of leftover snow and ice on the upper parts of Grandview Trail.  The going is slow as our footsteps repeatedly plunge through heavy snow up to our knees in places.  One switchback has a protruding boulder jutting out over a section of trail that has become very narrow on account of the snow; cautious sidestepping gets us past this obstacle.  I am using new Microspikes on my boots and they are a tremendous help for some of the steep, icy sections of trail.  Just below the Hance/Cottonwood saddle I hear a thunderous rockfall somewhere in the Redwall layer below.

This is the most snow and ice I’ve ever hiked through on Grandview Trail and it’s a relief to finally remove crampons just above Horseshoe Mesa. We stop for lunch on the mesa and inspect what’s left of the old mining cabin.

From here we descend the west side of Horseshoe Mesa. Near the base of the Redwall I see a solo hiker maybe half a mile away on our trail, heading our direction, and approaching the bed of the easternmost arm of Cottonwood Creek. The hiker continues to stop every few paces and looks around, presumably also at us. When we reach the creek bed I assume the hiker will pass us any moment, but we never see him (or her) again.

Don’t know where that hiker went but there is nobody in any of the Cottonwood Creek sites, so we apparently have the creek all to ourselves.  We setup in the same place we did almost three years ago, on the east side of the creek above the Tonto junction.

Day 2 – Cottonwood Creek to Hance Creek:

I’m up at the faintest first light around 6:30, and before Jack which is rare, then down to the creek to filter some water for the day’s hike. Back in camp Jack says he saw a skunk in the middle of the night during nature’s call.

As we begin our loop below Horseshoe Mesa along the Tonto Trail I am excited about the trail ahead. These five miles to Hance Creek are new territory for me and my last untraveled stretch below the South Rim between Boucher Creek and Palisades Creek. As we ascend through the Tapeats, Jack points out a nicer campsite downstream of the Tonto Trail junction.

It’s good to be back on the Tonto, and contouring around the west arm of Horseshoe Mesa is a breeze. We take a short break in the main drainage beneath the two arms of the mesa and I spot two mule deer on a slope to the west of us.

Continuing east we reach the crest of a low saddle near the Tonto-level foot of Hance Creek Canyon. I quickly stop and point out another herd of mule deer to Jack, but within seconds a closer inspection reveals it is a large herd of desert bighorns. Counting out eight bighorns, it is the largest herd I have seen in The Canyon. We admire them for some time before they finally spook off over a ridge in the distance.

We decide to stop for lunch here at a nearby rock outcropping. There are many bighorn tracks and sign around, indicating this place is probably frequented by the herd we just witnessed. Some of our gear is frost dampened from this morning so we lay things out to dry.

After lunch the trek continues as we swing southward along the Tonto into Hance Creek Canyon. Near the halfway point of this side canyon I spot the shortcut down into the bottom through a break in the Tapeats that I have heard about. A brief scout by Jack reveals there are some spotty cairns and faint game trails, so this route definitely goes, good to know for future exploration reference.

Eventually we make our way down to Hance Creek and find we have camp to ourselves again, so we set up downstream below a large cottonwood, still keeping in line with the necessary snoring buffer zone. There’s still time for a day-hike so we head upstream. The creek quickly vanishes into subsurface flow and in less than an hour we are at the major east/west fork of Hance Creek.

Day 3 – Hance Creek to Horseshoe Mesa:

The trek back up to Horseshoe Mesa is familiar ground for us, so we make good time up to Miner’s Spring. Stop here for the last chance to filter some water before reaching our dry camp up on the mesa.

Continuing up the Redwall we both stop briefly at Last Chance Mine, which has been closed to visitation since the last time I passed through. Apparently some bats have moved in that the Park Service wish to remain undisturbed.

Back atop the mesa, there is no one in camp again, a welcomed trip long theme. We grub some lunch and then head out for another day-hike. First stop, a return visit to Cave of the Domes where we reacquaint ourselves. Since we’ve also previously been out to the west arm of the mesa, the next leg on our hike is out to the east arm, but to save time we contour around the north side of Horseshoe Mesa Butte until we link up with the east arm path.

The trail is faint in places out to the edge, but the direction and flow of travel is obvious. The end of the east arm affords some outstanding Canyon views, from west to east the most prominent features: Zoroaster and Brahma Temples, Angel’s Gate, Wotan’s Throne, and last but certainly not least Vishnu Temple. Wish I could sit here a lot longer.

Back in camp we expected a very cold night, but some moderate cloud cover keeps the temperature reasonably above freezing. The weather’s been about as good as you could hope for in December on this trip.

Day 4 – Horseshoe Mesa to Grandview Point:

As we leave the mesa on our return to the rim we encounter another hiker for the first time since the vanishing hiker of Day 1. He has day-hiked down here, using snowshoes for most of the trail, which has thankfully padded down much of the snow for our ascent.

We departed at staggered times and I catch back up to Jack below the Hance/Cottonwood saddle where we take short breaks. The rest of the trek out still has lots of snow and some slippery sections, but we make good time to the cold beers that await us at the trailhead parking area.

To see more pictures from this trip click here.

Whether or not you need a water purification device for backpacking in the Grand Canyon depends on a few factors. For treks within the corridor backcountry use areas during the peak season, there is piped water available in a few places along the North Kaibab and Bright Angel Trails; and at Phantom Ranch as well. Be water wise if your backcountry permit itinerary includes ascending or descending South Kaibab Trail, as there is no water available. No matter where or when your planned trip will take you within Grand Canyon, always carry a sufficient quantity of water on the trail and check in with the Backcountry Information Center about water availability.

For those who have gained some Grand Canyon backpacking experience and wish to adventure on to non-corridor trails, packing a water purification device or iodine tablets is still highly recommended. While some veterans of the Grand Canyon backcountry can handle drinking unpurified spring water, the risks of contracting a debilitating water-born illness such as Giardia should be a priority to consider.

If you’re counting on the Colorado River as a source of drinking water, be advised that it can be heavily silt laden on a frequent basis. An expression common with the old-timers of Grand Canyon’s history referred to the Colorado River as, “too thick to drink, too thin to plow.” Many Grand Canyon backpackers prepare for this situation by carrying a lightweight collapsible bucket to let sediment settle at the bottom before purification, or bring some form of water straining device.

To read the trip report from these photos click here.