Despite having detailed driving directions to the trailhead, we got sort of lost in the darkness last night amidst the FUBAR maze of dirt roads and tracks spreading across the Navajo Nation.  Perhaps an hour passed as we tried several different roads and ended up backtracking every time.  Finally we get close enough to the trailhead to call a halt to our travels and car camp for the night.

I was the only guy to set up my tent last night with no regrets, it was very chilly.  After first light I finally get myself oriented and realize we’re on the hill just south of the trailhead.  No matter, it’s a short stroll down to start the hike.

The top of the descent ravine through the Kaibab and Coconino is cairned and we immediately recognize that our trekking poles will be more of a burden initially, so we secure them to our packs.  The beginning of this route is very steep, even by Canyon standards, and requires some use of hands for minor downclimbs.

One such downclimb occurs just above Fallen Tower Bridge, a massive chunk of limestone wedged between the ravine walls.  NedMan and DaveMan refer to it as the Crystal Gateway for the prevalence of quartz in this area.  This is an exciting passage, but the route below here gets more tedious with loose footing and the danger of rockslides.  In fact none of us manage to get through this section without kicking loose at least one small rock.  We have spread ourselves out to mitigate this threat.

We stop near the base of the Coconino for snacks and then proceed generally south through a series of Supai ledges.  NedMan and DaveMan are Alaskans with years of archeological surveying experience, their knack for spotting artifacts in our wanderings from this route make for some interesting observations.

From the base of the Supai the route levels out somewhat for about half a mile, giving my knees a much needed break.  The terminus of this traverse brings us to a splendid viewpoint atop the Redwall, Point Hansbrough and President Harding Rapids are some of the prominent features.

The Redwall descent becomes an obvious trail, but it is still quite steep and tiresome.  At times, that beach seems so far down yet so close, until finally I’m resting next to The River.  There are extensive camping sites here among the dunes, presumably from the hordes of River rats that must stay here during the boating season.  Tonight we have the beach all to ourselves though, and settle down near the upRiver end.

Day 2 – Beach layover:

Today is a layover day here at our beach below River mile 44.  We spend the morning relaxing and leisurely fishing The River, catching a couple rainbow trout in the process.  Further down River the fishing holes aren’t quite optimal, but we do see some fresh bighorn tracks, followed by predator tracks, probably a bobcat, and also a blue heron takes flight away from us.

It is not until early afternoon that we receive direct sunlight which feels great.  Three rafts of River rats drift slowly by, one passenger raises a beer in salute, but alas, we have no cold beer to return the cheers.  D.K. and NedMan venture off up River beyond President Harding Rapids and around the big bend north of Point Hansbrough.  I manage to catch one more rainbow trout before we retire to camp for happy hour.

Day 3 – River to Eminence Break Trailhead:

Sometime early this morning, perhaps between 1 and 2 am, I awake to nature’s call and notice it’s much warmer than last night.  Dark clouds have blotted out the stars.  Soon the pitter patter of rain is tapping on my tent, sporadic at first but growing more intense as the night wears on.

D.K. is the only one up braving the elements around first light.  I think the rest of us are just lying in our tents hoping for the storm to pass, but sensing it won’t.  Nothing to do now anyway but pack up our wet gear and head for the rim.

Typically I’m the opposite, but this route is so steep and unstable in places I much prefer going up than down, it just seems less physically demanding.  Still it’s no picnic to begin the day with a strenuous Redwall ascent, thankfully the rain has abated.

Retracing our route back up the Supai I have to pass my pack above to DaveMan for some of the ledges.  NedMan points out more Anasazi pottery fragments.  The weather has cooperated for most of this hike, but upon reaching the ascent chute through the Coconino and Kaibab we are assaulted by relentless gusts of freezing wind.

We actually make it out to the rim a little quicker than it took us to descend to The River, and not a day too soon perhaps as northern AZ got pounded throughout the night with blizzards.  What is normally a 2 hour drive from Flagstaff to Phoenix took us closer to 5 hours due to icy, snowy conditions and freeway closures.

To see more photos from this trip click here.

To read the trip report from these photos click here.

To read the trip report from these photos click here.

To read the trip report from these photos click here.

Length:

Water: During the dry season water will be nonexistent between Bright Angel Creek and Clear Creek, so plan accordingly.  After storms during the wet season water can be found in a number of potholes along the trail between Sumner Wash and Zoroaster Canyon, some of which can be reliable for many days in wet years.  Other than that, the only water you will find is the perennial flow of Clear Creek.

Campsites: There is no camping allowed between Phantom Ranch and Sumner Wash. From there to the creek, camping is at-large. There are marginal sites near the trail, in and between the minor side-canyons east of Sumner Wash, and also in Zoroaster Canyon. Beyond this canyon, sites are limited at best and somewhat worthless given your proximity to the creek.  The campsites at Clear Creek are the best option.

Reflections and Attractions: This is an enjoyable excursion along the north side of the Colorado River, quite similar to the Tonto Trail hiking across The River. The Phantom Ranch Overlook is a great place for lunch or a short break. If you don’t mind the possibility of snow and ice near the rim, we recommend trekking the Clear Creek Trail during winter. Keep your eyes out for wildlife (like mule deer and bighorns) and Anasazi ruins that are “near” the trail. The Clear Creek area is a fine basecamp for extended explorations.

Warnings and Musings: Attempting to reach the at-large camping area at Sumner Wash from either rim is a long day and not recommended. Plan on spending the night before at Phantom Ranch, Bright Angel Campground, or Cottonwood Campground (the longest option). Hike smart here during the hot season, as the trail is virtually shadeless and scorching. Watch your footing during the final, steep descent to the creek. Be alert during the monsoon season for flash flooding in the Clear Creek area.

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.

There is a fair amount of leftover snow, ice, and slush almost all the way to the switchbacks below Skeleton Point, which makes for slower going than usual.  We pause for two mule trains coming up. Lunch stop is at the Tipoff where a trail crew is making improvements, including the use of a jackhammer. Apparently it weighs about eighty pounds and they carry it up from Phantom in two man teams.

The rest of the trail below the Tipoff is a typically steep descent through the Inner Gorge. We see a California condor perched on the rim of a drop beneath us. Just above the tunnel to Black Bridge, Jack encounters a young Japanese man. He is starting for the South Rim with less than two hours to darkness and 6+ miles of uphill hiking; with no water and apparently no flashlight. Jack worries and discourages him, but the language barrier is a real problem. In the end we give him a couple cups of water; he bows in gratitude and continues. Jack tells a ranger about him just to be safe and we never hear anything more about it. Hope he made it alright.

In Bright Angel camp there are several desert bighorns grazing over a hundred feet up the steep canyon walls across from the creek. A near full moon brightens our canyon to the point that we can walk up to the Canteen without the use of headlamps. Jack doesn’t stay for a third round of Tecates and I nearly stumble over a ringtail on the walk home.

Day 2 – Bright Angel Campground to Zoroaster Canyon:

Water wise, a full moon, & things that go BOOM in the night.

A young bighorn crosses the creek near camp as we pack up. We’re heading up the steep first two miles of the Clear Creek Trail about 10 am. At a break in the Tapeats, the ascent levels out at Sumner Wash. We stop to dry out our frosty gear and have lunch while two ravens eye us closely.

The hike continues and I take a mental note at the main drainage below the southern face of Zoroaster Temple. There is plenty of pothole water here to sustain a return in two days if necessary. We misjudge how far we’ve come just before rounding the point that gives way to a great view of Clear Creek gorge. This is near the halfway point and our late start has put us behind my desired schedule.

In a small gully just south of the Zoroaster Canyon crossing there is one full pothole. I have a decision to make because it’s getting late. I’m not sure if we can make Clear Creek before dark and we’re getting low on water. I scout ahead and there are two viable campsites near the major drainage. The safe bet is to make camp and take advantage of this water.

I’m testing out a new water purification device called the Steripen (from here on referred to as the Zapper), it’s a battery powered device that uses ultraviolet light to purify water. It appears to work but I have my doubts so Jack has brought his pump to be safe.

After setting up I wander down canyon and find a mule deer leg, the last remnant of a carcass devoured some time ago. A full moon rises even before it gets dark, it will be a long, bright night without a cloud in the sky. Around 10 pm Jack has been in the sack for awhile and I’m just about to turn in when we both hear a loud booming noise; apparently emanating southwest of us. We have both heard rock falls in The Canyon but this noise seems much different, it almost has an industrial/explosion type quality.*

*Questions posed to Service personnel later are fruitless and the noise remains a mystery

Day 3 – Zoroaster Canyon to Clear Creek:

We wait for the sun to dry things out and then hit the trail. There is a herd of seven mule deer, including a six point buck, less than a hundred yards from camp. My decision yesterday to make camp short of Clear Creek was probably correct but also unnecessary. On the correct side, there is no visible water until we reach the creek. On the unnecessary side, our hike to the creek only takes little over an hour so we could have made it. The descent into the west arm of Clear Creek is steep and has a couple narrow, somewhat exposed sections that require focus.

At the Canteen two nights ago I overheard that Cheyava Falls are not flowing. It’s somewhat reassuring since we plan on day-hiking up the creek, but probably don’t have enough time to get all the way up there.

The first few minutes up creek are tedious, but then we cut a foot path that predominantly sticks to the west bank. There are some fantastic Anasazi ruins up this side canyon.

Back in camp I briefly explore downstream of our camp to the junction with the east fork. Steep canyon walls keep the moonlight at bay until around bedtime.

Day 4 – Clear Creek to Zoroaster Wash:

Unzapable water, unflappable Zoroaster, & unknown ruins.

The Zapper is not working this morning and I’m frustrated. Apparently it’s useless when the temperature is around freezing; making it kind of worthless during the winter, which just happens to be my favorite hiking season in The Canyon. At least we have a backup plan and now I know the Zapper can be unreliable. Retracing our steps up and out of Clear Creek is steep, but we make good time back to the pothole from Camp 2 and drink a quart. Our plan is to stop somewhere on the Tonto platform, east of Sumner Wash and close to water.

Along the way we take an exploratory hike in a side canyon west of the Clear Creek gorge and chance upon another Anasazi ruin. This ruin is a bit smaller than yesterday’s, and the pueblo walls are in a much greater state of decay. It is fascinating to imagine what life was like here around a millenium ago (give or take a couple hundred years). Perhaps there was consistent water available in this creek bed, or at least during wet seasons, because existence otherwise would be difficult at best.

We make camp near the potholes we saw on Day 2, in the unnamed canyon that drains the southern face of Zoroaster, but we prefer to call it Zoroaster Wash. As we dine several mule deer sneak down to the largest pothole below us for a drink. A gathering of bats keeps us company and free from insects.

Day 5 – Zoroaster Wash to Bright Angel Campground:

After some further exploration this morning we head out to the stone bench at Phantom Overlook, which is a superb place for lunch. I get a chance to talk to someone other than Jack for the last three days when we get to the bottom of Clear Creek Trail. I’ve been waiting to hear about the Cardinals 2nd round playoff game and the news is good – we won.* There are more mule deer above the ranch. We have celebratory refreshments at the Canteen before heading back to the campground.

Jack is resting again so I go to the boat beach and then hike the River Trail between the bridges. A California condor circles overhead. I also scout the route to Utah Flats and upper Phantom Canyon for future reference.

*The Cardinals would go on to lose the Super Bowl.

Day 6 – Bright Angel Campground to South Kaibab Trail:

Jack wisely gets an early start and is packed and leaving at 7:30. There are more mule deer on the opposite bank. As I’m getting ready alone a bald eagle flies right up the creek, only about twenty feet from my head. Awesome. That’s the first time I’ve seen one in The Canyon. There is surprisingly little foot traffic, and I make it to the top in about four and a half hours.

To see more pictures from this trip click here.