The eleventh hour forced a change to our original itinerary. Pablo, Kaiser, Mason, 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 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, Pablo 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. Pablo 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.

Our permit is for four, but we are actually joined by a fifth. His name is Señor Misterioso. He is a few inches tall, glows in the dark, and brings excitement to our otherwise mundane existence. Kaiser and Pablo meet him for the first time on the picnic table at night. As usual, Pablo’s thundering banshee snore echoes off the canyon walls throughout the night.

Day 2 – Indian Garden Campground to Bright Angel Campground:

Pablo 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 Garden to Bright Angel is 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. The few hikers we encounter give the top of my pack strange looks. Apparently Señor Misterioso is hitching a ride there.

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 Bridge creeps 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 Pablo 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 Creek the whole way. Mason wakes up to find Señor Misterioso hiding in his oatmeal bowl, and later he somehow makes his way into Kaiser’s boot.

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. Pablo’s banshee snore has stirred a vote among the rest of us and he is unanimously banished to the immediate campsite north of us. But only for bedtime.

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.

I start to heat up some water for hot cocktails and nearly cook up Señor Misterioso, who is hiding in my Jetboil for some reason. 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, 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 Pablo.

A herd of mule deer grazes in and around our camp. We have seen deer every day of this trip. Two does walk right up to Pablo’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, Mason, 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. When we stop for lunch I discover Señor Misterioso has been in my food bag, stomping my pita bread into pieces.

We try to dry our gear out after stopping, but the rain and snow falls just enough to foil us. Mason 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 Pablo’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.

Length:

Water: Except for occasional post-storm potholes, the Colorado River is the only reliable water source along this route.  The River water can be notoriously silty, we recommend using a lightweight, collapsible bucket that will allow the sediment to settle at the bottom.  Just be sure to fill the bucket as soon as you reach camp or a resting spot, as the settling process can take some time.

Campsites: From east to west, the Escalante Route extends through the Tanner, Escalante, and Red Canyon use areas.  All of which are designated for at-large camping.  Certain sites like the sand dunes above Tanner Rapids are restricted so know the regulations before you go.  While marginal dry sites exist along this route away from The River, they should be unnecessary if you plan smartly, as there are a number of great beach camps to take advantage of.  Our favorite camps here include Tanner Beach, Cardenas Creek, Neville Rapids, and Hance Rapids.

Reflections and Attractions: The Escalante Route is a great introduction to route travel in GC for Canyoneers who have gained the appropriate trail experience. Hilltop Ruin is a fine side hike. Camping in flash prone 75-Mile Canyon during a rainstorm is a bit nerve wracking and not recommended. Depending on your perspective and skill level, the Papago Slide and the Papago Wall can be interesting or intimidating. Regardless of your experience, one thing is certain, the views along this route will blow you away.

Warnings and Musings: A young, fit member of the Yermo team tackled this route as part of his first ever GC hike and got physically ass-whooped, temporarily lost, and flirted with hypothermia. In other words, be fully prepared for this hike. Routefinding skills may be required on this trek, especially in the Escalante Creek area.

Length:

Water: Perennial water sources along the East Tonto Trail are the Colorado River, Hance Creek, Page 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.