I am accompanied by the Brothers Steiner (hereafter referred to as BS1 and BS2, or as the BSers) and right from the start I can tell I may be spending much of my slower hiking time alone as they speed down the trail.  We begin our trek mid-morning to the frequent serenades of a canyon wren.  BS1 has the canyon wren ringtone and instinctively reaches for his cell phone.

We rest briefly at Stegosaurus Rock and then continue to the Redwall camp for lunch and to cache some water for our return.  BS1 spots a mountain short-horned lizard.  Two hikers on their way out stop to chat and take a break, turns out they are fellow Canyon nuts and four of us graduated from the same high school.

Below the Redwall things start to warm up a little.  It doesn’t matter how many times I descend Tanner, my least favorite section is always the never ending Dox traverse.  It’s just a steep, awkward slope with no shade and no good place to rest, but at least the scenery can’t get any better.

When the trail finally hits Canyon bottom to cross Tanner Wash I just detour down the wash and shortcut my way into camp ahead of the BSers.

The River is quite muddy and we have no luck fishing.  Strong winds make us contemplate moving camp east of the wash to more sheltered sites, but we choose to remain closer to The River.

At some point during the night I realize that inside my rain jacket pocket is part of an old unwrapped forgotten granola bar from some past trip.  I’m half asleep, my food is all packed up safe from varmints, the rain jacket is my pillow, and I don’t want critters poking around my head, so I just set the granola bar aside, by first light it is gone.

Day 2 – Tanner Beach to Palisades Creek:

Awake to an amazing display of sunrise cloud colors.  BS2 discovers that mice have raided some of his food he accidentally left out.  Today is a short hike, sort of a recovery day, so we leisurely pack up camp, chat with some hikers just arriving, then head north on the Beamer Trail.

There is a short climb to negotiate some cliffs immediately upon departing Tanner Beach.  Back on the sandy flats south of Comanche Creek, BS1 spots a striped whipsnake.  We take the low route past the island north of Espejo Creek again, so I still have no idea what the high route is like.

I find the Palisades beach camp I used about 18 months ago but there is one small problem – it’s under water.  That’s a shame it was a nice little beach, but there’s still enough room for camp in the tammies a little further from shore.

We spend some time alternately fishing and hiding in the shade.  Even with all this River silt I’m a little surprised the fishing gods are skunking us, especially considering how great this fishing hole was last time I passed through.

A monstrous commercial motor rig comes barreling down The River.  I’m not sure any of the passengers expected to see a full moon at Palisades during the middle of the day.

Last night I barely needed my sleeping bag.  Tonight is cold and windy, I use my rain fly as another blanket layer for wind shelter.

Day 3 – Palisades Creek to beach camp south of Little Colorado River confluence:

BS1 asks what I’ve been doing to protect my food from critters overnight.  I tell him I just sleep with my arm over it, kind of like sleeping with my old lady at home, except my food bag doesn’t elbow, kick, and steal the covers.

Continuing north on Beamer, cliffs force the trail up onto the Tonto platform.  More River rats float by below us.  After maybe a mile of hiking from Palisades we encounter the section of trail that has earned Beamer something of a bad reputation, at least with some.  Across from Carbon Canyon there is perhaps a 50 meter stretch where the narrow trail skirts dangerously close to towering cliffs.  I know people who hike this like it’s no big deal without any fear of the exposure, but a mistake here could be fatal.  I concentrate on tunnel visioning the trail but it’s hard to pretend there isn’t a deadly drop immediately to my left.

We all make it safe and sound to the next drainage north where the Beamer Trail splits yet again.  We take the high route this time, assuming it avoids further exposure lower down.  The two routes converge after a short distance where the Beamer Trail becomes a poor man’s Tonto Trail, contouring in and out of countless minor drainages.  We stop for a lunch break across from Temple Butte as more River rats float beneath us.

As we finally approach the Little Colorado River confluence yet even more River rats are swarming the waters.  I have never seen this many people (boaters or otherwise) in The Canyon outside of the corridor.

One of the boats is tied up at our beach camp south of the confluence.  Time to stroll over and see what’s going on.  After wading through the academic jargon, I learn many of these boats are teams of scientists surveying and mapping The River bottom.  They even have a little motorboat that is ferrying people and supplies up and down and back and forth all over The River.

Despite all the commotion we make the best of camp and siesta in the shade.  The fishing gods are still pitching a shutout.  I am starting to believe that the trout eradication measures taken by the Park Service to protect the endangered humpback chub are actually working!  Or at least that’s what I’m willing to blame our bad luck on.

Day 4 – Day hike up the Little Colorado River gorge:

We are all happy to be trekking sans heavy packs for our day-hike up the Little Colorado River.  At the confluence there is a stark contrast between the greenish River and muddy brown LCR.  These waters clearly do not mix well.

In under an hour we’re at the Beamer cabin.  This prospector dwelling was built into the base of an overhanging Tapeats cliff over a hundred years ago.  The cabin is still in great shape with some interesting relics inside, but there’s also pack rat shit everywhere so we don’t linger long.  These ledges were certainly occupied by Anasazi as well, but the artifacts have been mostly picked clean.

We make it another few miles further up the LCR gorge then stop for a snack.  Before continuing I start doing the math in my head.  It’s midday, hot, my foot is hurting some, and if I want to make it all the way to our intended destination and back to camp I will have to hike almost 7 miles on 1 quart of water (I would prefer to only drink LCR water as a last resort).

With some regret I decide to call it a day here while the BSers continue ahead.  They eventually cross the LCR and make it to our goal for the day-hike.  On their return BS2 takes a nasty spill and gets some fairly severe cuts on his leg.

On my way back I try staying closer to the LCR, which leads to some bushwacking here and there, eventually stumbling upon some more scientific equipment I’m assuming is used for humpback chub research.  Back at the confluence I encounter a hiking couple looking for a way to cross the LCR and The River.  They are doing Grandview to Nankoweap, an ambitious hike for most, but even more impressive when I learn they are on about week 7 of their through hike along the Arizona Trail!  What an adventure.

Back in camp the fishing gods continue their shutout, in fact at this point they are working on a no-hitter.

Day 5 – Beach camp south of Little Colorado River confluence to Comanche Creek:

For a couple days now BS1 has been teasing us that he will hitchhike on the 1^st boat back to Palisades.  Only minutes after we ascend from our beach camp more River rats float by, they appear to have plenty of room for all of us.  Too late now.

Cloudy skies bless the hike back down Beamer, a welcome relief from some hot temps of the last 2 days.  We opt for the high route again where the trail splits.  Interestingly, there is a small rock barricade discouraging southerly travel on the low route, but there was/is no such barricade at the trail split coming from the opposite way.

The BSers have waited for me back at the exposed section of trail.  They proceed as a terrible wind whips across the exposed trail, forcing the BSers to lean down towards the uphill “safe” side of the trail.  The wind relents briefly, BSers continue around the bend out of sight, then yet another brutal gust of April wind threatens our balance.  Within seconds the BSers are hustling back towards me.  Apparently BS1 asked BS2 how things were looking, the wind came blasting through again, and he said “we need to turn around…now.”

In anticipation of any wind today, I had eyeballed a route to bypass this tricky section back on day 3, so that’s what we decide to do.  The bypass is easy and safe, we simply go up and over the ridge immediately east of the exposed section.  Parts of this bypass route are cairned so we obviously aren’t the first to avoid that sketchy stretch.

We stop at Palisades to retrieve a food cache and have lunch, then continue down to the Comanche Creek area where we find a nice beach camp.  A storm has been following and threatening us all day, so BS2 sets up his tent.  I only have my rainfly and am quite thankful he had extra stakes, the fly would just not hold up in the wind without being anchored.

Figuring it’s our last chance we try our luck fishing again.  Within minutes it is raining steadily.  So I guess it’s official, the fishing gods went from shutout to no-hitter to pitching a perfect game.

The science boaters are all over the place again.  The motorboat cruises up River then slows and beckons us over to shore.  I walk down and he just wants to apologize for any inconvenience they’ve been imposing on our wilderness experience.  I tell him it’s no problem, then he asks if there’s anything we need.  This is my chance.  I tell him if he can scare up a few cold beers that would be great.  He says he’ll be passing by the kitchen and he’ll see what he can do, then motors off again.

The wait seems forever and of course it starts raining harder.  BS2 jumps in his tent to stay dry, I would do the same but for my fear of missing the beer boat.  Standing there drenched I get to thinking.  Why on Earth did I say “cold” beer?  At this point we could care less what temperature the beer is as long as we have some.

I hear a faint motor through the rain.  My heart skips a beat.  The beer boat is returning.  BS1 asks me to check if the boater will take out his backpacking detritus so I grab his trash bag and hustle down to the boat.  This is a historical Yermo moment.  I am handing a River rat a bag of trash and in return he hands me a bag of beers!  I know of no other place where such a transaction would be considered normal.

We enjoy our frothy beverages with a hearty cheers.  Warm PBR never tasted better.  The rain eventually chases us back to our shelters, where I cook up a meal and finish the beer.  The storm remains fairly intense throughout most of the night.

Day 6 – Comanche Creek to upper Tanner Canyon:

At first light I peek my head out the rainfly, the sky is mostly clear.  A relief for sure, I hate packing up in the rain.  Also, last night we discussed hiking all the way out today if it was still stormy, but we seem to have scored one more night in The Canyon.

Apparently I fared the driest.  The BSers squeezed into that little tent, which proved to be something far less than waterproof, and awoke drenched.  Any sleep they did get was in puddles of water.

We give the sun a chance to dry us out some and then hit the trail back to Tanner Beach to pump plenty of water for our dry camp tonight.  It seems some jackass brought their dog down here since we left as there are tracks everywhere.

Before departing we see 2 seagulls (yes, seagulls, I have never seen them in The Canyon before and suspect they are making their way up from the Lake Havasu area?) soaring low over The River.  Heading back up Tanner there has been an explosion of blooming wildflowers since we passed through 5 days ago.

Above the Tapeats boulder field a large group passes by on their way down.  Mostly youngtsers, a few of them seem beat up and perhaps ill prepared (i.e. jeans, behemoth packs, and dog-tired faces).  We skip the Redwall camp, sacrificing those views for more wind shelter in the small bay northeast of Cardenas Butte.

After we get settled and hide out some minor rain sprinkles, a Ranger strolls into camp.  In dozens of trips outside the corridor this is the first time I have ever been checked for permit legitimacy.  We chat for awhile and she tells us a Canadian couple got ticketed at the rim for bringing that dog down.  She also encountered that large group we saw earlier and said they were mostly beat up from the hike and had to change their aggressive itinerary.

I run out of stove fuel exactly after cooking my last dinner, and I would love to take credit for planning on being that lucky.  BS1 decides to try sleeping under a boulder overhang, it only takes a couple pack rat runs across his body to move his sleeping pad up closer to us.

Day 7 – Upper Tanner Canyon to Lipan Point:

On our way out it starts snowing above 75-mile saddle.  This is starting to feel like more than coincidence perhaps, but every time I have ascended Tanner it has been snowing.  Not sure if the BSers were taking it easy on me but the trek out only takes about 2 hours and I’m at the rim right behind them.

To see more photos from this trip click here.

To see more about BS1 and his wanderings through Arizona 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.

To read the trip report from these photos 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.

Length:

Water: There is no water along the trail and only limited post-storm pothole availability on Horseshoe Mesa. Miner’s Spring (also known as Page Spring) is perennial below the east neck of Horseshoe Mesa. Cottonwood Creek below the west side of the mesa has seasonal water.

Campsites: There is no camping along the trail. Horseshoe Mesa has designated campsites only. If the East Tonto Trail is your destination, camping is at-large.

Reflections and Attractions: The Grandview Trail is a great introduction to non-corridor hiking in GC. The trailhead at Grandview Point has the highest elevation of any South Rim trail. There are numerous highlights upon reaching Horseshoe Mesa including mining relics, Cave of the Domes, and perhaps the most inspirational backcountry toilet anywhere. The ends of both the west and east arms of the mesa sport spectacular views.

Warnings and Musings: Hiking this trail in icy winter conditions can be treacherous, even with crampons. The mining tunnels in the area such as Last Chance Mine are closed to visitation for public safety and to protect bat habitat.

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.

The original itinerary for this trip was to exit via Horseshoe Mesa. However, landslides have seriously damaged the Grandview Trail, and the Service is prompted to officially change our plan. The new hike will be from Red Canyon to Hance Creek and back.

From the trailhead it is a slow, jittery descent to below the Coronado Butte saddle. Pablito is suffering from some diabetic complications so we take a break at the Redwall overlook.

The traverse around the debris field towards the Redwall is somewhat tedious. An hour since the last break, D.K. and I wait for Pablito who is obviously struggling. It takes him a half hour to catch up, and it’s getting late. We have a decision to make, although it’s obvious this whole trip is probably screwed. Pablito’s in no shape to continue, so in the interest of safety we backtrack to a dry campsite south of the overlook. There is a pothole near camp with about two quarts of water that we take advantage of. Winds are howling all night.

Day 2 – Above Redwall in Red Canyon to New Hance Trailhead:

Our trip has been derailed so we sleep in, and then lethargically prepare for an assault on the rim that nobody is anxious to complete. The ascent through the Supai and Coconino is painfully steep. In my opinion and in terms of difficulty ascending, New Hance is second only to Boucher of all the South Rim trails.

We spend the night near Flagstaff, thankfully under a roof, and take some solace for not being in The Canyon as a huge snowstorm rolls through northern Arizona.

To see more pictures from this trip click here.

Many of my recent Canyon winter trips have been disrupted or cancelled by shitty weather. Hiking companions were beginning to think I’m cursed. Thankfully there’s no snow anywhere as the four of us descend Grandview Trail late morning. The weather report looks so surprisingly good in fact, that none of us even bring tents. At Horseshoe Mesa, Jack and the Old Man continue down the Redwall descent while I take Mantis to the Cave of the Domes.

We don’t really have the time to explore this cave properly, venturing only several hundred feet. The naming of the cave is obvious; each new chamber has a cathedral-shaped dome for a ceiling. It’s time to turn around when the crawl spaces get tighter than I’m comfortable with sans safety equipment. Back at the entrance we can see the Old Man and Jack making their way into the east arm of Cottonwood Creek, about 1,200 feet below us.

Mantis’ knees are bumming, but eventually we all meet up in camp next to the creek. Water will probably be flowing here for about another month or so. Snoring buffer zones are created so Mantis and I sleep away from the snorting old guys. It takes me a long time to fall asleep, too excited gazing at stars and looking forward to the days to come.

Day 2 – Cottonwood Creek to west arm of Grapevine Creek:

We’re up and trekking along the Tonto Trail early. Around the point as we head west away from Cottonwood Creek, there are some sections where a slip to the right could be a fatal mistake. Back on more stable ground we stop for a break. Two Canyon vets hike in from the west doing our trip in reverse. They stop to chat for awhile and break out some old school plastic and aluminum folding chairs strapped to their packs. They look comfy, but must be a bitch to carry.

We continue south into Grapevine Canyon, one of the longest side canyons along the entire South Rim. About halfway along the eastern arm we stop for lunch at Grapevine Spring. This water source is considered to be perennial, but based on appearance I might not rely on it in late summer during the driest of years.

The trail crosses Grapevine Canyon at the southern bend where there is a fork. There is already a small group in the east arm where Grapevine Creek is still flowing. Mantis and I scout the west arm. No flowing water here, but plenty of pools and an empty camp so we bring the old guys over.

I explore upstream and frighten a couple nervous squirrels with a blues harp jam. There are frequent croaking noises near camp and I’m convinced it’s a frog. Old Man says it’s something else, but we never find the source and the disagreement remains unresolved. A nearby owl keeps us constant company throughout the night.

Day 3 – West arm of Grapevine Creek to Lonetree Canyon:

Today is our longest day of hiking so Jack and the Old Man are on the trail before sunrise. We follow up and meet them at the foot of Grapevine Canyon. They’re out on an exposed point right at the lip of Granite Gorge. This rest stop is not for the acrophobic.

There is a minor unnamed side canyon below Lyell Butte that we traverse on our way west towards Boulder Canyon, where we stop for lunch. A few minutes upstream of the crossing there are some shaded pools of seasonal water connected by a mere trickle. I still find it hard to believe we’re seeking daytime shade in the second week of March.

The trek continues and we contour around into Lonetree Canyon. Mantis and I occupy the lower camps. There is some sporadic seasonal flow here as well, and we lounge next to a series of slickrock pools. Jack and the Old Man will not be alone at the upper camp, three hikers on a guided trip file in from the west. Their paid guide looks to be pushing seventy years old and limps into camp thirty minutes after his clients. I hope I’m still backpacking The Canyon at his age.

I explore downstream for awhile. The mystery of the croaking noise is solved and I was right, they are frogs. Lots of them. An entire orchestra of bullfrogs serenades us during the night.

Day 4 – Lonetree Canyon to Tonto Platform west of Cremation Creek:

In the morning I venture upstream almost to the base of the Redwall for another harp jam. We are unlikely to find water on the rest of our trip so we focus on hydrating and lounge in Lonetree Canyon until after lunch.

The trail west around into Cremation Canyon is crisscrossed by multiple old burro tracks. I stay on the main outer trail, but Mantis discovers one of those tracks is an easy time saving southern shortcut to the east rim of Cremation Canyon. Before this section, he had been approximately twenty minutes behind me and occasionally falling out of sight. After the shortcut I turn to check on him and to my disbelief he’s right behind me.

We rest briefly in the main bed of Cremation Creek under the shade of a cottonwood. There is no nearby water here, so we continue out of this canyon to the west; making camp near the edge of the use area boundary in order to shorten tomorrow’s hike out. Zoroaster Temple basks in a spectacle of sunset colors.

Day 5 – Tonto Platform west of Cremation Creek to South Kaibab Trailhead:

As if yesterday wasn’t enough, the sunrise this morning is just unbelievable. I can’t stop staring as the glory of Zoroaster is slowly revealed. This has to be one of my all time favorite waking sights! Inspiring enough to handle the seven mile hike out in about three and a half hours, despite some sore feet from relatively new boots.

To see more photos from this trip click here.