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: The New Hance Trail (perhaps more appropriately called the Red Canyon Trail to avoid confusion) is typically waterless until reaching the Colorado River.  There is a seasonal spring upstream from where the trail reaches the bed of Red Canyon, but if you are descending and planned smartly you shouldn’t need it.   We did once find pothole water above the Redwall after a storm in March.

Campsites: The use area for this trail is at-large camping. There are a couple small sites above the Redwall to break an ascent into two days. The bed of Red Canyon is also an option, but given the shortness of this trail (by GC standards), the beach sites at Hance Rapids are the obvious choice.

Reflections and Attractions: From the trailhead, Coronado Butte looms as an ancient sentry, gaurding the saddle between Red Canyon and the east fork of Hance Creek. Views from Red Canyon Overlook atop the Redwall are stunning, and make the naming of this canyon obvious. The rockslides through the Supai along the east side of Red Canyon can be tedious, and watch your step descending the loose footing along the ridge into the bottom. From the bed of Red Canyon to Hance Rapids is a tease, with a few pour-off bypasses to the east, and that roaring sound of The River starts further away than expected before it finally comes into view. The end of your day’s journey, Hance Rapids, is a delight, especially if you get to witness some River rats running this dangerous whitewater.

Warnings and Musings: As should be expected with GC’s shortest Rim-to-River trail, the New Hance is steep! From the Rim to the Supai layer, it don’t matter which way you’re headed, prepare for a knee-busting descent or a lung-busting ascent. Attempting this trail without prior GC experience is not recommended, the steepness cannot be overstated and with its unmaintained status and narrow tread, some claim the New Hance stretches the definition of a trail.

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.