To read the trip report from these photos click here.

Mr. Jamrock, Pablito and I spent last night on Swamp Point.  Today our destination is Muav Saddle, a very simple hike by Canyon standards.  Because of that I had planned to spend most of our time day-hiking on Powell Plateau with perhaps a side trip to either Muav Spring or Powell Spring for water.  However, Pablito has brought way too much gear and food, and we are forced to delay our departure by several hours as he packs, unpacks, and packs again.

Finally Pablito is ready and we trek down to Teddy’s Cabin at the saddle for lunch.  I haven’t seen the cabin in four years and it’s still in great shape, I even found my old journal entry in the logbook.

Given our late start I grudgingly rule out our Powell Plateau hike.  Instead we will head down the North Bass Trail to find Muav Spring for some water.

Along the trail there are some interesting moss or lichen formations hanging down beneath an overhang.  After a quarter mile we find the spring east of the trail and signs of early white man development.  There is just enough flow to pump a few quarts here for meals and cocktails tonight.

Back at the saddle, Mr. Jamrock and Pablito decide to sleep on the old cots inside the cabin.  I am still fearful of Pablito’s banshee snore so I set my tent up outside.

Day 2 – Muav Saddle to Saddle Canyon:

Even through the walls of Teddy’s Cabin I could hear Pablito’s snoring last night but still got some decent sleep.  If I had known how slow hiking was going to be today I would have rallied us for a much earlier start than 10 am.

We are traveling off-trail down Saddle Canyon to the junction with Crazy Jug Canyon.  The route down Saddle is straightforward, and while traveling in the dry creek bed is the quickest option it is by no means easy.  It is a complete hackfest and the true definition of a bushwack, complete with plenty of thorny brush.  I am wearing shorts and a shirt, so my arms and legs get cut up pretty bad.

Our progress is slow and I have to stop and wait for my companions many times before we reach the first of a few dry pouroffs in the Supai.  The first is easily bypassed to the left (west).  The second has a bypass to the right (east) which Mr. Jamrock uses, but Pablito and I get out the rope for a short assisted downclimb, after we lower our packs.

The third pouroff is significant and has a longer bypass to the west along a somewhat exposed ledge.  Our group is tired and it’s getting late so I decide to end our day here.  There is a large pool of water we can pump from, just enough room for three tents, and the forecast is clear so I’m not worried about a flash flood through here.

A couple mice join us for dinner, making occasional bold incursions into our kitchen.  Our camp is situated in sort of a small alcove, and Pablito’s banshee snore literally echoes off the canyon walls, making for a fitful sleep at best.

Day 3 – Saddle Canyon:

This morning Mr. Jamrock and I decide to enforce the snoring banishment of Pablito for the rest of the trip.  We’re up early today and on the trail an hour after sunrise.

About halfway through the ledge bypass there is a talus slope that must be ascended to gain the ridge west of Saddle Canyon.  The footing is loose due to the rains from last week.  I ascend first and scout the route ahead.  Soon Pablito is up top with me, but Mr. Jamrock is yelling for help.

I scamper back down the slope and find him lying on his belly, breathing heavy, and in a bit of a panic.  Large chunks of dirt and rocks have given way beneath his feet and he’s on the verge of sliding down the slope.  This situation is not good, but if he does slide, the odds of him falling to the bottom are extremely low as there is plenty of brush and large boulders to stop his progress.

I try to calm him down and then help to push him up the slope to where Pablito is waiting for us.  Atop the ridge we take a break and I have a decision to make.  I wanted to make it at least as far as Crazy Jug Canyon but I’m thinking it would be irresponsible to keep pushing Mr. Jamrock, who is clearly shaken up from his encounter with the talus slope.

We decide to cut the trip short a day and turn back.  We still have another night on our permit in this use area so we retreat back to a campsite I noticed with water just above the first Supai pouroff.

Day 4 – Saddle Canyon to North Bass Trailhead:

Time to return through the hackfest so I start the hike with pants instead of shorts this time, which promptly get ripped to shreds – back to shorts and more cuts on my legs.

About a mile below Muav Saddle I pass an unmistakable rattling noise to my left.  I stop to find the source and notice that I have interrupted lunchtime.  A small rattlesnake is in the process of swallowing what appears to be a mouse, and the rodent’s tail is still sticking out of the serpent’s mouth.  The snake continues rattling its warning as Pablito and Mr. Jamrock approach, then we move on.

We take a short break at Teddy’s Cabin and retrieve a water cache we left here on Day 1; then proceed with the hike out to the Rim where we see 6 wild turkeys crossing the Swamp Point road.

To see more pictures from this trip click here.

Caching for two near a Presidential Palace.

We arrive at Swamp Point the day before our trip is scheduled. Starting tomorrow we will spend two nights atop Powell Plateau. It will probably be a dry camp, so we plan to day-hike a water cache over to the plateau. By “we” I mean me.

It’s getting late so I load up my pack with about three gallons and double time down and up about two miles to the plateau, and stash the water. Back down at Muav Saddle I stop to check out the old Park Service structure.

A tiny patrol cabin was built here just below the north end of the saddle back in 1925, apparently marking the site where President Teddy Roosevelt had camped and hunted mountain lions a decade prior to construction. It’s a creepy old cabin partitioned into two very small rooms. The main room has some rusted bed frames and a crude wooden desk, atop which sit the cabin’s journal and a few arrowheads alongside some fossilized rocks. The smaller “bedroom” at the back has a poster picture of the President, thus christening this wooden relic as “Teddy’s Cabin.” There is also a small pile of construction debris in the corner.

I’m back at the North Rim in time for cocktail hour and camp chairs, a serious Canyon luxury. This is kind of weird camping within Park boundaries and having my truck parked right next to the rim, not to mention the ice cold beer in the cooler. The day is capped by yet another spectacular Canyon sunset.

Day 2 – Swamp Point to Muav Saddle:

The competition for our demise – lightning vs. venom.

As we pack to leave, previously distant thunder is now much closer than I’m comfortable with. Just as we’re about to shoulder packs the air around us flashes brilliantly white, simultaneously with loudest BOOM I’ve ever heard. I can feel electricity pulsating through the air as instinct drives us to the ground with a primitive scream of fear. A lightning bolt has surged and exploded directly over us.

After a few seconds I regain my composure and say something to the effect of, “let’s get the fuck out of here now!” We haul ass down towards Muav saddle as the rain starts. Thunder roars once more overhead and Zilly ditches her trekking pole for fear of its potential electrical conductivity. I pick it up and am now carrying two poles, unable to stop thinking if I am crazy for doing so.

We make it to the saddle and rest, feeling a little safer for the moment. Zilly wants a snack before resuming the uphill trek to Powell Plateau. The plan was for me to carry most of the gear, while she would carry the food, but there’s a slight problem. She has accidentally left all the food in the truck. Shit. I’m kidding myself if we can make it to the plateau by now, but I hustle back solo and retrieve our grub, spooking a couple mule deer off the trail.

By the time I return there’s little daylight left, so we decide to make camp on the saddle near the cabin. Then all hell breaks loose again as the tempest proceeds to unleash in the most terrifying lightning storm I’ve ever seen. We huddle inside the cabin on the floor for about an hour during a constant pounding of rain, lightning, and thunder that feels powerful enough to pulverize our flimsy wooden shelter. I actually pray that we will remain safe.

Eventually the storm begins to fade as lightning bolts brighten the cabin’s interior less and less with each strike. I start giving in to the hope that we might actually survive the night. At that moment when I start letting some feeling of relief take hold, Teddy’s Cabin fills with a most distinguished and unmistakable reptilian noise. One long and fear inducing rattle. You have got to be kidding me. We have taken refuge in the only somewhat dependable storm shelter for miles, which also happens to be the home of at least one rattlesnake.

Using my headlamp I immediately assess the security of our main room. No snakes and no holes for outside access, only a bothersome gap at the bottom of the door to Teddy’s room. I make a brief inspection of that room from the doorway, and the pile of debris is unsettling, so I close the door and reinforce the gap at the bottom. We are left with two options. The snake is in Teddy’s room, under the pile of debris, or under the cabin. That leaves us again with two options. Sleep in here with the door secured or outside with the potential of rain, lightning, and venomous reptiles. Obviously we choose the former.

Day 3 – Muav Saddle to Swamp Point:

The ghost of Canyon past.

Considering everything we went through yesterday, I got some decent sleep time. In the morning one of the cabin’s previously shut windows is wide open. Teddy’s ghost must have snuck in or out during the night. I never heard him. Never heard that rattler either. An inspection under the cabin from a safe distance reveals nothing, but rattlesnakes are camouflaged for a reason.

Given yesterday’s debacle we decide to scuttle a night on the plateau, and just return to the rim. Back in Flagstaff I learn that yesterday’s lightning storm started at least three fires on the North Rim, including one actually on Powell Plateau. Perhaps we had good Canyon karma by not making it up there.

Overlooking Eden.

Jack, D.K., and I are at the Bill Hall Trailhead early because we spent last night near Monument Point. We luck out for now with cloud cover and a pleasant temperature. After a short break at the Thunder River Trail junction we hustle along the Esplanade traverse. Atop the Redwall we stop for lunch and leave a water cache, about two quarts apiece.

During the descent into Surprise Valley, Jack complains about feeling lightheaded. It has warmed up significantly and he’s probably dehydrated. D.K. continues while I wait for Jack, and get him to drink a bunch of Gatorade and water. Eventually he’s ready, so we rendezvous with D.K. and trek out to the eastern edge of Surprise Valley.

From here there are excellent views of Thunder River below, in addition to Tapeats gorge.  D.K. and I gaze down upon the surreal falls of Thunder River during cocktail hour while Jack rests.

Day 2 – Surprise Valley to Tapeats Rapids:

Creek Crossing Blues; & Señor Yermo vs. The Brownie.

Jack borrows my water filter and is heading down to Thunder River early. He’s thirsty and we follow up a little later. I am so happy to be back here, and take a moment of solitude near the source of the falls for a ceremony that’s become something of a tradition.

We eat breakfast and lounge in Eden for a couple hours. Each time I come back here it gets harder to leave but we have a busy day. Our trek resumes downhill and we follow Thunder River to its confluence with Tapeats Creek. The volume of water flowing in the creek is way higher than my last visit. Any attempt to cross the creek or the river looks like a dicey proposition at best, especially without any rope.

At low water the path downstream is much easier along the east bank, but with such a risky crossing we elect to follow the more difficult west route. There are lots of ups and downs and it’s a sweaty haul as the temperature is increasing. Intermittent cloud cover is most welcome for the shade, but it also feels like a contribution to the humidity.

We reach The River at Tapeats Rapids, set up Camp 2, and have lunch. The whole afternoon is up for grabs; Jack chooses to rest, while D.K. and I gear up for some angling. There is no luck for us around the confluence. Another group of backpackers moved in across the creek and we watch as one of them literally snags some kind of sucker with his fishing line.

With the other backpackers and a large River rat camp nearby, we decide to ditch the crowds and start hiking down River. After about half a mile the rapids smooth out and some fish-able eddies are more prevalent.

In due time D.K. catches a few respectable rainbow trout. It’s downright hot now, so he opts back to camp for water and shade, while I decide to work my way back slowly, fishing along the way. I spot a tempting eddy and cast out one of D.K.’s homemade silver spinners. Within seconds I get the big hit, and after glimpsing the size of the fish, holler D.K. back to my position. I battle the fish with my shitty backcountry telescopic rod for a few more seconds, bringing him as close to the bank and my grasp as possible when disaster nearly strikes. The fish, a big brown trout, gives a vicious tug and snaps my line. I instinctively pounce with both hands and secure the fish in shallow water. At nearly twenty inches and three pounds; this could be the biggest fish I’ve ever caught in The Canyon.

D.K. has probably caught more giant fish from here to Alaska than anyone I know, and his complete excitement over the catch only furthers mine. He snaps a couple pictures and we briefly discuss cooking up some fillets, but there’s another more satisfying option. We release the monster back into the water to once again dominate his piece of River turf.

Eventually I return to camp and hang out with Jack and D.K. in the shade before sundown. The swallows are out in force again at lower Tapeats, whirling and swooping above us on their daily insect feeding frenzy. The moon waxes even further towards full tonight and headlamps are largely unnecessary.

Day 3 – Tapeats Rapids to Deer Creek:

A day of catch & release – Jack catches his breath, & D.K. releases his rainbows.

The River route between Tapeats Creek and Deer Creek is hot and longer than it appears (just like last time). Below the saddle into Deer Creek I wait in the shade for Jack. He looks alright when he comes into view so I descend to meet with D.K. at the creek campsite. It is easier to follow the east bank upstream.

With camp set up, we pass through the impressive Deer Creek Narrows, I remind the guys to stop if they have the urge to look around. One misstep here could be fatal. Jack decides to call it a day at the Granite Narrows overlook above Deer Creek Falls.

D.K. and I continue down to the base of the falls for some more fishing. As usual there are a lot of River rats around. There’s also a camp of traditional dories across The River.

Unfortunately, after years of use my cheap reel breaks, but the memory of yesterday’s Brownie is still fresh enough to temper my disappointment. D.K. catches a few more rainbow trout, I’m content to wait in the shade and have an early cocktail hour.

We retrace our steps back to the Patio, marking the head of Deer Creek Narrows, where a raven is pecking at a headless kingsnake. A little further towards camp we encounter a small western patchnose snake.

Day 4 – Deer Creek to Esplanade south of Thunder River Trail-Bill Hall Trail junction:

Hearing loss & moon rocks.

Jack leaves camp with my filter at 5 am for the double ascent; first out of Deer Creek, and then back through Surprise Valley to above the Redwall. D.K. follows as I stay behind for a spell at Deer Creek Spring to clean his filter and pump more water. The hike up to the Esplanade is still an ass kicker as remembered, taking about three hours of trekking time.

We take a long rest and decide to cover a little extra Esplanade distance before making camp. Jack complains about some hearing loss after completing the Redwall ascent and I am a little worried as he obviously can’t hear some of our normal conversational volume (We never really came up with a decent explanation for this temporary condition, but Jack’s normal hearing would eventually return several days later).

Maybe a mile short of the Thunder River/Bill Hall Trailhead junction we make camp amongst some of the more unique globular red rocks that pepper the Esplanade.

Day 5 – Esplanade to Bill Hall Trailhead:

Fake Arizona rattlesnakes & real Mexican beer.

We all leave at staggered times again, I act as the caboose as usual. Stumble upon a large gopher snake soaking up some early morning sunlight near the trail. It gives me the classic fake rattlesnake routine by thumping its tail against the ground (a sound that anyone with rattlesnake experience knows is a cheap imitation.)

We’re all at the rim enjoying a Tecate at 10 am, toasting to the success of another excellent Canyon trip.

To see more pictures from this trip click here.