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Day 1 – Tanner Trailhead to Tanner Canyon atop Redwall:

Mr. Jamrock and I begin our descent on Tanner Trail at about noon, yet another late start caused by various morning setbacks. We spent last night car camping just outside the Park, and sub-freezing early temperatures delayed our packing process. Experience has taught me we need to keep a quick pace to make it to The River before sundown, yet right from the start it is clear Mr. Jamrock’s pack is too heavy and his progress suffers as a result.

At the head of 75-Mile Canyon I wait for Mr. Jamrock to catch up. He looks exhausted and is already drenched with sweat. An hour later I am waiting again in the “blizzard camp” from my Tanner trip three years ago. Mr. Jamrock approaches slowly, lumbering along and breathing heavily, sits down on a boulder and promptly vomits twice. Now my concern shifts from anxiety over the location of tonight’s camp to his well-being. He insists he’s fine despite having a meager breakfast and being nearly out of water. We are both carrying two extra quarts of water to cache atop the Redwall for our return, but now it seems we may need it sooner.

Atop the Redwall descent it is decision time. Daylight is waning and Mr. Jamrock is exhausted, we will camp here. In anticipation of this possibility I have been conserving my water supply so we should be alright, but unfortunately we will have to consume our cache.

There are several fabulous campsites north of the Redwall switchbacks, with some of the most scenic views to be found anywhere in Canyon backcountry.  Like the eye of Sauron, Desert View Watchtower presides over all while perched on the South Rim.  I lounge on the point, soaking up the view, while Mr. Jamrock naps for a spell.  His need to rehydrate those lost fluids has me water nervous so we continue to cautiously ration throughout the night.

Day 2 – Tanner Canyon atop Redwall to beach north of Espejo Creek:

We skip morning coffee and cocoa to save water and hit the trail early. I give Mr. Jamrock the two quarts I was carrying for the cache that will no longer be available for our return. Coming down the Redwall I spook a large owl (possibly a short-eared owl?) out of a stunted juniper tree. The sudden flight movement startles me.

The sloping traverse below the Redwall is as long as remembered. With no viable options for a sitting rest, this part of the trek always has my toes jamming into the ends of my boots, an uncomfortable hiking situation to be sure. At the hill point before finally dropping into the Tanner drainage I give Mr. Jamrock my last quart of water.

It is a relief to reach The River at Tanner Beach, especially for a dehydrated Mr. Jamrock. We drink our fill of filtered nature’s champagne, make some gatorade, and eat lunch; taking about a two hour rest before our trek resumes up River. As we depart two backpackers trudge into one of the beach camps, looks like a father-daughter team.

Aside from a short climb where the beach is pinched out by cliffs, the hike up Beamer Trail to Espejo Creek is mostly a sandy stroll within earshot of The River. Near the small island north of Espejo Creek the trail forks into an upper and lower route. Around the corner there is a large cairn so we opt to decline the ascent and continue on the low route as it seems passable. The two routes converge back into one across from the north end of the island so the time saved is minimal at best. It appears that the water level would have to be abnormally high to make the low route impassable.

We make camp at a nice sandy beach so I can have some time to fish. The River here is serene and peaceful, but bereft of hungry trout. Fading sunlight casts an illuminating glow on Lava Butte and the stratified colors of Palisades of the Desert.

Day 3 – Beach north of Espejo Creek to Palisades Creek:

I had originally hoped to hike Beamer all the way to the Little Colorado River confluence, but the events of Day 1 have tempered my ambitions out of cautious respect for the demanding nature of the trek. Today will be a short hike to Palisades Creek, more of a layover day really.

There are several nice beach sites to choose from, and we pitch tents right next to The River’s edge, with just enough beach space to account for mildly fluctuating water levels. It is very warm today so we build a shade shelter on the beach, using my tent’s rainfly. Time for some fishing.

First cast…fish on! A nice ten inch rainbow trout, maybe deciding to stay here will be a wise angling choice at least. The fishing here continues to be outstanding, really some of the best I’ve seen in The Canyon. I get a few hits and land several more rainbows, including one at about fourteen inches and two pounds.

With so much fun to be had today, and very little physical work, it would seem that we are undeserving of a cocktail hour. Perhaps so, but that doesn’t stop us anyway. What a gorgeous night, a shimmering half-moon light stretches across the surface of The River.

Day 4 – Palisades Creek to Tanner Beach:

Great beginning to another easy day as I reel in another respectable rainbow on my first cast of the morning. A few more trout are to follow, one of which hit my spinner and fought so hard I initially thought it was a bad snag. I am reluctant to leave but we need to get back to Tanner Beach.

Retracing our steps along Beamer I scare up a couple waterfowl (western grebe or merganser?) near the low route from Day 2. Back at Tanner we have a visitor in camp, a small lizard that has somehow lost its tail. It scurries around for a meal sneaking up on flies but always scares them off at the critical moment.

We travel down River along the Escalante Route to try out the fishing there. Rounding some massive sand dunes a huge plume of smoke is visible above the South Rim. On our drive in we passed some preparations for a prescribed forest burn, and hopefully that’s what we’re looking at. From down here it looks like a massive bomb has exploded on the rim, and we wonder if the planned burn didn’t perhaps get a little out of control.

The current here is too swift for successful angling so I return up River. There is an excellent eddy at the River bend above Tanner Rapids where my efforts are rewarded with a few more rainbows.

Night comes on as we filter gallons of water for our dry camp tomorrow. The first mice encounters of this trip occur as a pair boldly darts in and out of our camp throughout the evening.

Day 5 – Tanner Beach to Tanner Canyon atop Redwall:

Mr. Jamrock has learned his Canyon water lesson and begins today’s trek shouldering a pack that contains about twenty-five pounds of water. I also succumb to the urge to overcompensate my water needs and leave with about nine quarts, way more than I typically carry even in anticipation of a dry camp.

The ascent to the base of the Redwall and then up the switchbacks takes its customary time. All this extra water weight has really taken a physical toll on my body and I’m exhausted when we reach the spur trail to our camp from Day 1. We decide to camp there again so I lay out my sleeping pad for a short nap in the sun.

Wake up feeling completely refreshed, and just in time for a real Canyon treat. While our planned water cache to start the trip didn’t work out, we still had something valuable to stash behind which Mr. Jamrock has retrieved – four cold cans of beer. We sit on the point, admiring the view and sipping our tasty, frothy beverages.

It’s the coldest night of the trip and I use every layer of clothing I have packed. Hot drinks are a warm welcome for our last night in The Canyon.

Day 6 – Tanner Canyon atop Redwall to Tanner Trailhead:

Around 3 am this morning the wind really picks up and starts battering our tents relentlessly. My tent panels are making such a racket while whipping against my head and body that I have to get up twice to re-secure the tent. Even after sunrise the intense winds will not abate, if not for a quick move by Mr. Jamrock my sleeping pad nearly blows off the point into a thousand foot freefall.

Extreme gusts are prevalent throughout or trek to the rim but we persevere. We reach the parking area at Lipan Point with perfect timing. Just as we’re saluting a great trip with a couple cold beers it starts snowing. Getting back on the road, the prescribed burn we saw is still smoldering but appears completely controlled.

To see more pictures from this trip click here.