Click on any picture to see a larger image.  Monthly Archive listed below.

April 1

   In 1980 I joined Duane Ott (r) and his friend Norman (l) for an overnight hike down the Old Hance and up the Grandview.  This was our second day and on our way up we visited at one of Pete Berry's old mines below Horseshoe Mesa.  Not only was there a lot of old equipment here but it seemed rather intact.

April 2

April 3

April 4

   In 1980 I did a three day hike to Cremation Canyon.  This was my first day and I hiked down the South Kaibab Trail and over to Cremation on the Tonto, camping near the trail in the main bed.  The only photo I took this day was of this sunset from my camp.

April 5

   In 1980 I did a three day hike to Cremation Canyon.  This was my second day and I day hiked up into the canyon from my camp.  Here is a photo from late in the day with my pack hanging from a tree and Buddha Temple in the background.
   In 2013 I did a day hike down the New Hance Trail to the river.  I camped in the forest near the trailhead to insure that I could get this done in a day.  I was especially interested in the geology of the area, like this diabase dike at Hance Rapids.  I wrote up a full account here.

April 6

   In 1980 I did a three day hike to Cremation Canyon.  This was my last day and I hiked from my camp in Cremation back on the Tonto to Indian Garden and up to the rim on the Bright Angel Trail.  Here are two big cairns that used to mark the boundary of the Cremation use area.

April 7

   In 2005 I did a day hike down the Bright Angel Trail and out to a ravine west of Plateau Point that cuts through the Tapeats cliffs, as shown in the photo.  It was a wet spring and there was actually water flowing down this little ravine.  One of the attractions to me are that there are old names under some of the overhangs in here, including Ashurst, presumably the same early miner that partnered up with John Hance back in the day.
   In 2012 I did a day hike down the Grandview Trail to "rediscover" O'Neill Spring, which I had seen full of water in 2000.  But, I've never heard of anyone else ever seeing water there.  I tried to follow the old trail but missed finding the spring on this trip, but would find it a couple of weeks later (and dry).  Here's a photo of the trail across Horseshoe Mesa with the old miner's cook cabin walls still standing.

April 8

April 9

April 10

April 11

   In 2015 John Eastwood and I did a day hike down Grandview to check out O'Neill Spring.  Here we are at the spring along with the cairn I made and the old metal can I found here.  The spring was dry, as seems usual these years.  Then we checked out the Tuning Fork cave, but a big jump at the end of a slope kept us out.  [I returned a week later with a rope and finally got to see inside this cave.]

April 12

April 13

   In 1996 I drove up to the South Rim to do some rim hiking between Grandview and Desert View, checking on Harvey Butchart's mention of occasional along the edge.  I found a couple of interesting places, but also great views as shown in this panorama from near Zuni Point.  Hance Rapids are visible on the left.
   In 2005 I did a looping day hike down the Tanner Trail and back up to the rim via the "Old Tanner Trail" which as best as I could tell was just a bushwhacking route, although I did see a couple of cairns on the "Esplanade" level.  Here is a timed photo of me in the bay east of Desert View taking a break before heading up the canyon and to the rim.  I parked at Desert View and so had to walk from there to Lipan Point, and from my exit along a dirt road back.  I wrote up a full account here.
   In 1981 I hiked down the South Kaibab to the Tonto and then into the middle Pipe Creek via a route that passes by a granary.  From there I hiked back up to the Tonto somewhere to the west through the broken Tapeats and then over to Indian Garden and back up the Bright Angel Trail.  [No photos.]

April 14

April 15

   In 2011 I drove Bill Ferris out to the Nankoweap Trail so he could begin a long hike from there to Phantom Ranch and out.  On this first day we arrived at the lower trailhead and then hiked up to the saddle at the park boundary where we camped for the night.  From there I got this sunset shot looking down into Nankoweap with the moon overhead.  I wrote up a full account here.

April 16

   In 2011 I drove Bill Ferris out to the Nankoweap Trail so he could begin a long hike from there to Phantom Ranch and out.  On this first day we arrived at the lower trailhead and then hiked up to the saddle at the park boundary where we camped for the night.  From there I got this sunset shot looking down into Nankoweap with the moon overhead.  I wrote up a full account here.
   In 2013 I drove Bill Ferris and Rob Jones out to the Nankoweap Trail so they could begin a long hike from there to Phantom Ranch and out (picking up Chris Forsyth along the way in Lava).  We camped at the trailhead the night before and I joined them for the hike up to the saddle under very dark and threatening skies.  We said our goodbyes there and I hiked up to the top of Saddle Mountain, where I got this photo of me at the giant cairn there.  Great views from up there but coming back down through all the New Mexico locust was just awful!

April 17

   In 2004 I organized a hike with faculty, family and four of our MBA students down the Bright Angel Trail to Plateau Point for a day hike.  Here is the photo I took of the group at the start of our hike.  From left to right:  Cara Lynn Foster, Mike Wissert, Hilary, Akhaabi, Ben Ullyot, Adam Matz, John Haney, Kathy & John Eastwood.  A great day!

April 18

   In 1998 I went up to the South Rim to find what I could of the site of the old Grandview Hotel.  I found a few reminders of this once prime destination for Grand Canyon visitors, but best of all was this view from the rim out in front of where the hotel once stood.

April 19

   In 2003 I did a day hike to edge of the Tonto Plateau (blogged here) with a great view of the river, the black bridge that crosses it and with Zoroaster and Brahma Temples in the background.
   In 2013 I hiked to Salt Creek and took this shot looking back along the Tonto Trail over the blooming cactus with Isis Temple in the background.  I had just rounded Dana Butte and was heading into Salt Creek.
   In 2015 I day hiked down the Grandview Trail, with one of my objectives being to (finally) see inside the "tuning fork" cave, located on top of Horseshoe Mesa.

April 20

   In 1996 I did a day hike with John Eastwood and Mathieu Brown to a cave above Hance Creek that is actually a tunnel  (blogged here) with curvy delicate formations called helictites.
   In 2013 I hiked to Salt Creek when the cactus were in bloom.  I've always favored the red ones.

April 22

   In 2012 I did a day hike to O'Neill Spring, off the west side of Horseshoe Mesa (blogged here).  It was my second hike that month looking for this site, which was bone dry, unlike when I first visited here in 1999.

April 23

   In 2005 I did a day hike with Dave Bybee, his daughter Sam and his friend Jason.  We took this classic Phantom Ranch shot on the steps of the canteen (with me between Sam and Jason).

April 26

   In 2003 Erik Drake and I did a day hike down the Grandview Trail to visit at the Crystal Forest Caves (blogged here).  I had been there more than ten years earlier for the first time.  In one of the caves was an impressive formation that included this penciled-in name and date:  A H Beasley Aug 29 1896.
   In 1981 I did hike down to Phantom Ranch and then to Cottonwood Camp for a total of three nights.  This was my first day to Phantom Ranch.  [No photos.]

April 27

   In 1984 I did my first backpacking trip into Upper Phantom Canyon.  I camped this night just short of Haunted Canyon.  The opening line of my journal reads, "By the end of the day I am aching all over."  Some things never change!
   In 1981 I did hike down to Phantom Ranch and then to Cottonwood Camp for a total of three nights.  This was my second day when I hiked to Cottonwood.  [No photos.]

April 28

   In 1984 I did my first backpacking trip into Upper Phantom Canyon.  On my second day I checked out some Redwall routes and got some good views of this rugged canyon.
   In 1981 I did hike down to Phantom Ranch and then to Cottonwood Camp for a total of three nights.  This was my third day when I day hiked from my camp at Cottonwood.  [No photos.]

April 29

  In 1984 I did my first backpacking trip into Upper Phantom Canyon.  One day I hiked up as far as I could in the main arm of Phantom.  This idyllic waterfall and pool were as far as I could go.
   In 1981 I did hike down to Phantom Ranch and then to Cottonwood Camp for a total of three nights.  This was my fourth day when I hiked back to the South Rim.  [No photos.]

April 30

  In 1980 I camped overnight at Monument Creek while hiking from Hermit to the Bright Angel trails.
  In 1984 I took this long exposure night shot in Upper Phantom Canyon.  This kind of photo was the payoff for lugging around my old Pentax K1000 camera and accessories.

1980 - Day hike down BA, into Pipe Creek and out the east side, up the So. Kaibab.
2004 - Day hike down to Phantom Ranch on SK with John Haney. 

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