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

   In 2009, Cara Lynn and I got out the inflatable kayak (aka the Emma Dean) and went up to Lees Ferry.  We paddled our way upstream to Water Holes Canyon where we ate lunch and hiked up that canyon a bit.  It was a hot day, but nice on the river and cloudier in the afternoon.  I wrote up a short blog here.
   In 1979, I hiked from Grandview to Phantom Ranch and out over three days.  This was the first day and I thought I'd be able to get all the way to PR.  Well, that didn't work.  This was my first time down below Horseshoe Mesa and I remember having difficulty following the Tonto Trail in many places.  I only got as far as Lonetree Canyon, where a couple of nice water pockets induced me to make an unscheduled overnight stop.  As I was planning on staying in the PR dorms, I didn't bring anything for camping!  [No photos.]

   In 1979, I hiked from Grandview to Phantom Ranch and out over three days.  This was the second day when I hiked from my impromptu camp in Lonetree Canyon (no stove, no tent, no sleeping bag, no pad, etc.) to Phantom Ranch.  I got lost in Cremation and ended up just hiking across the Tonto directly for the outhouse, which I could see, at the junction of the Tonto and South Kaibab Trails.  This night I spent in the dorm at Phantom.  [No photos.]

   In 2007, I did a day hike down the South Kaibab with John Eastwood and Bill Ferris.  To make an otherwise very hot hike less onerous I packed up some small cups of ice cream and sodas, kept cold with a small hunk of dry ice.  We cached them at the nice shady spot near the top of the Tapeats (which Bill has dubbed "Big Shady") and enjoyed them on the way back up the trail.  Here's a collage of us enjoying this cool break.  I wrote up a short blog here.
   In 1979, I hiked from Grandview to Phantom Ranch and out over three days.  This was my last day and I hiked up from Phantom via the Bright Angel Trail.  [No photos.]

July 14

July 15

July 16

July 17

July 18

   In 1981, I did a day hike down the South Kaibab to Cedar Ridge.  From there I contoured over to Shoshone Point.  This was my second attempt.  On my first try, I looked for a route on the west side of the Coconino, which is wrong.  Learning that the actual route is on the east side, I returned and on this day climbed up through the Coconino, following cairns along the way, then up through the Toroweap and Kaibab layers to top out at the point right at the picnic area.  I didn't bring my camera, so no photos.

July 19

July 20

July 21

July 22

July 23

July 24

July 25

   In 1998, I did a hike down the South Kaibab Trail as far as Skeleton Point on this hot day with Jenny Haggerty.  When I worked up on the South Rim in the late 1970s/early 1980s locals referred to this stretch of trail as "Mormon Flats."
   In 2004, Cara Lynn and I went up to do a day hike on the Grandview Trail.  We went down to Horseshoe Mesa and then to the upper mine on the east side.  We spent a fair amount of time poking around inside, which you can't do anymore since the park has barred up all these entrances.

July 26

   In 2007, I did a day hike down the Grandview Trail with Bill Ferris.  We visited one of the old mines below Horseshoe Mesa and continued down to the Tonto Plateau.  We went out to the north end and ate lunch overlooking the river before returning via the trail up the west arm of the mesa.  I wrote up a blog report on this hike here.

   In 2012, I did a day hike down the South Kaibab to Phantom Ranch with John Eastwood.  On our way back up we were passed by this group carrying a giant condor piñata.  Well, that's what it looked like to me!

   In 2001, I did a day hike down the Hermits Trail, looping via the Tonto Trail to the Bright Angel and back to the rim with John Eastwood.  I left my home in Flagstaff at 3 a.m. and picked up John on the way. We had to catch the shuttle out to Hermits, but were on the trail at 5 a.m. We saw one couple coming up at Santa Maria Spring; otherwise we didn't see anyone until we reached Indian Garden at 4:30 p.m. Was it hot? Yes, it was blisteringly hot, but we were both in excellent shape. We topped out on the rim at 7:40 p.m. John took this pic of me ... I think at Monument (I think that is the little saddle between the Tonto and the Monument behind me).

   In 2000, I did a day hike with John Eastwood down the Bright Angel, along the Tonto and up the South Kaibab.  Usually we do this the other way around, but we wanted to start hiking early and fool with the rim shuttles at the end of the day.  We did get into a little tiff with a park volunteer that was stopping hikers and warning about the heat - she was arguing with us over our itinerary and it led me to conclude that I should just lie to these people!  Otherwise we had a great day.  We were on the trail at 7:30 a.m., at Indian Garden from 9-9:15 a.m., and at a great lunch spot at Pipe Creek (the photo) from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m.  It was hot coming out, but from here we reached the South Kaibab in just about an hour.  It was two more hours up to Cedar Ridge and less than another hour to the rim, topping out at 5:25 p.m.  Then we spent the better part of fifty minutes waiting/riding the shuttle to our vehicle, parked at the BA Lodge.
   In 1983, I did two nights out on the North Rim above the Shiva Saddle.  I don't have a journal and only took two pictures (both on the 31st) so I am a bit fuzzy about this trip.  As the dirt roads in the park west of AZ67 were closed to vehicles, I had to hike out to my camping spot from my cabin near the campground, and carry enough water for the whole trip.

   In 1983, I did two nights out on the North Rim above the Shiva Saddle.  I don't have a journal and only took two pictures (both on this date) so I am a bit fuzzy about this trip.  Anyway, I got this nice view of Isis, with the South Rim in the background, from the Shiva Saddle.

1978 - Bright Angel Trail to Plateau Pt. and back.
1978 - So. Kaibab Trail to the river and back out the BA Trail.
1979 - BA Trail to Tonto to Hermit and out (day hike).
1979 - Three days/two nights down the Grandview Trail; camp at Hance Creek and on Horseshoe Mesa w/June Stengel
1984 - Down the Atoko Pt. route into the Hermit shale and back.
1991 - Day hike at Jicarilla Pt. to petroglyphs w/Neil Jacobs.
1991 - Short hike down the Cliff Springs Trail near Cape Royal w/Dad and Sue.
1991 - Short hike down to Muav Saddle w/Dad and Sue. 

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