Grand Canyon again

[BLKNBLU]

Another October and another trip to the Tapeats ampitheater in the Grand Canyon. This year the trip included a night on the Colorado which was a first for me. So the itinerary included a couple nights at Tapeats Creek, a night on the river, a couple nights at Deer Creek and a night on the Esplanade.

First you have to get there, which can be an adventure in itself. I was running late so I didn't get pics along the road except for this sunset shot of BLKNBLU with the Vermillion Cliffs lit up for a backdrop.


We started off scrambling down the limestone trail...


...to enjoy this view


Eventually the limestone gives way to erosion. This allows us a nice, albeit steep, ramp down to the next level...

...and Todd and Sandy take full advantage.


This was the first canyon experience for Sandy and the going proved a bit difficult for her. We ended up staying on the Esplanade the first night. This year was also the earliest we had ever gone on this trip and ironically enough, the coldest we had experienced. The Esplanade was very windy that first night and we got a small bit of rain, but everyone stayed dry.

The next morning was still a little blustery and the weather couldn't seem to make up it's mind if it would clear up or not. We ended up taking another beating from the wind as we made our way down the Redwall but it did afford us some different pics from our previous journeys.

 

[BLKNBLU]

One of the highlights of this hike is Thunder Falls. This year we had another big group that would be staying in the same general area as us, so when we saw them coming up behind us, the decision was made for me to haul butt to our favorite campsite and stake our claim. I only popped off this one quickie shot as I went by. Hopefully I'll have more to share when I get Todd's pictures.



Fortunately the scenery at the campsite doesn't suck either. Plus I got a nice nap while I waited for the others to arrive.

The area around our campsite.










Getting late. More tomorrow.

 

[ttora4runner]

Nice, Mike.

 

[jeepmedic46]

Very Nice:ylsmoke:

 

[KSJeep]

Love the Grand Canyon.

 

[Backwoods Rambler]

I still can't believe I've never been to the Grand Canyon

I believe its time to start planning....thanks for the inspiration :drool:

 

[BLKNBLU]

We spent a couple days goofing around at Tapeats Creek seeing what we could see.
Nice days. Clear nights.

Imageshack is giving me fits today so I'll try to come back later and add to this.

 

[Scott39]

Nice photos, here is another photo host that I use.

Nice 4runner!

http://www.tinypic.com/

 

[SOAZ]

Nice shots buddy!

 

[Westy]

Great report Mike, love the photos. Did anyone you were with fish Tapeats?

 

[SWbySWesty]

great photos!

 

[BLKNBLU]

Thanks for the kind words everyone.

Brian, no one in our group did any fishing this year. There was another group of 7 IIRC, and nearly all of them had gear. Reports were of catching as fast as you could cast, which is pretty typical there. Upper Tapeats tends to be rainbows about the size of your hand. Down near the river though, you run into some nice big browns.

After a couple days we had to move on to our next stop on the itinerary. A colorado river beach campsite. I hadn't ever done this before so I was pretty excited.

That sunny area is where we need to go.


Even though we had some work to do on this day...


...at least we had some good scenery.






Eventually we near our first goal of the river.


By then the trail has gotten high...


...and narrow.


While I've hiked this trail many times now, this was the first with a full pack. That added a new dimension and gave the experience a new feel.

 

[BLKNBLU]

A nice little downclimb will eventually get us to this area. It is the official Lower Tapeats campsite, but not our destination for tonight.



We enjoyed some playing around in the water, ate lunch, filtered water, and enjoyed some more nature before moving on. We also got to chat with a group that were staying at Lower Tapeats for the day.










We then had to resume our way along the river route and it is much more of a route than a trail. Up and down, picking your way through boulders at times.




Our payoff was the riverside beach we camped on. Seen in the lower right corner here, it doesn't look like much.


But...

 

[BLKNBLU]

...this is what it looks like up close.






The lot across the street is still available for anyone interested.

 

[BLKNBLU]

Again, the weather couldn't make up it's mind. We went to sleep in the open, looking at a billion stars. Fortunately, Todd and Diane put up their tent for Sandy, because about 3 a.m. we awoke to pitter patter. Diane jumped in with Sandy while Todd and I had to settle for just securing my tarp directly over us like a blanket. Luckily, it only lasted about 30 minutes, but provided us with some booming thunder and lightning.

By morning the weather was giving us some interesting light effects in one direction.


It was also giving us a hint that we better get a move on from the other direction.


We spent most of the days hike trying to decide if it was worth getting out the rain gear or not. Hike along, get wet, ignore it, decide to gear up, de-pack, rain stops...... and repeat..... and repeat..... and

This day we would complete the hike over to Deer Creek. There are 2 routes, high and low, and we would be taking the low route. The low route advantage is that there is less overall climbing. The disadvantage is a short section of very exposed trail. To some it is no big deal, to others it is a very big deal. Again, this would be my first time through with a full load pack but it was really no big deal for me. Sadly, I'll have to see if I can get some pics from Todd of the actual exposed portion. We were somewhat distracted getting the group through the area. Happily we got through there before any real wind or rain hit the area (just).

Other intersting bits from this day include this little guy trying to eke out a living between a rock and a hard place.




Also this guy, that I almost stepped on.


Fortunately, with the blustery weather, he was very docile and slow moving and probably only in the trail trying to warm up. After letting me take his photo, he slowly slipped off the trail into some grass and let us pass. Hard to get any scope in the pic, but this one was a baby. Coiled up as shown, he would have fit in the palm of my hand. (or very close) Also, about as big around as my little finger, though I wasn't about to put that in the pic for scale.