GRAND CANYON, ARIZONA
THUNDER RIVER and DEER CREEK
OCTOBER, 1983
INTRODUCTION
This
was my second trip into the Grand Canyon. I attempted to
put into practice the lessons learned from the first trip.
I brought less stuff than before and had acquired a new
smaller and lighter sleeping bag for this trip, which
turned out to be not so good. The food however, was better
than last time. I decided to keep a journal of sorts for
this trip, mostly keeping track of our progress and times
as we hiked, so the entries are a bit sparse.
Sunday October 2, 11:25 a.m.
Left a cache' of water at 11:25 a.m. on edge of Esplanade.
Put canteens in crevice with a note, covered with rocks and
marked the spot with two sticks. Marked spot near trail; a
circle of rocks with a pointer in the direction of the
cache'.
Sunday
October 2, 1:40 p.m.
Spent last night on the north rim at Monument Point. Set-up
camp, ate and it started raining, and continued most of the
evening. In bed at 7:30 p.m. Awoke around 6:15 a.m., broke
camp, had breakfast consisting of coffee and a banana.
Started down at 8:30 a.m. Took pictures at trailhead. Took
break at 10:30 a.m. for 25 minutes. Pulled shirts off,
beginning to heat up a little bit. Very steep coming down
in some sections. Had to rope my pack down one small
drainage; didn't want to take the chance of falling the
first day out when we were suffering from wobbly-knee-itis.
Made good time up until lunch time at edge of Esplanade,
just before trail descends to Surprise Valley. Weather
excellent all the way so far.
Monday October 3, 7:30 a.m.
Made excellent time yesterday. After an hour and ten minute
lunch, it took only one hour and forty-five minutes to
reach the point overlooking Thunder Spring where we took a
break and enjoyed the view and sound from the spring.
Another half-hour to the campground. Not a soul here. Set
up camp by river. Had enchilada dinner. Had visitors; mice.
Monday
October 3, 6:00 p.m.
Had scrambled eggs, hash browns, & meat patties for
breakfast; so-so. Took hike up river to above confluence of
Thunder River and Tapeats Creek. Crossed Thunder River,
climbed hillside, dropped down steep slope (where we came
very close to being hit by a small size boulder loosened by
our careless cross-country hiking) to Tapeats Creek.
Followed river up to first little side canyon on the north
side. Very pretty. Had a small amount of water coming down
short fall into a pool. Continued up river to about halfway
to next side canyon, had to climb a sheer wall to continue.
Made two river crossings. Water was waist deep and pretty
fast; I almost lost it on first try. Came back on south
side of river, retracing our crossings. Crossed Tapeats
Creek right at confluence of Thunder River. Came back to
camp, then went downstream further to bathe and soak up the
last few rays of the sun before it disappeared over the
canyon walls. Dinner consisted of mashed potatoes &
meatballs and corn. Mm-mm.
Notes: Bring more Ak-Mak crackers next time - they're going
fast. Also more wine! we're only 2 days in and having to
ration supply carefully. Also, I need a chair since I have
to hang my pack & can't lean on it while in my bivy bag
like Bob can!
Wednesday
October 5, 8:20 a.m.
Left yesterday morning at 9:30 a.m. after Grape-Nuts
breakfast. Made it to look out point just below spring
(where we stopped 10/2 for a break on our way down) in 1
hour. We climbed up the side of the falls as far as we
could (meaning we didn't have enough confidence to go
further; a four foot gap lay before us with a good 100 foot
fall. Although later we saw someone from the river jump
that gap and scale a sheer wall to the outlet of the spring
with no protection.) We took some snapshots and got
ourselves wet to stay cool on our way out. We left here at
12 noon. It took 35 minutes to reach the saddle at
approximately the 3800 foot contour. From here we trucked
the rest of the up to and across Surprise Valley. We got
halfway down the drainage leading to Deer Creek and stopped
for lunch at about 2 p.m. Had chicken salad and lemonade.
We met some river people who had come up Tapeats, across
Surprise Valley, and were on their way down to mouth of
Deer Creek to meet rafts that had dropped them off above.
We made it to Deer Creek at approximately 4:15 p.m. and
spent the next 45 minutes looking for a good campsite,
which turned out to be where we had set our packs at first!
Dinner consisted of millet barley stew, wine (more next
time), and crackers (also more next time). Had some hot
chocolate and brandy, a granola bar and retired to bed
star-watching. Saw the donut and several satellites. Awoke
this morning at sunrise, watched bats flying back to their
nest (as I had the night before, watching them flying out
from their nests). Had egg breakfasts, set up clothes line
and washed dishes. Set off to river for the day via Deer
Creek Narrows.
NOTES: Sleeping bag sucks - acts as a vapor barrier - must
wear clothes, otherwise I wake up sticky and wet. Zipper no
good.
Wednesday
October 5, 5:30 p.m.
It took about an hour to get to the river. Narrows of Deer
Creek very, very beautiful and very steep. Narrow trails in
spots. 60 to 150 foot drops. Waterfall at mouth of creek
about 150 feet tall. Several pools in narrows and at bottom
of falls at river level. Nobody there for about 15 minutes
when 2 kayakers arrived. They had been on river about 10
days. Raft party followed a few minutes later; "Grand
Canyon Youth Expeditions". Turned out that one of the
leaders was one of the people we met yesterday on Surprise
Valley trail. They stayed for about 2 hours exploring the
area above falls. They left and were gone for approximately
a half hour when another raft party appeared. Popular spot
I guess. We went back up canyon to our camp. Weather
beginning to look like rain. We had dinner and prepared for
rain, digging trenches around tents. The first thunder was
heard over Surprise Valley at about 5:30 p.m. We climbed in
our tents. Light rain as of now.
NOTES: Tarps & clips to make a porch between our tents
when foul weather hits.
Thursday October 6, 1:12 p.m.
Last nights rain was no more than a light drizzle. The
storm was gone by sundown. In bed star-watching. Up at dawn
today. Had a Grape-Nuts breakfast. Off we go at 8:23 a.m.
Steep going out. Lots of stops. We made it to the first
trail junction in a reasonable amount of time ( I don't
remember how reasonable though. I was to preoccupied with
the awesome quietness of that canyon, that I lost track of
time). We hiked across Surprise Valley, met with the other
junction heading up out of the valley, and made it part way
up the Supai (at the very bottom). Here we found a shaded
rock and took a 35 minute break. We got there at 10:40 a.m.
and left at 11:15 a.m. We met two groups of people coming
down. We discussed how glad we were that we weren't going
to be down there this weekend. We have stopped for lunch at
1:12 p.m. on Esplanade, having Wylers soup.
FRIDAY
OCTOBER 7, 7:00 a.m.
After a 1 hour lunch yesterday, it took another 1 hour and
5 minutes to get to our cache'. Bob sneezing most of day,
possibly coming down with a cold. We searched for an
appropriate camp site on Esplanade for another 45 minutes.
Very unimpacted area we camped in. Our campsite was
approximately half a mile from the trail, 100 feet lower in
elevation, south. Had a spectacular sunset. Dinner was
alpine chicken, vegetables, and the usual drinks. Several
potholes of water from the storm 2 nights ago. (We stopped
after lunch yesterday and filled up my one-and-a-half quart
bottle with pothole water. It took a long time, about 15
minutes, to pump the water out, due to much silt and
sludge.) Bob thinks he definitely has a cold this morning.
We had Grape-nuts, coffee, & Red Zinger tea. Another
shitty night in my bag, being sticky most of the night
long. Clouds this morning and cool. Rain to east. Good
sunrise despite the clouds. Very quiet here - nice. We talk
of walking the Esplanade as far as we can see to the south.
Discuss air drops. Sipping Red Zinger tea. Mmm-mm. We
decide being on Esplanade has more visually to offer than
the canyons. We hear thunder and decide to pack up after
seeing rain to the north-northeast.
NOTES: Our box of Grape-Nuts lasted till this morning. Same
with our coffee (12 cups), and sugar (I had 1 canister, Bob
had 1). More granola bars, Wha Guru bars. I cut my finger
pretty good last night on my silly razor I meant not to
bring along - don't bring it again! Must get bigger
planisphere and study the stars. I found it hard to know
what your looking at when you don't know what it is.
Clothing has worked out O.K. Maybe 1 more t-shirt.
Yesterday Bob and I discussed possibility of publishing a
small booklet for specific trails. (Backpackers guide to
Thunder River Trail, etc.) Sun breaking through now - it
feels good. We hear other people on the trail. The colors
are changing. I should start packing now.
SUNDAY
OCTOBER 9, 4:00 p.m.
At home in Glendale. We left camp on the Esplanade at 8:10
a.m. We bushwhacked for about a half hour back to the
trail. Steep going up. We made it to drainage where I
lowered my pack by rope in 1 hour and 50 minutes. We took a
rest for 10 minutes under a ledge. We met a north rim
ranger on his weekend off hike into the canyon. Just above
this drainage, 100 feet or so, the trail levels off and
contours around to where we started in. Steep climb up to
the top. Many stops. To east-northeast we see a storm
brewing. We discuss how the trip came to a close so
quickly. At the top at 11:10 a.m. Another 20 minutes down
from Monument Point to the parking area. On our way up the
last day and the day before we notice lots of people going
down. We decided going during the week was an excellent
idea. Bob hiked up with a fever. We drove on forest road
422 all the way to Fredonia. We had a mexican lunch at
Nedros. O.K. To St. George, then to Las Vegas. We lose all
our money. Leave for home Saturday morning, 10:15 a.m.
Arrive 3:15 p.m. Desert beautiful all the way to just
outside Victorville. Fog, (smog?), clouds. Welcome back.
NOTES: More instant soups. Natural high dinners very good.
Must spend more time exploring one area rather than hiking
from place to place next trip.