Desert Southwest - The Checklist Edition - Grand Canyon Rim-to-Rim Traverse, Day 1 - South Kaibab TH to Clear Creek Campsite - September 2014

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courtesy BConnell

And, we're off!

At 9:12 a.m., we headed off from our campsite, walking through the open pine forest of the Coconino Plateau, headed east. If Sandra and Alana did in fact arrive right on time, and if they did not experience any excessive traffic on Highway 64, they would arrive at the South Kaibab Trailhead around 10 a.m. We therefore had a bit of a brisk march ahead of us - a march fast enough to cover the approximately 3.5 kilometre walk from here to there in that time.

I veered slightly too far north at the start of our walk - causing probably a few hundred yards of unnecessary walking - but at the crossing of Highway 64, snapped back onto the old access road I had spied on the map. The road runs along a perfectly straight line towards the southeast, underneath a powerline.

courtesy RHanel

South Rim Forest

Eastward through forest

courtesy RHanel

Crossing 180

Old Access Road

Fresh Backpackers

Twenty minutes' worth of brisk walking brought us to a faint but important intersection. A fairly indistinct path crossed our powerline road at a shallow angle from the west, and continued on at a similar shallow angle to the east. I was expecting this crossing; this faint path was part of the Arizona National Scenic Trail - a cross-state hiking route extending from the border with Mexico, all the way north to Utah.

courtesy PChen

Across the Plateau

Intersecting the Arizona Trail

Desert View Road

The Arizona Trail was more than just a curiosity for us, for it provided the most convenient and efficient route to the South Kaibab Trailhead. In fact, the Arizona Trail utilizes the South and North Kaibab Trails to make its way across the Grand Canyon. So, we would in fact be hiking on the Arizona Trail for much of the next few days.

In a short five minutes, the Arizona Trail curved us left and across our second crossing of the park's main road. Due to some non-obvious trail markings, we veered slightly off the actual route of the trail for a few minutes, but owing to the open nature of the forest here, it did not impede our progress and we soon rejoined the trail right about the time that we saw the first glimpses of the Grand Canyon's abyss off to our left.

On the Rim Trail

Cliffs of Yaki Point

The Hatkomobile

The last few yards of our walk to the South Kaibab Trailhead merged onto the paved rim trail, and soon we were at the busy parking lot. We had just seen the Hatko's red minivan drive by through the trees a few minutes before, so it was no surprise to see it sitting with doors open at the edge of the parking lot. It looked like our complicated re-jig of the backpack start was in fact going to come together successfully.

The Fellowship is Ready

The night before, we had suggested to Sandra and Alana that the most prudent thing to do would be to be already fully packed - and ready to walk - as soon as we met up at the trailhead. They had indeed prepared in advance, and so, after a few minutes of sunscreen-applying and water bladder-filling from the trailhead's potable water tap, we were ready to go. Shortly before 10:10 a.m., we took a group shot, and - from a starting elevation of 7,260 feet - headed off down the South Kaibab trail. Next up: a nearly 5,000-foot descent to get to the Colorado!

courtesy RHanel

South Kaibab Trailhead

Tight switchbacks immediately led down through the upper layers of the Kaibab Limestone, after which the trail led on a traverse to the north, mostly on the level. The trail was busy with many day hikers.

Even though it was currently a clear and warm day, our first bit of hiking down the South Kaibab trail was relatively cool. Owing to the time of day and the routing of this first part of the trail along the base of the westward-facing cliffs below Yaki Point, we were in the shade.

courtesy RHanel

Starting down switchbacks

Intense Switchbacks

Towards Cedar Ridge

courtesy JInnes

courtesy RHanel

Back to Rim

Pine above Pine Creek

A bit of flat

Although this initial bit of trail was very scenic, it mostly offered views across the deep side-canyon of Pipe Creek, over to the walls below Mather Point. Views into the main part of the Grand Canyon were limited. This changed suddenly when the South Kaibab Trail reached the end of its traverse under Yaki Point, and arrived at the steep crest of the ridge - Cedar Ridge - coming down off of the point.

Expansive views into the wider Grand Canyon suddenly pop into view here, and the spot is very appropriately called "Ooh-Aah Point".

courtesy RHanel

Mr. Chris Hatko

Blocks of Limestone

Ooh-aah point

From Ooh-Aah Point, we could see much of the journey that lay ahead of us. In the immediate foreground, the well-defined orange track of the South Kaibab trail wound its way down along the spine of Cedar Ridge, down past prominent O'Neill Butte, gradually getting fainter as it drew more distant and descended into lighter-colored strata. The large sweep of the north side of the Grand Canyon was visible; below was the gash of the deep inner gorge, running across our field of view from east to west.

courtesy RHanel

Starting Cedar Ridge Descent

The dictates of time and the large crowds of people soon pushed us on from Ooh-aah point. We continued down, following an immensely scenic segment of South Kaibab trail that runs right on the crest of Cedar Ridge. In many locations along this stretch, the landscape drops away on both sides of the trail, creating a very open and expansive feel. Perhaps the only drawback to this section of trail were the eroded-out hollows between periodic cross-logs - they made hiking down the trail a bit tedious.

courtesy RHanel

Starting Cedar Ridge Descent

Expansive Trail Views

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