Desert Southwest - The Checklist Edition - Grand Canyon Rim-to-Rim Traverse, Day 3 - Cottonwood Campsite to North Kaibab TH - September 2014

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Our ten-person group once again began to spread apart, with Pu and Stephanie soon only visible as tiny dots higher up on the trail. Behind me, I could no longer see Roland, Sandra, or Alana. So, after an especially neat sequence of curves, windings, and ledge-cuts, we decided to convene for a mid-morning snack break and group reconsolidation - even though it was only 7:30 a.m.

We were in the heart of the Redwall formation now, and everything around us was vertical, solid limestone. Our breakfast-break location was in a small col between a huge jagged pillar of Redwall and the main canyon wall. The col was like a little landing along a huge staircase leading up towards the rim.

A Grander View

Now in the Redwall

Snack Below a Crag

Pu and Stephanie skipped the breakfast stop; they had already disappeared up above, beyond some switchbacks. The rest of us were in no mood to chase them down, especially so since our cool little resting spot was likely to be the last spot in the shade for some time.

Snack Below a Crag

At 8 a.m., we were on the move again, climbing a few more switchbacks before arriving at a rare sloping shoulder of the Redwall. There was suddenly a lot more vegetation - trees, large bushes, and other sorts of greenery. A sign of our increasing elevation.

We were also now in the full spotlight of the morning sun. While it did now feel warmer, our 6000-foot elevation's cooler air temperature partially offset the rising temperatures.

courtesy RHanel

Into the sun

Switchbacking higher

Denser Vegetation

The North Kaibab Trail next transitioned onto another level section. We began to follow along a very cool ledge hewn out of the solid Redwall formation. In places, it was literally a vertical-wall-above-us, the wide ledge of the trail, and vertical-wall-below-us.

courtesy RHanel

Redwall ledges

dwall ledges

Once past the ledge section, we climbed out of the Redwall into the Supai Group. Here the canyon walls were more sloped, and interspersed with low ledges. From the top of a small rise, we had a good view up towards the upper sections of Roaring Springs Canyon. The white cliffs just below the North Rim were now not nearly so far-looking away.

Our hike now began a very rare downhill section - perhaps only 60 or 70 feet down - that led to a very large, very wide and sturdy steel bridge. The bridge crossed what appeared to be about a fifty or sixty foot drop to the canyon bottom.

Upper Roaring Spring Canyon

Last of the footbridges

Heading down to the bridge

Crossing Supai Footbridge

Roland and Stephanie

Ascending the Supai

Immediately after the big steel bridge, the North Kaibab Trail began climbing again, up an intricate series of switchbacks up the Supai slopes on the north-east slope of the canyon. Given the still-early morning hour, this put us back into mostly shade. The footing along this stretch was again perfect - nicely graded and not rough.

courtesy RHanel

Distant Cliff-hugging Trail

Nearing Supai Tunnel

As mentioned earlier, we had chosen a very early hike start today in order to try and "beat the heat" and to try and ensure that I would be able to make the 2pm trans-canyon shuttle to the south rim. On both counts, we were succeeding very well. Our rising elevation kept the day's rising heat completely at bay, and we were making really good time. It was only 9 a.m., and here we were, hiking at the 6500-ish foot level, not far below Supai tunnel. At this rate, it looked as if we would be arriving at the rim before noon!

courtesy RHanel

Color-coordinated

Beautiful Desert Varnish

Switchbacks below Supai Tunnel

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