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Southwest 2014
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By the time we were ready to continue on from our big break, almost an hour had passed. It was nearly 4pm now. The skies overhead had thickened yet some more, although as yet, no rain had fallen. We had two and a half hours of time before sunset, and perhaps another half hour of usable light after that. [We were] still in decent shape for a daylight arrival at our intended camp location.
Canyon Bottom Junction
A few yards beyond our picnic table break spot, we arrived at a major trail junction - perhaps the most major of all trail junctions in the park. The three most heavily used trails in the park - the "corridor" trails, all met here: the South Kaibab, the Bright Angel, and the North Kaibab. Here we transitioned from the South Kaibab to the North Kaibab.

Starting north on the North Kaibab trail, we now began walking through the Phantom Ranch area. The complex ranges over a long strip along both sides of Bright Angel Creek, a perennial stream that flows down from various tributaries and springs below the north rim. Across from us, on the western banks of Bright Angel Creek, lay the long strip of Cottonwood trees that shaded the Phantom Ranch backcountry campground. If we had requested a Phantom Ranch night on our backcountry permit, this is where we would have camped.
courtesy JInnes
Start of North Kaibab
Bright Angel Campground
Phantom Ranch Proper
Five more minutes' worth of flat walking along the North Kaibab - still under a pleasant canopy of cottonwoods - brought us to Phantom Ranch proper. This is where a group of historic stone cabins and buildings make up the Phantom Ranch Lodge. The cabins and dorm rooms of Phantom Ranch Lodge are reservable on a first-come, first-serve basis 13 months ahead of time. They sell out quickly.
courtesy JInnes
Phantom Ranch Cabins
Main Canteen
Canteen Break
One of the main buildings at Phantom Ranch is the Phantom Ranch Canteen. It doubles as a mess hall and has an actual canteen, open for the selling of various simple concessions from 8am until 4pm. Unfortunately, we had arrived just a minute or two after 4pm, so no Cokes for us. More importantly for us, however, was the potable water tap just outside of the canteen. Part of our day's logistics involved filling up with water here.
Refill Time
Since our destination for the night was along the Clear Creek Trail up on the Tonto Platform (a "dry" location that is typically completely dry and without a water source), it was important for us to plan our water load accordingly. We needed enough water for all ten of us to hike up to the camp location, then make dinner, then make breakfast the next morning, then hike back down to Bright Angel Creek. Given the moderate temperatures and relatively short distance from our current location, we estimated that we would each need to carry about five to six litres.
courtesy RHanel
How much does my pack weigh?
Airlift ready
Fully replenished with water and with the clock pushing 4:30pm, we headed north out of the Phantom Ranch area long the North Kaibab Trail. So far, the North Kaibab had been a wonderful change from hiking down the South Kaibab - instead of steep, gouged-out steps, it was a nice flat path.
North Kaibab Trail
Perhaps ten to fifteen minutes of level walking brought us to a trail junction. Straight ahead, the North Kaibab Trail continued up Bright Angel Canyon. To the right, a much smaller trail headed upslope. This was the start of the Clear Creek trail.
courtesy RHanel
 Nice Flat Path
The Clear Creek trail is a 13.5 km (8.4 mile) route leading from Bright Angel Creek to Clear Creek - the next perennial stream to the east. It is a much more rarely-used trail than the corridor trails, and thus offers more peace and solitude, away from the large number of hikers and mule-riders that frequent the Phantom Ranch area.
courtesy BConnell
 Up Clear Creek Trail
Like the much longer Tonto Trail on the south side of the Colorado, for most of its length, the Clear Creek trail runs along the top of the Tonto Platform - a wide and gentle expanse of shale slopes that form a rim at roughly the 4000-foot level throughout much of the Grand Canyon. From its start at the North Kaibab Trail up to a point about 3 kilometers (2 miles) in, though, the Clear Creek trail works its way up through lower strata. This was the section we were now climbing.
Climbing on Clear Creek Trail
This was the first time during our entire day's hike that we had experienced any significant uphill, and at the end of a long day of hiking - plus weighed down with extra water supplies - the cohesion of our group started to break. Those who were a bit closer to their limit began to separate out and fall back from the lead hikers.

Twenty-five minutes of moderate uphill climbing on the narrow but nicely-graded tread of the Clear Creek trail brought us to a sharp hairpin switchback and a nice overlook over the mouth of Bright Angel Canyon. This was Phantom Overlook, and it indeed offered a birds-eye look down onto the green cottonwood trees and stone buildings at Phantom Ranch. There was also a very nicely constructed bench made out of dark slabs of [presumably] Vishnu Schist. More of a rock couch than just a bench - it was really quite nice.
courtesy JInnes
courtesy RHanel
Custom Rock-Couch
Forced rest stop
The end in sight
The excellent view from Phantom Lookout revealed more than just good views of the terrain below. The skies above continued to become more agitated, and now - far above in the upper canyon of Garden Creek and on the South Rim above it - we could see the tell-tale misty quality that signalled rain. For the moment, though, down here on the Clear Creek trail, we were dry.
courtesy RHanel
Dramatic Inner Gorge
Rain on the Rim
Reaching the Tapeats
The time was now fifteen minutes past 5 pm. We still had more than an hour of daylight available to us to reach our planned camp location, which was now about 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) away. Definitely achievable. Now, however, we had an additional wish: it would be nice to set up camp not in the rain.
Direct River View
Continuing on, we hiked another ten minutes up one more long switchback, and reached the base of the Tapeats sandstone - a large and vertical cliff band atop the Vishnu. From here, the Clear Creek trail levels out for about a kilometer, traversing in a very nice and scenic manner under the often overhanging Tapeats cliffs.

A few ominous-sounding rumblings of thunder echoed through the canyon. A fitful breeze had kicked up, and the temperature had definitely cooled down from the warm conditions at Phantom Ranch. It was by no means cold, but the air was definitely back down to something just a tad above normal room temperature. This, I suppose, was a good thing: the Clear Creek trail - being mostly south-facing - can be quite hot.
Cliffbase traverse
It was here that the first spatterings of rain hit us. While several of us got out pack covers, we discussed possibilities for ensuring a smooth and rapid camp set-up.

We decided to split up into two groups of five people: Caroline, Jenn, Stephanie, myself and Pu would go on ahead at a faster pace. The rest, under Roland's guidance, would continue on at a slower pace. This would ensure that we would have eyes on our potential at-large campsite (which I had not seen before, so I did not know how obvious it would be) during daylight. Once located, it would be fairly easy to signal to the trailing party when they hiked by (no matter when they arrived). In this manner, we wouldn't have to rush the entire group.
courtesy RHanel
 Stormy Canyon
With the new marching orders in place, our (the lead group) hiked east at a brisk pace, hiking the mostly flat but winding course of the trail as it hugged the base of the brown Tapeats cliffs. To our right, the terrain fell away at a steep grade, directly down to the Colorado River, now about a thousand feet below us. We could clearly see the winding path of the South Kaibab Trail - where we just been a few hours before - on the other side. Down below, the line of the Black Bridge could be seen. And the inclement weather, while menaching and gloomy, did apply a layer of impressive drama to the scene.
courtesy RHanel
 Stormy Canyon
The spattering of water droplets increased in intensity, and came and went in fits and starts - seemingly in time with intermittent small gusts of wind. The time between the now-visible flashes of lightning and the thunder decreased, but there were no strikes truly close to us. While there was no forecast for any appreciable level of precipitation, we were glad that we were in terrain that was safe from flash-flooding.
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[ Return to "The Checklist Edition" Home page | Introduction | Day 1 : South Kaibab to Clear Creek Trail | Day 2 : Clear Creek Tr to Cottonwood Camp | Day 3 : Cottonwood Camp to North Rim | The North Rim | Drive to Zion | Lady Mountain Redux | The Subway | Angel's Landing | Zion in Flood | Valley of Fire | Wind-up and Return | The "Short Report" | GPS Data ]


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