A Walk in the Park

I was recently invited by a hiking buddy to join him on a 6-day, 5-night backpack in Grand Canyon National Park. It's been several years since I did an overnight hike below the Rim and my work schedule was strangely compatible with taking a week off for the adventure. So, I enthusiastically accepted the invitation. We entered the Canyon on October 27 and rimmed out on November 1.

Here, are some selects from the hike, made with my Fujifilm X-T20 and 18-55mm f/2.8-4 kit zoom lens.

Horseshoe Mesa: Our itinerary was built around a circumambulation of Horseshoe Mesa off the South Rim. The mesa is accessible via the Grandview Trail. There are three routes off the Mesa to get to the Tonto level below. We spent two nights in Hance Creek Canyon to the east (right) of the mesa, two nights in Cottonwood to the west, and our last night atop the mesa before hiking back out to the Rim via the Grandview.

Day 1: In the late 1800s and early 1900s, Horseshoe Mesa was an active area for copper mining. John Hance owned and operated several mining claims in Grand Canyon. (It was not yet a national park.) This is the entrance to the Last Chance Mine on the east side of the mesa just below the rim. It's been cut into Redwall limestone.

Day 1: We made the 5-mile hike from Grandview Trailhead (7,400 feet in elevation) to Hance Creek Canyon (3,400 feet in elevation) where we would spend our first two nights below the rim.  This photo was made along the Tonto Trail and is looking northeast toward the head of Hance Canyon and the South Rim.

Day 2: A stone sits wedged between rock layers in Hance Creek. It was probably placed there by a flash flood during the last few hundred years.

Day 3: My hiking companion, Rob, admires the view north toward Vishnu Temple (tallest temple at right) from the Tonto Trail along the rim of Hance Canyon. The Tonto carves a 95-mile path from Hance Rapids in eastern Grand Canyon to Royal Arch Creek in the west.

Day 4: A panoramic stitch looking upstream through the Inner Gorge of Grand Canyon. The Colorado River cuts deep through the billion-year-old Schist and pink granite stone.

Day 4: A Grand Canyon pink rattlesnake takes refuge amidst prickly pear cactus to avoid the attention of a curious hiker.

Day 4: The "Hotel De Willow Creek" inscription in Grapevine Canyon. This is from the 1890s and is among several historic inscriptions we found here an in Hance Canyon.

Day 5: Sunrise light kisses Angels Gate as seen from our campsite in Cottonwood Canyon. As much as I appreciate the elegant name this formation has been given, it reminds me of Snoopy from the Peanuts comics.

Day 5: A day hiker makes his way up trail from the Tonto level to Horseshoe Mesa.

Day 5: Late-day light paints Wotans Throne (flat-topped mesa at left) and Vishnu Temple with a warm hue as seen from our campsite on Horseshoe Mesa.

Day 6: A constructed section of Grandview Trail cuts through the Supai en route to its ultimate destination at the South Rim.

i great adventure, nice story and wonderful images. Envious! I went there as a child many years ago, long to return (but not a weekend jaunt from London!).

Hi Bill,

Thanks for posting.  A beautiful hiking destination - incredibly spectacular.  I see your 18-55 does sterling service.

Cheers, Rod

Good ones, thanks for sharing.

Thank you, Jules. Is there a place closer to home you enjoy visiting when you need an escape from the city?

Thank you, Rod. She's a good ol' lens and seems to enjoy the occasional long walk.

Thank you. The snake was warming itself in the midday sun on the trail when we came along. We stopped and spent a few minutes making photos and a couple of videos. Pinks are fairly chill as rattlers go. My hiking partner had lunch with one, once.

A super set Bill and that sounds like a great outing.

Morris

Nice write up and great images! Thank you.

It ended up being a really fun six days, Morris. My legs were not pleased with me on the first day. The constant downward angle of trek from the rim to Hance Canyon gave my thighs and calves a real beating. But by the fourth day, those muscles were recovering and the legs were not nearly as whiny

You're welcome. I'm glad you enjoyed the post. Thank you for commenting.

Bill Ferris wrote:

It ended up being a really fun six days, Morris. My legs were not pleased with me on the first day. The constant downward angle of trek from the rim to Hance Canyon gave my thighs and calves a real beating. But by the fourth day, those muscles were recovering and the legs were not nearly as whiny

Many people don't realize it's harder to go down than up unless you are willing to go down fast and accept the increased risk should you stumble.

Morris