Continuation of Len Hardy’s backpacking trek through the Grand Canyon…

This is where we left off:

We started our hike from Grandview Point and set up camp at Horseshoe Mesa, a dry camp. After a couple of false starts we located and explored Cave in the Domes. After a nice dinner of Chicken Burritos and Black Beans, we had a few Sierra Coolers for a nightcap and fell dead asleep in the tents. It was a windy night on the mesa, at times it felt like the small 2-person backpacking tents would be lifted off the mesa and fly into the canyon just several yards to our rear.

We woke up reasonably early, had a few power bars for breakfast and packed up. Our destination tonight was Grapevine Canyon. Not all that far, about 8 miles if I recall, but although we’ve studied the topos we’re unsure of the terrain and not confident that we’ll make good time.

We strap on the backpacks and head off to Grapevine. We have to backtrack south just a little bit in order to head west to Cottonwood Canyon and eventually the Tonto Trail. As we exit Horseshoe Mesa we pass by an old garbage dump containing tin cans from the old miner days.

We round a few turns and begin to descend into Cottonwood Canyon. We need to tank up on water and know that there is a spring located on the map just west of the trail. We drop our packs and head up the hill to the vegetation looking for water. After climbing up and down the hill and searching for 15 minutes or so, we give up and head on. As luck would have it, another ½ hour down the trail brings us to bubbling and flowing Cottonwood Creek. Should have looked closer at the map! We tank up here with plenty of water as we’re not sure if there will be any at Grapevine.

At Cottonwood, we meet another party filling their water bottles, this would be only one of two other parties that we meet on the trail until we get near Phantom Ranch.

Fully loaded with water we head off towards Grapevine. One of the things that you realize when you hike in the Canyon that you don’t get from the rim is the amount of side canyons that you have to navigate on the internal trails. Sometimes the trail skirts around the canyons on narrow trails bordered by cliffs on one side and sheer dropoffs on the other.

Other times the trail heads straight down the canyon and back up the other side. Typically the trail is rocky and rugged in these sections and you have to pick your way down, strategically placing your hiking poles in between or directly on the rocks and boulders.

As you might expect there are a number of different kinds of cactus in the canyon, most of them just waiting to get tangled in your socks or to poke holes in your shins. This type of cactus is prevalent and has 3 inch spikes that are usually strategically placed right along side the trail, poised to leap out and spear you.

A mile or two later we get our first view, of many, of the Colorado River.

Shortly after 3 we arrive at the camping area of Grapevine Canyon. We scope out the area, find spaces for our tents and begin to set up camp.

We had heard about the ravens in the canyon and not really experienced a problem. Yet. As I mentioned earlier, we packed all of our food in 2 gallon plastic jugs, as we were unpacking the food for dinner, we forgot to repack a bag of bagels. Big mistake, not a minute later there were 2 ravens ripping apart the bagel bag.

It was very windy again tonight. Previous backpackers had setup a stone shield in order to keep the camp stoves from blowing out.

I cooked dinner, massive plates of pesto pasta with sun-dried tomatoes and pepperoni. Everyone ate carbs until they were stuffed (gotta fuel up for tomorrow’s hike!). It had gotten cold and everyone put on their hats, gloves, and rain jackets to stay warm.

The rest of the evening was spent hanging out looking at the topo for tomorrow’s hike and BSing about previous and future trips. We also went for a night hike in the moonlight with headlamps skirting the edge of a deep canyon and considering the suffering that would occur with one missed step.

A few Sierra Coolers and an early night to bed wrap up a great second day in the canyon.

Tomorrow’s hike will take us to Boulder Canyon, followed by Cremation Canyon (a dry camp) and then 2 days at the oasis that is Phantom Ranch. Boulder and Cremation is next up.

This is Part 3 of Len’s story about his Grand Canyon backpacking trip, complete with awesome photos. Check back next installment of our Guest Blogger’s trip.