Grand Canyon Backpack

BLKNBLU

Explorer

• May 15, 2008

• #1

Hello everyone. New guy here. I've sort of known about this site but never really been here until I hooked up with Tim and Mark for this trip:
http://expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=14463

So thanks guys for getting me involved. (Just what I need. Another site to pore over endlessly.) I recognize a lot of names from Yotatech, so yeah, it's me.

Anyway, just got back from a 3 day 2 night pack trip to Horseshoe Mesa and Cottonwood Creek in Grand Canyon. Thought it would be of interest to some of you. Itinerary was day 1 hike into Cottonwood and camp at large, day 2 back up to Horseshoe Mesa and designated (dry) camping areas, day 3 hike out. Water flow in Cottonwood was good for anyone that may be be heading that way.

On to the pics:
All fresh and raring to go.


Horseshoe Mesa is the objective. Just left and below center, though I think it looks more like a wishbone.


A friendly fellow hiker insisted we should have an on trail group shot.



A bit of the trail.

 

Last edited: May 15, 2008

BLKNBLU

Explorer

• May 15, 2008

• #2

After we get to the mesa we still have to get down to this creek. Cottonwood creek.


And we need that trail to get there. No pics on that trail. It was quite steep and quite rough and the wind/gusts were just brutal. Almost blew me over a few times. Also my trailmates were first timers so getting down the trail became the priority.


But at this point we still had a bit to go just to get to the mesa and it's remnants of Pete Berry's copper mining operation.






Finally got down to the bottom of Cottonwood Canyon and struggled to setup camp and tarp in VERY windy conditions. Then sweated out a full night of steady rain. Stayed (mostly) dry.

 

Last edited: May 15, 2008

BLKNBLU

Explorer

• May 15, 2008

• #3

Next morning still looks a little threatening...

...and Ray needs some wake up coffee.


Started to explore down creek a little...





...only to look back and discover a surprise. Snow in AZ in May. Well, we'll worry about that tomorrow.

 

Last edited: May 15, 2008

BLKNBLU

Explorer

• May 15, 2008

• #4

After a bit of seeing what we could see, it was time to pack up and head back up to Horseshoe Mesa. The climb out went much better sans wind.

Got back up to the campsites and got a few late afternoon light pics. Unfortunately a patented AZ sunset wasn't in the cards tonight.

 

BLKNBLU

Explorer

• May 15, 2008

• #5

Poor tree! Time to pack and get out.


There is some fantastic engineering on this trail. It's hard to capture in pics just how steep it is but I'll try anyway.



Requisite shot of the Colorado.

And as hoped, snow up top was a non issue...

... but the San Francisco peaks got it pretty good. Fortunately, not our problem on this trip.

 

crawler#976

Expedition Leader

• May 15, 2008

• #6

Good stuff - looks like you guys had a great trip!

 

SOAZ

Tim and Kelsey get lost..

• May 15, 2008

• #7

Nice! I was wondering how that trip worked out!
Welcome to the ExPo!

I need to go and do that!!

 

Moody

Needs to get out more

• May 15, 2008

• #8

Awesome. :wings:

 

Hltoppr

El Gringo Spectacular!

• May 15, 2008

• #9

Fun Trip!

Last time I did the canyon it was in this:

-H- :costumed-smiley-007

 

BLKNBLU

Explorer

• May 15, 2008

• #10

Oops. Forgot to add on the flora shots.












Thanks for the kind words everyone.

 

James86004

Expedition Leader

• May 15, 2008

• #11

Hltoppr said:

Fun Trip!

Last time I did the canyon it was in this:

-H- :costumed-smiley-007

Click to expand...

The Bumble-Bee!

Last time we hiked down we rode out like that. My wife got a bug or something - she was vomiting so much she got severely dehydrated.

 

bigreen505

Expedition Leader

• May 15, 2008

• #12

Wow, that looks like great trip!

 

02TahoeMD

Explorer

• May 16, 2008

• #13

Thanks for posting up the pics...brings back LOTS of great memories, I have been very fortunate to spend many days at the Canyon on both rims, and at campsites down in the bottom as well. Been snowed on, rained on, and had my brains baked out too.

And my first guided camping trip there in '97, we had to fly out a member of our group due to a catastrophic sprain. Glad to know there are others who had to avail themselves of the "bird out"!

I wouldn't trade ANY of the memories for any amount of money.

If you haven't taken the journey down from the North Rim yet, you gotta go!

Thanks again for the trip report......I miss the Canyon.

 

timaus13

Observer

• May 16, 2008

• #14

Thankyou

Thankyou for bringing some of ure Country into my life we have nothing quite like the canyons that u have photographed here in tasmania.
PS Great Photo's BTW.
cheers:1888fbbd:

 

MoGas

Central Scrutinizer

• May 16, 2008

• #15

Very nice!!! Welcome.

I did a Rim to Rim (S to N) last October. What a great place to be!!!