By the time we got breakfast cooked and got ready to go, it was well past 9a. Chris’ knee was really tender from the hike down the South Kaibab yesterday so we decided to talk to the ranger at Phantom Ranch to see if we could do some permit magic. Brian was planning on going to Cottonwood which is what our permit called for. Mark was spending another day in Bright Angel so we would get Chris switched from out permit for one night while the three of us went to Cottonwood. We all went to the ranger station to make the changes. The ranger agreed to make the changes if we would do him one favor—block the trail in both directions while a supply helicopter landed. Speed bumps; we can do that!
While we were doing our jobs, we looked up to see some condors flying overhead. Pam was able to get some great pics with her Leika camera. By the time we waited for the helicopter and got the paperwork done, it was 10:30 before we headed out (our standard starting time if you’ve read the WHW blog posts). There was a redbud tree in full bloom just past the ranger station—Feb 24, 80 deg F, and blooming trees; the best February we’ve had in a while.
The North Kaibab Trail is more like an amusement ride than a backcountry trail. The trail runs in a narrow canyon with vertical walls on both sides, sometimes less than 30’ wide. It was perfect hiking weather. Why more people don’t go to the Grand Canyon in February is a mystery to me. My friend, Steve Johnson, went in August last year (granted it was a last minute cancellation that got him a spot) and he was talking about having to just stay in camp all day until dark until it became cool enough to go hiking. Brian had been here about 20 years ago and was telling us about Cottonwood Campground the last time he was here. The thing he remembered was getting up in the middle of the night and hearing rattlesnakes when he went out to pee. By the time we got to camp, I was afraid to drink because I didn’t want to get up and step on a snake but the temperature dropped fast so I wasn’t too worried.
We stopped at Ribbon Falls on the way to the campground. Because of our late start and the orientation of the falls, it was too cool to contemplate getting in the water but it would have been amazing. The high limestone content in the water has gradually built up a curtain under the falls that you can swim under and get behind the falls in a cave-like umbrella structure—that is if you don’t have nads or they are made of carbon steel.
We set up camp and had dinner with Brian then explored a little while and got water. As soon as the sun went down, we went to bed because the temperature was actually much cooler here than it was at Bright Angel last night. Just 1500’ difference in elevation but a very noticeable temperature difference. While we were getting ready for bed (very nice outhouse, but no porcelain or running water) we met a Japanese couple that had hiked up to the north rim that day (as we were contemplating doing tomorrow). They said it wasn’t worth the effort because everything was closed and no snow was on the ground; just cold, windy, and tiring for not a big return. Since we had left Chris behind, we thought we’d be better off getting back earlier rather than later so we decided to definitely skip the 13 mile round trip to the top (even if it was going to be packless). It was astonishingly easy to get Pam to agree to skip the extra miles.
Once again the night sky was amazingly clear, maybe even more so since we were at a higher elevation tonight. We ran across several mule deer on the way back to camp. Brian was snoring when we got there. I got out our “vitamin I” bottle and shook it a few times outside of his tent so he could say he heard rattlesnakes again on this trip.
