All Hikers - Cottonwood to Bright Angel Campground

ALL HIKERS

DAY 2: COTTONWOOD TO BRIGHT ANGEL CAMPGROUND

We are up at sunrise and I discover that I have left all my oatmeal packets back in the car. Fortunately I have enough bread, peanut butter, and jelly for breakfast here and Dennis gives me two pieces of bread for breakfast at Indian Garden. We will have breakfast tomorrow at Phantom Ranch. After my chewy breakfast, we head down the trail. The overcast clouds of yesterday are gone. In no time at all, we reach the Ribbon Falls junction and head to the falls.


Richard at Ribbon Falls 10-10-2001	Ribbon Falls 10-10-2001	Dennis at Ribbon Falls 10-10-2001

After our picture taking, Dennis and I follow the stream from the falls to Bright Angel Creek. I am going to try a shortcut back to the main trail instead of the longer, arduous way of backtracking that I did last year. This requires us to ford Bright Angel Creek. We finally find a few rocks big enough to hop on and cross the creek without getting wet. This is infinitely better than last year's route. The main trail is wide, smooth, and easy walking. The farther south we go the steeper and closer together the walls of the Canyon become as we approach the Box.


	Approaching the Box 10-10-2001

We have lunch at one of the bends in the trail before reaching the Box. After that it's on toward Phantom Ranch. Dennis is impressed with the Box section and its sheer, steep walls. We pass Phantom Canyon, then the Clear Creek Trail junction, and finally reach the canteen building at Phantom Ranch. We decide to go get a campsite first and then return to Phantom Ranch for drinks later. We claim a nice big, sandy site. Although not right next to Bright Angel Creek, it is much better than the cramped site I had last year by the creek.


Dennis at Bright Angel Campground 10-10-2001	Bright Angel Creek 10-10-2001	Bright Angel Campground 10-10-2001

After setting up camp, we walk back to Phantom Ranch for a beer and post card writing. Dennis and I bought some jigsaw puzzle post cards at the rim that we fill out, tear apart, and then mail inside an envelope. They are really cute and I am sure my daughter will enjoy receiving hers. Finished with our drinks and post cards, we proceed out to the beach for pictures in front of the Kaibab suspension bridge. The Colorado River is a dark, chocolate brown color. It was such a pretty, green color my last two hikes here. We start back to camp because we don't want to miss our steak meal at Phantom Ranch.


Richard by Kaibab suspension bridge 10-10-2001	Dennis by Kaibab suspension bridge 10-10-2001

Exactly at 5 o'clock the door to the canteen building at Phantom Ranch opens and we rush in to begin our steak dinner. It sure beats freeze-dried camp food. After supper it's back to camp to prepare for the climb to Indian Garden tomorrow.

MAIN INDEX | TRIP INDEX | BACK TO DAY 1 | FORWARD TO DAY 3