ALL HIKERS

DAY 2: HORSESHOE MESA TO GRAPEVINE CREEK

     We awake to 32 degree temperatures.  Boy, was it cold and windy last night and my ear plugs alone were insufficient to combat Tom's snoring.  I'll have to work on that tonight.  After packing and breakfast, we head down the trail around 8:15 to Cottonwood Creek.  In a few minutes, I see my first Indian Paintbrush.  It also looks like this hole in the wall was a mining prospect.  We find the descent on this trail to be much less difficult than my map maker depicts it.

Indian Paintbrush
4-2-2006 @ 8:20
Mining prospect
4-2-2006 @ 8:22
Art and Tom on the descent
4-2-2006 @ 8:41

     Part way down, we can see Cottonwood Creek below us and the view of the South Rim from here is quite good.

Cottonwood Creek
4-2-2006 @ 8:45
South Rim
4-2-2006 @ 8:46

     We get to the first water at Cottonwood Creek after only an hour of hiking.  Tom, Art, and I proceed downstream to the point where the trail branches east and west before filtering water.  We soon come to a small waterfall, which is the trail branch point.

Cottonwood Creek
4-2-2006 @ 9:15
Waterfall at trail branch
4-2-2006 @ 9:23
Trail branch point
4-2-2006 @ 9:43

     Marsha inadvertently stopped at the first place water appeared, had lunch, and filtered water there while we wait for her downstream.  After an extended break, we meet up and are back on the trail again.  We take the west trail branch leading to Grapevine Canyon and soon climb high above the water at Cottonwood Creek.

North view above Cottonwood drainage
4-2-2006 @ 11:07
Cottonwood Creek in the distance
4-2-2006 @ 11:27

     A little more than an hour after leaving Cottonwood Creek, we reach the first place you can see the Colorado River.  Newberry Butte and Hall Butte are visible across the river to the north.  We make the turn to the west and head towards Grapevine Canyon.

First view of Colorado river
4-2-2006 @ 12:22
Newberry Butte and Hall Butte
4-2-2006 @ 12:22

     After hiking a half-hour to the west, we reach the eastern mouth of Grapevine Canyon and start south.  The trail is uncomfortably close to the edge here and we are glad when we get past this section.  This canyon is huge and seems to go on forever.

Start of Grapevine Canyon
4-2-2006 @ 12:59
Art and Tom
4-2-2006 @ 1:10
Grapevine Canyon
4-2-2006 @ 1:24

     It really is a long ways to the back of Grapevine.  We pass a small drainage that has a little bit of water and redbud trees that are just beginning to blossom.  Finally, we reach our campsite at the south end of the canyon.

Small drainage
4-2-2006 @ 2:01
Campsite at south end of canyon
4-2-2006 @ 2:46

     There are very nice, flat spots for our tents and the creek is right beside our campsite. I set up my tent at one end and have Tom set his up at the opposite end.  Maybe added distance between our tents plus my ear plugs will work tonight against his snoring.

Grapevine Creek
4-2-2006 @ 3:19
Grapevine Creek
4-2-2006 @ 3:19
Richard's tent
4-2-2006 @ 3:25
Art's tent
4-2-2006 @ 3:42
Tom's tent
4-2-2006 @ 3:44

     This has been a very pleasant day and hopefully it won't be as cold tonight.  The sky is crystal clear, so no pretty sunset for us.

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