My plan to gain more sleep by isolating my tent from Tom's snoring failed again last night, not because of his snoring, but because the frogs croaked all night long.  Apparently I am not destined to get any sleep this trip.  Tonight will be our only dry camp, so I am carrying four quarts of water and a Platypus with three more quarts that I will share with Art and Tom.  Our plan is to camp as far west in the Cremation use area as is allowed, which is about three-fourths of a mile east of the South Kaibab Trail.  There are supposed to be large cairns there marking that spot.  I hit the trail around 8:00 just ahead of the others.  The climb out on the Tonto goes well.

Lonetree Canyon 4-4-2006 @ 8:01	Lonetree campsite 4-4-2006 @ 8:01	Lonetree Canyon 4-4-2006 @ 8:19

     As I approach the mouth of Lonetree Canyon, I see my first Desert Globemallow flower.  The views across the river of Zoroaster Canyon and Zoroaster Temple are impressive.  Both are massive.

Desert Globemallow 4-4-2006 @ 8:32	Zoroaster Canyon 4-4-2006 @ 8:39	Zoroaster Temple 4-4-2006 @ 8:39

     As I am heading to the west and Cremation Creek, I reach this large, oven-like cairn built up with flat rocks.  I believe this is an agave roasting pit from days of old.  I understand there are many of them in the Cremation area.  Zoroaster Temple continues to be the dominant feature north of the river.

Agave roasting pit on the Tonto Trail 4-4-2006 @ 9:01	Zoroaster Temple 4-4-2006 @ 9:12

     You can now see O'Neill Butte for the first time.  I soon reach the first of three Cremation Creek fingers.  This one is bone dry.

O'Neill Butte 4-4-2006 @ 9:29	Cremation Creek 4-4-2006 @ 9:51	Cremation Creek 4-4-2006 @ 9:51

     There are some nice campsites right beside the dry creek bed.

Cremation Creek campsite 4-4-2006 @ 10:04	Cremation Creek campsite 4-4-2006 @ 10:04

     Well, it shouldn't be long now before I reach our camping spot, just the two western fingers of Cremation Creek to cross.  Uh, Oh!  Why is it every time I think I'm home free the Canyon thrashes me with some tough stuff.  This middle drainage of Cremation Creek is deep and the trail down and up the other side is very steep.  No trip reports I read talked about this.  Believe me, these pictures do not do justice to this steepness of this drainage. 

Middle Cremation drainage 4-4-2006 @ 10:19	Descent on drainage 4-4-2006 @ 10:20	Climb up the other side 4-4-2006 @ 10:25

     Whew, I made it to the top of the other side of the drainage.  Now, where is our campsite.  No, not again.  Yep, you can't let your guard down, because the Canyon can slip it to you at anytime.  I come to the western most finger of Cremation Creek.  Ditto for the difficulty encountered on this drainage.

Western Cremation drainage 4-4-2006 @ 10:52	Descent on 2nd drainage 4-4-2006 @ 10:52	Climb on 2nd drainage 4-4-2006 @ 10:56

     I can't emphasize enough how tough these two western fingers of Cremation Creek are.  They were clearly the toughest parts of the hike.  In a few more minutes, I come to a very promising campsite with an enclosed overhang area, but I haven't reached the cairns my permit discusses.

Nice campsite 4-4-2006 @ 11:04	Campsite overhang area 4-4-2006 @ 11:04

     I decide to continue on until I reach that cairn.  Just over the second rise from here, I reach a large cairn and a single campsite.  I'm going to take that and set up my tent.

Large cairn 4-4-2006 @ 11:23	Single campsite 4-4-2006 @ 11:23	Richard's tent, 4th night 4-4-2006 @ 11:40

     I walk back to the campsite at the overhang area and wait in the shade for the group.  Art and Tom arrive in about an hour and Marsha after that.  They are all camping here for the night.  Late in the afternoon some black clouds roll in and it begins to rain lightly.  I scurry back to my campsite for the night.  This is about all the clouds can do for a sunset tonight.

Fourth night sunset 4-4-2006 @ 6:42	Fourth night sunset 4-4-2006 @ 6:49

     Since I am a quarter mile from the other group and not near any pools of water, I am reasonably sure I won't hear any snoring or frog croaking tonight.

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