The wind blew a little last night and there was some light rain, but no snoring (at least not around me).  I eat, pack, and leave about 6:45.  I can see Marsha coming up the trail a little ways behind me.  I do find a pair of cairns and another nice campsite just a quarter mile up the trail.  During the climb, I find yet another pair of cairns, but no campsites.  At one point just below Natural Arch, you come within a few hundred yards of the South Kaibab Trail.  I reach the Tipoff Point in about forty-five minutes.  It looks pretty dark out to the west, so I hope that stuff doesn't come this way.

Tipoff Point toilet 4-5-2006 @ 7:31	Tonto Trail sign 4-5-2006 @ 7:32	Mule railing 4-5-2006 7:32

     I head west on the Tonto Trail toward Indian Garden.  In about twenty minutes, it starts to rain.  Shortly after that, it is raining cats and dogs.  Since I am completely soaked, it's time to put the hammer down, shift this baby into high gear, and motor on down the trail.  I reach Pipe Creek in less than an hour.

Pipe Creek 4-5-2006 @ 8:22	Pipe Creek 4-5-2006 @ 8:22

     In about one more hour, I reach the Bright Angel Trail.  The trail signs are a little waterlogged and the trail into Indian Garden looks more like a creek than a trail as I slosh into camp.  I made the 4.5 miles from the Tipoff Point to Indian Garden in two hours, not bad for an oldster in the rain.  As I reach the campground, I look more like a wet rat than a hiker.

Tonto Trail sign 4-5-2006 @ 9:27	Indian Garden sign 4-5-2006 @ 9:28	Bright Angel Trail 4-5-2006 @ 9:31

     I claim a nice campsite for our group and sit out the rain under the enclosure.  In about thirty minutes, the rain stops and the sun comes out intermittently.  I lay out my gear in the sunlight in hopes of drying it out some.  When noon arrives without seeing my hiking buddies, I'm beginning to think they headed up the South Kaibab Trail instead of coming this way.  The Ranger on duty posts a very grim weather report: 90% chance of rain and snow tonight and a 70% chance tomorrow.  I'll give my friends two more hours and then I'm headed up to the South Rim.  2:30 arrives without seeing them, so I start up the trail.  I'm hoping to make the rim by sunset.  Surprisingly, the section up to the 3-mile rest house is in good condition and almost dry.

3-mile rest house 4-5-2006 @ 3:45	3-mile rest house 4-5-2006 @ 3:45

     I knew it was a mistake to think I had gotten the best of the Canyon.  The rain starts again as does the mud and yuck.  What's more, the condition of this section of the trail is the worst I have ever seen it.  There are huge, water-filled holes after each cedar log, probably caused by the mules and all the recent rain and snow.  I slog along until I reach the 1.5-mile rest house.  The temperature is a lot colder, snow is starting to fall, and ice has formed on all the trees.

An icy 1.5-mile rest house 4-5-2006 @ 4:58	1.5-mile rest house sign 4-5-2006 @ 4:59

     The rain and snow gradually turn to lots of snow.  Most of my gear is waterlogged again, so I'm sure I'm carrying twenty more pounds than the dry weight of my stuff.  I'll bet my friends are sitting in the bar right now having drinks while I'm slipping and sliding in the snow and ice.  It is nearly dark as I slide into the Bright Angel Lodge.  There is a real blizzard going on at the South Rim.

South Rim snow storm 4-5-2006 @ 6:47	South Rim snow storm 4-5-2006 @ 6:47

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