This was a good hike.  I was glad to have completed this lengthy hike and now only lack the 5-mile section of the Tonto below Horseshoe Mesa from Cottonwood Creek to Hance Creek to complete all the south side trails between South Bass and the Little Colorado.  Our trip highlights were:

• The remnants of the abandoned Ranger Station at Pasture Wash.

• The relatively easy descent on the South Bass Trail and the pleasant walking conditions on the Tonto Trail.

• The eight days of crystal clear weather.

• Having water at a majority of the drainages on this hike.

• The variety and number of plants, flowers, and animals we saw.

• The great views of the side canyons and the north side.

• The satisfaction of helping someone with a medical emergency.

If you are doing this hike in the same direction we did it, I have the following recommendations:

• Getting to the South Bass trailhead can be a challenge.  We were lucky and coordinated with a group doing the same hike in the opposite direction, so we drove their truck to the trailhead.  A lady who lives at the South Rim used to provide transportation to the trailhead for a nominal fee.  She no longer does that and to my knowledge no one else is currently providing that service.  Be sure you have directions for getting to the trailhead before starting out on your own.  Sometimes the Havasupai Tribe man the check station where the road crosses their tribal land and charge $25 for permission to cross.  Be aware that Forest Road # 328 is extremely rough and rutted past the tribal check station.  That section may be impassable if it is wet or snowy.

• We did this hike after an extremely wet winter in northern Arizona and had water in almost every canyon and drainage except for Agate Canyon.  Since water availability is a critical issue on this hike, be sure you check with the Backcountry Office or other recent hikers on where you might expect to find water. 

• Many people report intestinal problems after drinking the water in Serpentine Canyon.  To combat that, we carried enough water from the rim to last us until we got to Ruby Canyon.  Plan accordingly.

• The South Bass Trail is one of the easiest non-Corridor trails into the Canyon I have done.  It has moderate descents and is only five miles from the trailhead to the Tonto Trail junction.  The Tonto Trail is generally easy walking, but there are many side canyons and drainages to traverse and a lot of Blackbrush to get past.  If you elect to exit via the Boucher Trail, be aware this trail is extremely steep.  The Park Service considers it to be the toughest trail on the south side.  Unless you are a very strong hiker, you may have to do a dry camp on the way out.

• Mice are always a threat to attack your food in the inner Canyon.  Keith and I both brought a Ratsack Cache bag, a mesh, stainless steel bag, which comes in three sizes.  Another bag that is popular is the Ursack.  I prefer the Ratsack because it is larger, cheaper, and has a superior Velcro closure system.  If you keep your food in your Ratsack, it is impervious to attack by rodents, ravens, and squirrels.

• This is a forty-five mile remote hike a long ways from anywhere.  If you were to have an accident or injury in the middle of the hike, the time for a rescue could be several days even if you made contact immediately with another hiker (which is unlikely), since it might take them several days to hike out.  We elected to carry a satellite phone as additional safety. 

MAIN INDEX | HIKING INDEX | BACK TO TRIP REPORTS | BACK TO DAY 8