ALL HIKERS

DAY 1: DESERT VIEW TO COMANCHE POINT

     I am up at my Mather campsite at 6:00, go to the McDonalds in Tusayan for breakfast, and then head out to Desert View.  I park my car near the sewage disposal ponds, pack my gear, and head down the old jeep road.  I am carrying two quarts of Gatorade and three quarts of water.  The "trail" is easy walking and pretty soon Cedar Mountain is in view.

My parked car
10-4-2009 @ 8:31
The old jeep road
10-4-2009 @ 8:38
Cedar Mountain
10-4-2009 @ 8:43

     Someone has built a small bench at the side of the road.  In about thirty minutes, I reach the bottom of the switchbacks and in another quarter-mile, I come to a trail junction.  The right fork leads to Cedar Mountain.  I take the left fork, which goes to Comanche Point and Cape Solitude.  Motorized vehicles are allowed up to this point.

A small bench
10-4-2009 @ 8:55
Trail junction
10-4-2009 @ 9:22
Trail junction sign
10-4-2009 @ 9:23

     It's been over fifteen years since full-sized vehicles were authorized to use this road, but there are plenty of smaller tire prints everywhere, probably from ATV use.

The old road
10-4-2009 @ 9:26
The old road
10-4-2009 @ 9:30
The old road
10-4-2009 @ 9:33

     When I am taking a break, I notice the rock beside me has several holes in it, all of which have a bright red circle-like blotch around them.  I wonder what has caused that.  A geologist friend of mine speculates that an iron speck has weathered out the hole and left a stain on the rock.

An interesting rock feature
10-4-2009 @ 9:55
An interesting rock feature
10-4-2009 @ 9:55

     I haven't found many flowers, but that is to be expected this time of the year.  There are still plenty of the usual desert type plants.

Western Goldenrod
10-4-2009 @ 9:37
Fleabane Daisy
10-4-2009 @ 10:00
Beaver Tail Cactus
10-4-2009 @ 10:12
Teddy Bear Cholla
10-4-2009 @ 10:12
Yucca
10-4-2009 @ 10:13
Mormon Tea
10-4-2009 @ 10:13

     This road has gone through a lot of changes in the last fifteen years and is pretty rough in places now.
 

A very rough road
10-4-2009 @ 10:03
A very rough road
10-4-2009 @ 10:25

     I reach a cairn and trail junction at the five-mile point.  Two years ago I took the right fork to Cape Solitude, but today I'm taking the left fork.  There used to be an old cooking skillet here, but someone must have taken that.  Lon at the Backcountry Office suggested I continue to the left down the old road until coming to a creek bottom and then follow the creek bed all the way to the saddle at the base of Comanche Point.

Cairn at the junction
10-4-2009 @ 10:32
Road on the left fork
10-4-2009 @ 10:32

     I reach the creek bottom and begin following that.  As I am walking along and not paying close attention, I almost step on a large snake in the middle of the trail.  That nearly scared the you-know-what out of me.  To me, every snake in the Grand Canyon is a Rattlesnake, but my research done later leads me to believe this is a Gopher Snake.

Snake on the trail
10-4-2009 @ 11:19
Snake on the trail
10-4-2009 @ 11:20
Snake on the trail
10-4-2009 @ 11:22

     After my respiration returns to normal, I continue walking to the north in the creek bed until reaching the "saddle," which is where you start up to reach Comanche Point.  I find a lot of animal bones here, which must have belonged to a large animal, possibly a deer or an elk.

Animal bones
10-4-2009 @ 11:50
Animal bones
10-4-2009 @ 11:50
Animal bones
10-4-2009 @ 11:51

     The climb up to the saddle is a lot steeper and tougher than this picture makes it seem.  This is no fun at all.  After I reach the top of the saddle, I realize that this is not Comanche Point.  It obviously is the higher plateau to my right.  Bummer.  That means I'm going to have to traverse over to the side quite a ways and then make my way up to the top.  This is clearly a lot tougher than I thought it would be.

   
  Looking up to the saddle
10-4-2009 @ 11:54
 

     Part way up to the top, I decide to stop for lunch.  After that short break, I finally manage to get to the top where I find a rock pile with some antlers on it.  The views of the Colorado River and Tanner Rapids area are stunning. 

Rock pile with antlers on it
10-4-2009 @ 1:15
View of the Colorado River
10-4-2009 @ 1:16
View of the Colorado River
10-4-2009 @ 1:16

     Looking back the other way, I can see Cedar Mountain and Gold Hill in the distance.

Cedar Mountain
10-4-2009 @ 1:21
Gold Hill
10-4-2009 @ 1:21

     I had planned on spending the night here at the point, but there is quite the wind storm going on right now.  There would be no way I could set up a tent in this wind, so I think I will make my way to the bottom and see if it is any calmer down there.  First, I place my name on the ledger inside a tin can at the bottom of the rock pile and get some pictures of the U.S. Geological Survey marker that is here.  I expected the marker to have the date, elevation, and location stamped on it.  However, the only thing stamped on it is "No. 1."

Rock pile with ledger
10-4-2009 @ 1:54
U.S. Geological Survey marker
10-4-2009 @ 1:55

     I start making my way to the southeast and a small point so I can traverse back down to the bottom.  This is equally as tough as the climb up here.  At the bottom, I find another set of large animal bones.

More large animal bones
10-4-2009 @ 2:07
More large animal bones
10-4-2009 @ 2:07
More large animal bones
10-4-2009 @ 2:07

     I look around for a suitable camping spot, but some bare spots I saw from Comanche Point are no good.  I guess I'll walk over to the creek bed as it is about the only place that is somewhat flat and smooth, so camp is going to be right here.  The wind storm continues and is maybe worse than it was at Comanche Point.  That means no tent for me tonight.

   
  My camp on the creek bed
11-4-2009 @ 4:16
 

     Tomorrow I think I will go back a slightly different way than I came.

MAIN INDEX | HIKING INDEX | BACK TO PREFACE | FORWARD TO DAY 2

Copyright © Richard M. Perry, 2004-2024.  All rights reserved. This web site, its text, and pictures may not be copied without the express written consent of Richard M. Perry.