Keith and I have the 6:30 breakfast at Phantom Ranch this morning, which is fantastic as usual.  Then it's back to camp to get ready for our day hike up Utah Flats.  We make our way through campsite number one and start the uphill climb.  This is much steeper than I anticipated and the surface is very loose and unstable.  It would be easy to take a nasty fall here, especially if you were carrying a full pack.

Start of Utah Flats Trail 4-27-2011 @ 7:59	Utah Flats Trail 4-27-2011 @ 8:08	Utah Flats Trail 4-27-2011 @ 8:08

     We pass a pretty cactus in bloom and some lichen on a rock.

Prickly Pear Cactus 4-27-2011 @ 8:12	Lichen 4-27-2011 @ 8:34

     When we are nearly to the top, Keith bumps his knee on a ledge and then instinctively puts his hand down to catch his balance.  Unfortunately for him, there is a cactus right where he was going to put his hand.  We decide it's time to head back down and see if we can get some of the cactus needles out of his hand.  Due to the steepness of the trail, I was not looking forward to the trip down, but it is not as tough as I thought it was going to be.  A short HD video clip from my new Nikon D7000 SLR from part way up can be viewed by clicking here.

The view from Utah Flats 4-27-2011 @ 8:52	The view from Utah Flats 4-27-2011 @ 8:59	The view from Utah Flats 4-27-2011 @ 8:59

     Later at Phantom Ranch I meet a lady who was watching our hike and taking a few pictures of us.  She emailed them to me later.  I am barely visible in the center of her picture below.

	Richard on Utah Flats Trail 4-27-2011 @ 8:41

     The toilets at the campground bathroom are not working with their normal flushing system.  A sign posted nearby indicates the problem is caused by the spring runoff, which is carrying a lot of sand in the water, clogging the system.  There is a five gallon bucket you must fill with water and pour into the toilet to flush it.  I don't recall the campground toilets having this issue on any of my prior spring hikes here.

Bridge to the campground 4-27-2011 @ 9:32	Toilet flushing sign 4-27-2011 @ 10:28

     The Trans-Canyon telephone line, established in 1935, must have been challenging to install and difficult to maintain.

Trans-Canyon telephone plaque 4-27-2011 @ 10:33	Telephone pole 4-27-2011 @ 8:06

     This afternoon it's more beer and postcard mailing at the canteen.  I meet a hiker outside with an unusual load:  a bicycle strapped to his back.  He tells me he is one of only four people who have completed the entire Arizona Trail.  After a short break, he is continuing on to Cottonwood Camp for the night.

Phantom Ranch canteen 4-27-2011 @ 12:10	Hiker with an unusual load 4-27-2011 @ 12:32	Hiker with an unusual load 4-27-2011 @ 1:20

     As always, our steak dinner at Phantom Ranch was great.  We have a nice campsite away from the bathroom and all the traffic near the start of the campground.

Keith's tent 4-27-2011 @ 2:00	Keith at camp 4-27-2011 @ 6:18	Richard's tent 4-27-2011 @ 2:00

     Tomorrow we are headed up to Indian Garden for one night.

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