Richard and I finish eating and packing before the others, so we decide to move on up Sowats Canyon to the campsite next to Mountain Sheep Spring.  None of the others have been to the spring or campsite before.  I leave word that if they go past the running water they have gone too far.

	Richard in Sowats Canyon 10-2-2014 @ 8:44

     The campsite is next to a cliff a hundred feet or so uphill from the creek and is hidden from view by thick brush.  I recognize the cutoff point in the creek bed, we take it up to the camp spot, and set up our tents.  Richard and I then go back down to the creek to wait for the others.  Ten minutes of waiting for the group turns into a half-hour and then an hour.  Something has really got to be wrong for them to be taking this long to get here.  Richard decides to go up the creek bed to the Spring and finds some of the group there.  The others apparently continued looking up canyon for the campsite well past the last water.  Eventually, everyone makes it into camp and sets up their tents.  Since it is so close to noon, we have lunch before going on our loop day hike to the north of here.  This is a great campsite with level ground, a cliff and brush providing excellent protection from the wind and sun, and a neat cooking area.

Richard Erbe's bivy 10-2-2014 @ 11:22	Richard's tent 10-2-2014 @ 11:23	Emily and Rachel's tent 10-2-2014 @ 11:23

Tim and Traci's tent 10-2-2014 @ 11:23	Adrian and Mike's tent 10-2-2014 @ 11:23	The kitchen 10-2-2014 @ 11:24

     We leave for our day hike just after noon, pass Mountain Sheep Spring, and climb some ledges next to the spring.

Mountain Sheep Spring 10-2-2014 @ 12:10	Mountain Sheep Spring 10-2-2014 @ 12:11	Climbing a ledge 10-2-2014 @ 12:12

     We meet a bunch of older hikers in a guided group just above the spring.  Since we have already claimed the great camp spot by the cliff, they are relegated to the smooth rock area above the spring.  Their female leader is not the friendliest person.  Then it's a lot of walking up a dry and rocky Sowats Canyon until reaching the cairn marking the uphill trail.

	Walking up Sowats Canyon 10-2-2014 @ 12:22

     We start the uphill slog to the top. 

Climbing up the trail 10-2-2014 @ 12:39	Traci and Tim 10-2-2014 @ 12:43	Climbing up the trail 10-2-2014 @ 12:49

     There are some interesting rock formations near the top.  Tim and Adrian name the rock that looks like a face "Homer Simpson."

An unusual rock 10-2-2014 @ 12:52	"Homer Simpson" 10-2-2014 @ 12:56

     At the top, the ladies are feeling feisty and challenge the men to a game of King of the Hill.

	King of the Hill 10-2-2014 @ 1:01

     The trail at the top is substantially level and easy walking.  In a little while, we reach Jumpup Canyon and discover that this trail exits directly across from the Ranger Trail sign we saw yesterday.  We then make our way down Jumpup until we reach the ledges and ladder.  Having gone down this yesterday, we are much more efficient in doing it today.

The trail on top 10-2-2014 @ 1:34	The ledges and ladder 10-2-2014 @ 3:21	The ladder 10-2-2014 @ 3:21

     Then it's a lot of walking and some minor scrambling down Jumpup until we reach Sowats Canyon.

Jumpup Canyon 10-2-2014 @ 3:36	Descending Jumpup Canyon 10-2-2014 @ 3:41	Jumpup Canyon 10-2-2014 @ 3:45

     With just a day pack, it only takes us about twenty minutes going up Sowats Canyon until we reach camp.

Sowats Canyon 10-2-2014 @ 4:16	Sowats Canyon 10-2-2014 @ 4:29

     Adrian has acquired the name, "The Pizza Man," on the Grand Canyon Hikers Forum for the amazing pizzas he cooks while camping.  We watch as he and Mike make dough, smooth it around a pan, spread sauce on the dough, place generous helpings of meat on the dough, and top everything off with cheese.  Then it's a slow cooking process over an open flame from an alcohol stove.  The result is a perfect pizza.  Richard and I are salivating as Mike chows down on his pizza.

Mike cooking pizza 10-2-2014 @ 6:17	Mike's pizza 10-2-2014 @ 6:17	Mike eating his pizza 10-2-2014 @ 6:21

     Tomorrow I am leading the group to the south to the cottonwood trees below Sowats Point, around and down Ojojojo Canyon, and back around to camp via Jumpup and Sowats Canyons.

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