We are up early this morning and leave Indian Garden around eight o'clock.  Richard is a much faster uphill hiker than I am, so he leaves me far behind.

Ranger Station, Indian Garden 10-18-2017 @ 8:09	Leaving Indian Garden 10-18-2017 @ 9:09

     In a little while, the morning mule pack team comes by headed for the South Rim.  Each day they carry out all the trash and garbage from Phantom Ranch. 

	The morning mule pack team 10-18-2017 @ 8:26

     After about an hour on the trail, I reach the 3-Mile resthouse.  A few years ago the Park Service added a bathroom here.  A crew working on the trail moves to the side as the morning mule riders headed downhill for Phantom Ranch come by.

3-Mile resthouse sign 10-18-2017 @ 9:11	Mule riders headed down 10-18-2017 @ 9:16	3-Mile resthouse 10-17-2017 @ 9:22

     I've come quite a ways this morning, but still have a long ways to go.

Looking down 10-17-2017 @ 9:31	Looking up to the rim 10-17-2017 @ 9:33

     The Battleship was given this name by Emory Kolb around 1914 because this ridge, when viewed from the side, reminded him of Spanish-American War ships common at the time. 

	The Battleship 10-17-2017 @ 10:45

     I am abysmally slow going uphill, so I take a short break when I finally reach the 1.5-Mile resthouse.  It does not show well in the second picture below, but the lower faucet handle has broken off and water is continually squirting out.

1.5-Mile bathroom 10-17-2017 @ 10:45	A leaking water faucet 10-17-2017 @ 11:05	1.5-Mile resthouse 10-17-2017 @ 11:05

     When you reach the lower tunnel, you get fooled into thinking you are almost to the top, but it is still a long ways up there.  However, when you reach the upper tunnel, you are nearly there.

Lower tunnel 10-17-2017 @ 11:46	Looking down 10-17-2017 @ 12:27	Upper tunnel 10-17-2017 @ 12:29

     The Kolb Studio is a welcome sight.  Richard is waiting for me beside the trail.  We walk down to the street and get on the bus.  After a short ride to the Backcountry Office, we pile our stuff into his car.

Kolb Studio 10-17-2017 @ 12:32	Richard's car 10-17-2017 @ 12:45

     He drives us out to Hermits Rest where I pick up my car.  We then go to the Tusayan Wendy's for lunch.  He heads for Louisiana and I start the drive back to Oklahoma.

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