Richard and I have both brought a real treat as part of our breakfasts this hike - precooked bacon.  This stuff does not require refrigeration as long as the package is unopened.  To go along with our regular breakfast items, we heat up the bacon and it is indeed yummy.  Today we are hiking about the same distance as yesterday, but there will be very little elevation change, so it should be a lot easier.  We leave camp a little after 8:00.  The east arm of Cremation Creek is bone dry as usual.  Once up on the regular Tonto trail, the walking is very straight forward.  Zoroaster Temple is the dominant feature north of the River.

East arm of Cremation Creek 3-31-2018 @ 8:15	Zoroaster Temple 3-31-2018 @ 8:22

     I only find this one Indian Paintbrush flower today.  Normally on my spring hikes, I find lots of different flowers.  Maybe the dry conditions this winter have caused this absence of flowers.

	Indian Paintbrush 3-31-2018 @ 8:38

     The views to the north across the River continue to be magnificent.  Angels Gate is shown in the top left of the first picture below.  There is an interesting rectangular "notch" just to the right of Angels Gate I had never noticed before.

Angels Gate 3-31-2018 @ 9:12	Looking northeast 3-31-2018 @ 9:29	Zoroaster Temple 3-31-2018 @ 9:29

     We find bones from some animal.  It looks like it might be from a small deer.

Animal bones 3-31-2018 @ 9:44	Animal bones 3-31-2018 @ 9:44

     We round the corner, turn south, and head into Lonetree Canyon.  At the back, we meet the same three girls who came through our camp last night.  This is their first ever hike in the Canyon.  Their permit calls for them to also spend tonight in the Boulder Use Area.  We relax a couple of hours talking with them, discussing hiking in the Canyon, and giving them some tips. 

Lonetree Canyon 3-31-2018 @ 9:49	Girls in Lonetree Canyon 3-31-2018 @ 10:05	Lisa, Julia, and Mallika 3-31-2018 @ 11:08

     Up against the wall, Richard finds what looks like a small monument built out of stones.  Inside it is a carved wooden piece that someone has gone to a lot of effort to make.

Small monument 3-31-2018 @ 11:25	Wooden hand carved item 3-31-2018 @ 11:26

     Since this will probably be a dry camp tonight, we each filter water to carry with us.  Just before noon, we say goodbye to the girls and continue on toward Boulder.  There are more great views to the north.  Pretty soon we get our first view of the Colorado River today.

Zoroaster Temple 3-31-2018 @ 12:10	Our first view of the River 3-31-2018 @ 12:10	The Colorado River 3-31-2018 @ 12:10

     After rounding the corner, we make the long final push into Boulder.

Richard Erbe on the trail 3-31-2018 @ 1:39	Richard Erbe on the trail 3-31-2018 @ 1:40	Approaching Boulder Creek 3-31-2018 @ 2:17

     We arrive at Boulder Creek around 3:00 and each set our packs down in an empty campsite.  We then walk up the east arm of Boulder to see if the spring is flowing water.  Sure enough, the Backcountry Office was correct.  The spring is bone dry, so it's a good thing we carried water here.

	Boulder Creek campsite 3-31-2018 @ 3:13

Boulder Creek campsite 3-31-2018 @ 3:15	Boulder Creek campsite 3-31-2018 @ 3:16	Boulder Creek campsite 3-31-2018 @ 3:17

     A little later this afternoon Richard discovers flowing water about a hundred yards upstream right in the middle of the creek bed.  Had we known this, we would not have loaded up on so much water back at Lonetree.

Flowing water just upstream 3-31-2018 @ 4:05	Flowing water just upstream 3-31-2018 @ 4:06	Flowing water just upstream 3-31-2018 @ 4:06

     The three girls we saw at Lonetree apparently decided not to come over here today.  That makes our camp site selection a lot easier since we now have the place to ourselves.

My tent on night two 3-31-2018 @ 6:58	Richard's bivy on night two 3-31-2018 @ 6:58

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