DAY 2 - SOUTH CANYON

October 24, 2019
Bianca Milione

 

Dean wakes me up at 5:25 am.  I had been saying that it would be a shame to not hike all the way to the river and back today as the features at the river sound so pretty and I want to see all of them.  Dean is not convinced that is a practical or enjoyable itinerary, but he humors me anyway by agreeing to an early start.  Today’s hike is an important part of the work trip, because a hiker called the national park recently to report an abandoned pack in South Canyon, so Dean is going to hike in and retrieve it.  Energetic and unphased as usual, he is up in the freezing blackness, boiling water, and running around packing up.  Meanwhile, I am still huddled in my sleeping bag, thinking “Really???”  The thought of making a steep and difficult descent, boulder hopping, and bush whacking for 6.5 miles to get to the river, only to have to retrace our steps back up, suddenly doesn’t seem so appealing.  While I am heaving myself out of bed, Dean is off looking for the trailhead, which we didn’t manage to spot last night.  It’s so dark that we can’t even see the huge canyon that we’re right near the edge of.  It’s been quite a few years since Dean’s last visit here, and he ends up thinking that we’re in the wrong place.  So, we jump in the car to backtrack to the last fork in the dirt road.  The clock in the car says 5 am, so we were actually up at 4:25 am because Dean’s phone was picking up the time in Utah.  I am not impressed.   


After plenty of mucking around and going back and forth on the very rough dirt road, we end up eventually finding the trailhead back at the same spot we started in.  We really needed some natural light to be able to see it as the beginning of the trail leading to the sign is very indistinct.  The trailhead sign is completely weathered and illegible.  Finally, we’re on our way!

 

The initial descent to the canyon floor is very steep and loose, apart from some sections of climbing on solid rock.  It’s only about a mile, but it takes me an hour.  Dean could have been down there much faster, but as usual, he is very gracious and cheerful about waiting for me.  Once we get to the canyon floor, things get somewhat easier, but there’s still a lot of scrambling over boulders which takes time. 

 

The trailhead sign

First glimpse of South Canyon
   
The trail comes down steeply through
the break in the rocks on the left
Chute at the beginning of the descent Apache Plume flower
 on the canyon floor

 

As we descend, there are some easy walking sections in the Supai layer, where the rocks have formed flat platforms.  It’s in this area that we find the overhang sheltering the abandoned pack.  It’s fascinating to imagine what was going on in this person’s mind.  They must have been really worried about making it out, as we estimate there is at least $700 worth of gear left behind, including a high quality pack and sleeping bag. 

 

An easy walking section The boulder strewn terrain Success! The abandoned pack

 

We’re four miles in and it’s pretty slow going, so we decide to turn around at this point.  Dean promises that we’ll come back another time and hike to the river and stay the night.  I think that sounds a lot better than doing it all in one day.  I’m excited about coming back, so we can take it at a more enjoyable pace another time, because this canyon is beautiful and peaceful.

 

Nearing the final ascent, we get separated for a short distance and Dean ends up bashing his way through an intense thicket of coyote willows.  I can hear rustling and crashing below me.  When he emerges, he has a little cut on his face and scratches all over his legs!  He says I took the smarter route.

 

As we climb, I can’t believe how I ever made it down this ridiculously steep trail in the dim morning light without falling off a cliff!  It’s a stiff climb out, but takes twenty minutes less than it did going down, since I feel a lot more sure of my footing going up.  I do not envy Dean carrying out the abandoned pack as well as his own ample day pack.  He is stoic and uncomplaining as ever.

 

   
  Taking a break on the way up  
     
The last section to scramble up Relieved to be back on the top One final look

 

We have a nice late lunch back at the car and then drive to camp on BLM land near Lee’s Ferry.

 

Dean calls the park service dispatch to sign out of his backcountry itinerary and the working portion of the trip is now complete.

 

 

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