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Day 3 Grand Canyon Hermit – South Kaibab

Colour and contrast in the Grand Canyon, Tonto Trail

Monument Creek to Indian Garden

Distance 16 km, 1350 m elevation gain, 1190 m elevation loss, 6 hrs 20 min

There are no reliable water sources along this stretch of the Tonto Trail, so we loaded up with water at Monument Creek. We filtered the water through our bandanas and treated with iodine overnight. This is a long, undulating day that adds up to a lot of elevation gain and loss. It is interesting that the maximum elevation gain in any segment is only 180 m.

Breakfast, still in my jammies, 6:50am
All packed up, Day 3, 7:40am

We left camp at 7:40am, our earliest start for the trip, but we were the last of the 5 groups staying at the campground to leave. The day starts out with a steady climb of 140 m over 1.6 km to rise out of Monument Creek onto the Tonto Platform.

The trail heads straight up out of camp
The morning sun lighting up the red cliffs of the Great Mohave Wall.
Looking down back to camp. You can see the trail leading into the campground, the brown thing in the centre of the picture is actually the solar powered toilet.

We arrived on the plateau after only 20 minutes, still in the morning shade.  We took one last look back, spotting the spire we had seen the day before during our descent to Monument Creek.

Arriving on the Tonto Platform still in the shade
The spire we hiked past on day 2, and the trail leading into the campground at Monument Creek

A short descent over the next half kilometre had us passing by the small seep at Cedar Springs. We did not find any running water from the spring.

Sunrise over Alligator Butte
Looking across to the North Rim
Happy Hikers
Looking east to where we have to go.
The view down Cedar Springs.

We passed around the end of butte, named The Alligator. A dry canyon provides a brief view of the river.

The dry canyon, east of Cedar Spring
A view of the Colorado River
Colour among the red/green rocks.

The trail took us back to cliffs overlooking the Colorado River. Views up and down the river highlighted the ruggedness of the inner canyon. The more resistant igneous and metamorphic rock is much more jagged than the softer sedimentary rock that overlays it.

View from the edge into the Inner Gorge

The trail continued to undulate and after a total of two hours of hiking, we arrived at Salt Creek, a distance of 5.4 km from our campsite.

The trail to Salt Creek passes very close to the edge of the canyon, care needs to be taken on this section, referred to on maps as The Inferno.
The sheer cliff of the Red Wall Limestone rise above the Bright Angel shale of the Tonto Platform
The trail takes us almost to the head of the valley, known as Hopi Wall, to cross Salt Creek.
To the campground

The water at Salt Creek is not radioactive, but is considered highly mineralized and is not recommended for drinking. Where the trail crossed Salt Creek, there was no water. We wandered up the creek a little to find water; it was quite a small trickle.

No water here.
Exploring Salt Creek, a faint trickle of water to the left of Emily
Water
Cactus blooming.

We arrived back at Tonto Platform 15 minutes after first getting to the creek. A short 35 minute hike, approximately 1.2 km, took us to the head of an unnamed drainage, which offered an another view into the inner gorge.

Back onto the Tonto Platform
Views everywhere are stunning, the blue sky contrasts with the red rocks.
View into the inner gorge

We hiked past rocks that appeared to be marble, white cubic rocks. We found an overhang that provided some shade and stopped for lunch.

Marble chunks
View back to the Colorado River
Life fighting to survive
We are very close to a very steep cliff
Shade, hard to find at this time of the day
Nothing like a pita, creame cheese and salami

The trail headed back to the river to navigate around Dana Butte. As it was spring, there were numerous flowers dotting the landscape and the cacti were in bloom with pink and red flowers.

Desert beauty

The trail took us right to the edge of the cliff, affording an unobstructed view down to the Colorado River, restrained on both sides by the steep walls of the Granite Gorge.

The trail coming close to the cliff
Condor? It was a large bird, and very far away
Dana Butte

As we came around Dana Butte, we could see the walls forming Bright Angel Canyon in the distance, but we first had to hike back away from the river to the head of Horn Creek. This was our high point of the day at 1188 m, 9.4 km from Monument Creek. It was about 2 km to Horn Creek, and another 4 km to the campsite at Indian Garden.

The cliffs of Bright Angel Canyon in the distance.
Views of the inner canyon from the trial
Emily pauses to to take in the view, Dana Butte on her right, Hopi Point in front and The Battleship to the left

Horn Creek is quite a little oasis, home to a few large trees and many smaller green plants, making it an ideal place for a rest in the shade. There is a toilet at Horn Creek, and we seized the opportunity to “take the King’s advice” to use the toilet whenever one is available.

Where there is water, there is life
Arriving at Horn Creek
Campground and a toilet

It took about 50 minutes to hike to the intersection with the Plateau Point Trail. We decided to skip the hike to the viewpoint, as we had already had some stellar views of the gorge, and continued to Indian Garden. It had been 6 hours and 45 minutes since we left our campsite at Monument Creek.

A lone tree providing shade on the trail
The view across the canyon
Another drainage to cross
The intersection with the Plateau Point Trail
The finishing stretch
There is water at Indian Garden, and many more trees than we are used to
Have to hike up the Bright Angel Trail a short ways

Indian Garden was quite a change for us. After so little interaction with people, there were people everywhere. We set up camp and hung our backpacks to keep them away from the nibbling critters. Our campsite came with a picnic table in a covered shelter with an ammo box to store our food. Very different from our first two nights on the trail. There were actually deer in the campsite.

Nice map
Nothing like some chocolate after a day on the trail
Home for the evening
Tent and pack hang
Campsite with covered picnic table, ammo box, tent and pack hang
A deer

We took advantage of a Ranger talk. I would recommend always attending a Ranger talk, if possible. This evening was about the human noise encroaching on the canyon and about taking the time to enjoy the sounds of the Grand Canyon while hiking. The Ranger had earned her Master’s in Music before becoming a Park Ranger and talked about a piano piece by John Cage, known simply as 4:33. The piece is one long rest note, so it is a song of silence. The message from the Ranger was to take time, in this case 4 minutes, and 33 seconds, to stop, and enjoy the sounds of nature. Emily and I did make a point of having a John Cage moment the next day during our hike.

My ankles are feeling somewhat abused

Day 4 Grand Canyon Hermit – South Kaibab

Grand Canyon Hermit – South Kaibab Home

bootwreckers

Pondering the pleasures of the hike. Mt Assiniboin Pondering the pleasures of the hike. Mt Assiniboine and Lake Magog.

The first 3 days of my 10 hike on the Great Divide Trail, Section C, with Emily are summarized and up our my website, see link in Bio.

Fun addition to the summary is that we have included some of Emily's thoughts in the summary. Fun to see how she sees life on the trail.

Hope you the enjoy the summary nearly as much as we enjoyed th hike.

#greatdivide #greatdividetrail #gdt #parkscanada #parks #bcparks #trails #longdistancehike #longtrail #outdoors #outside #thruhike #hike #thruhiking #canada
My second trip to Yoho NP last year was a 3 day tr My second trip to Yoho NP last year was a 3 day trip featuring the Iceline and Twin Falls with @sio.mellors 

Great weather, great company, great adventure. 

Full trip report on my website, link in Bio.

#friends, #alberta, #parkscanada #rockwall #backpacking, #yohonationalpark #yoho #nationalpark, #nationalparks, #mountains #naturephotography #travelbcp #snow #waterfall #waterfalls #waterfallphotography
New hike posted to Bootwreckers, see link in Bio. New hike posted to Bootwreckers, see link in Bio.

Three day hike along the Rockwall in Kootenay NP early July, 2021. Camped at Helmet Falls and Tumbling Creek Campgrounds.

With a @neil.real.deal and @kbsymington 

Photo - crossing snowfield at Tumbling Pass, with Mount Gray at centre and Tumbling Peak and it's glacier in the distance.

Great early season three day hike.

#friends, #alberta, #parkscanada #rockwall #backpacking, #kootenaynationalpark #nationalpark, #nationalparks, #mountains #naturephotography #travelcolumbiavalley #travelbcp #snow
I wrote an article about not judging other hikers I wrote an article about not judging other hikers on the trail and it got published.

It is my first ever article. Was a fun little project.

See link in bio
Takakkaw Falls from th Incline Trail, Yoho NP. Ph Takakkaw Falls from th Incline Trail, Yoho NP.

Photos of Takakkaw Falls taken from the Iceline Trail.

1) 1.6 second exposure of the falls

2) view of the falls and the Daly Glacier that feeds the water to th falls

The Iceline Trail was a nice way to get a more unique view of the falls and with fewer people.

Morning of day 2 of amazing trip last summer with @sio.mellors 

Yoho NP

#friends, #alberta, #parkscanada #backpacking, #yohonationalpark #yoho #friendsofyoho #nationalpark, #nationalparks, #mountains #naturephotography #travelcolumbiavalley #travelbcp #falls #waterfallphotography #waterfall #waterfallsofinstagram
Going through some photos from summer 2020. I lik Going through some photos from summer 2020.

I liked this photo, captured the early morning at Yoho Lake CG on my trip with @sio.mellors 

Loved how the water grabbed th orange reflection off the bottom of the clouds as the sun just crested the horizon.

I enjoy getting up early when camping. Not only do I get to enjoy the peace and quiet of camp, but the light of the sun presents fleeting visual displays that are gone in moments.

Yoho NP

#friends, #alberta, #parkscanada #backpacking, #yohonationalpark #yoho #friendsofyoho #nationalpark, #nationalparks, #mountains #naturephotography #travelcolumbiavalley #travelbcp #sunrise #morning #sunrisephotography  #lake #reflection #reflections
View looking West over the Tonto Platform from the View looking West over the Tonto Platform from the South Kaibab Trail.

This April will be our 10 year anniversary of our first trip to the Grand Canyon.

It is truly one of my happy places, have visited five times and camped below the rim three times.

Looking to get back sometime soon, but good things are worth the wait.

#nps, #nationalparks, #slotcanyon, #hiking, #hikingadventures, #familytime, #camping, #campingadventures, #outdoors, #outside, #nature,  #FIndyourpark #landscape #landscapephotography #optoutside #nationalpark #desertphotography #grandcanyon #grandcanyonnationalpark #grandcanyonassociation #100yearsofgrand #100yearsofbeauty #100yearsofgrandcanyon
Sunday morning sunrise! There are perks for getti Sunday morning sunrise!

There are perks for getting up early on a Sunday to go grocery shopping, and the mountain sunrises are one of them.

Shot off my phone from the parking in downtown Canmore.

#sunrise #sunrisephotography #sunrise_sunset_photogroup #earth #outside #outdoors #naturephotography #nature #naturelovers #sky #skyphotography #sky_brilliance
No doubt 2020 was a prickly year, and 2021 has sta No doubt 2020 was a prickly year, and 2021 has started out a little rough.

Just like hiking, if we keep going we will see beauty in amongst the prickles, but we need to stay on the trail.

Here's to good times ahead.

From our hike last year Emily hiking among the cactii towards the feature we affectionately named the Thumb, Passage 16 on the Arizona Trail

#teamzpacks #zpacks #zpacksduplex #aztassociation #aztrail #aztrails #hike #loveazt #desertphotography #desert #hikingadventures #hikes #backpacking #camping #getoutside #familytime #traillife #aztassociation , #hiking, #hikingadventures, #familytime, #camping, #campingadventures, #outdoors, #outside, #nature,  #FIndyourpark #landscape #landscapephotography #optoutside  #rightnow #goparks #aztrails #aztrail #loveazt  #azt #arizonatrailassociation
Looking at a fun trip last summer through Yoho NP Looking at a fun trip last summer through Yoho NP with @sio.mellors 

Lots of waterfalls to see in the park, Laughing Falls is a fun and loud falls right off the main trail located surprisingly, next to Laughing Falls CG.

We stopped by on our way to Twin Falls CG after spending the day hiking the Iceline Trail

Like this photo of Siobhan getting close to the falls for her own picture. 

#friends, #alberta, #parkscanada #backpacking, #yohonationalpark #yoho #friendsofyoho #nationalpark, #nationalparks, #mountains #naturephotography #travelcolumbiavalley #travelbcp #waterfall #waterfall #waterfallphotography #waterfallsofinstagram
Haiduk Lake, Banff NP. Haiduk Lake is just beyond Haiduk Lake, Banff NP.

Haiduk Lake is just beyond Whistling Pass as you hike from Egypt Lake to Balls Pass Junction.

Very pretty Lake. We were lucky enough to pass by early in the morning as we hiked from Egypt Lake to Floe Lake during our #gdt hike this summer.

#friends, #alberta, #parkscanada #rockwall #backpacking #nationalpark, #nationalparks, #mountains #naturephotography #alpine #lifeelevated #getoutside #lifeonthetrail #britishcolumbia #gdt #greatdividetrail
#kananaskis #kananaskiscountry
Chasing th Aurora on Friday night at Lake Minnewan Chasing th Aurora on Friday night at Lake Minnewanka in Banff NP.

Sadly it did not come right out to play,  but was obviously a lot of light coming from th North East.

Always fun to be outside in a dark place to see th glory of the night sky.

#outside, #hiking #camping, #backpacking,
#adventure, #adventureoutside, #nature, #landscapephotography, #nobaddays, #adventureholiday, #hikingadventures, #astrophotography, #milkyway #kootenaylife #kootenaynationalpark #nationalpark #nationalparks
#parkscanada #northernlights #aurora #auroras #auroramax
Hiking the GDT Day 1. I was almost completely sa Hiking the GDT Day 1. 

I was almost completely satisfied with or trip on the Great Divide Trail when on Day 1 we finished the uphill to Turbine Canyon and popped out of the woods and saw this amazing alpine vista.

I remember remarking to Emily "this is why I hike"

#friends, #alberta, #parkscanada #rockwall #backpacking #nationalpark, #nationalparks, #mountains #naturephotography #alpine #lifeelevated #getoutside #lifeonthetrail #britishcolumbia #gdt #greatdividetrail
#kananaskis #kananaskiscountry
Morning from Floe Lake with Floe Peak selection of Morning from Floe Lake with Floe Peak selection off the mirror smooth waters.

Another amazing morning hiking the GDT.

Never get tired of Floe Lake, was my third visit and just a year after my previous visit.

#friends, #alberta, #parkscanada #rockwall #backpacking, #kootenaynationalpark #nationalpark, #nationalparks, #mountains #naturephotography #travelcolumbiavalley #travelbcp #flowers #getoutside #lifeonthetrail #britishcolumbia #gdt #greatdividetrail #goldenhour #goldenhourphotography #mirrorphotography #lake
Golden hour! Morning sun shining off of Tumbling Golden hour!

Morning sun shining off of Tumbling Glacier and the Rockwall. 

Waking up at Tumbling Creek Campground during my Great Divide Hike this summer. 

#friends, #alberta, #parkscanada #rockwall #backpacking, #kootenaynationalpark #nationalpark, #nationalparks, #mountains #naturephotography #travelcolumbiavalley #travelbcp #flowers #getoutside #lifeonthetrail #britishcolumbia #gdt #greatdividetrail #goldenhour #goldenhourphotography
Flower Field, Tumbling Pass, Kootenay NP. From la Flower Field, Tumbling Pass, Kootenay NP.

From last summer's Great Divide Trail hike. At th top of Tumbling Pass on the Rockwall, treated to a visual feast of colour.

Awesome day, epic hike.

#friends, #alberta, #parkscanada #rockwall #backpacking, #kootenaynationalpark #nationalpark, #nationalparks, #mountains #naturephotography #travelcolumbiavalley #travelbcp #flowers #getoutside #lifeonthetrail #britishcolumbia #gdt #greatdividetrail
As we head into winter, a shot from last spring at As we head into winter, a shot from last spring at the end of winter. The snow was just clearing from the trails, and flowers poking through to greet the warmth.

Heading out over Rockwall Pass, Kootenay NP, with @kbsymington  and @neil.real.deal .

Had some snowfields to cross, good day out on th trail

#friends, #alberta, #parkscanada #rockwall #backpacking, #kootenaynationalpark #nationalpark, #nationalparks, #mountains #naturephotography #travelcolumbiavalley #travelbcp #flowers #getoutside #lifeonthetrail #britishcolumbia
Fun photo from Twin Falls Campground in Yoho Natio Fun photo from Twin Falls Campground in Yoho National Park.

As night fell I was able to take some long exposure shots of Twin Falls Creek as it tumbles through the campground.

Fun 3 day trip with @sio.mellors.

#friends, #alberta, #parkscanada #backpacking, #yohonationalpark #yoho #friendsofyoho #nationalpark, #nationalparks, #mountains #naturephotography #travelcolumbiavalley #travelbcp #waterfall #rainbow #spectrum #hikingadventures #longexposure #longexposurephotography #river
Top of Guinns Pass, Kananaskis Country 2016 Guinn Top of Guinns Pass, Kananaskis Country 2016

Guinns Pass connects the valley with Ribbon Lake and Ribbon Creek and the valley with Lillian Lake and Galetea Creek. Stunning views in all directions from the top of the pass.

There is also a scramble up the connecting ridge to the east up to Guinns Peak and onto Mt Kidd South.

Great two days hiking with @emilysjumpinginpuddles

#hikingwithdogs, #hiking, #hikingdogsofinstagram, #outside, #kananaskiscountry, #kananaskis, #spcacanmore, #spcarescue, #snowyowlsleddogtours, #snowyowldogsledtours, #retiredsleddog, #retiredhusky, #backpacking, #tongueouttuesday, #canmore, #canmorealberta, #adventure,
Larch season is coming to an end in the Rockies, b Larch season is coming to an end in the Rockies, but last weekend we were treated to quite a display near Taylor Lake in Banff NP

#outside, #outsidethebox, #liveoutdoors, #liveoutsidethebox #naturephotography, #naturelovers,  #retiredhusky, #rescuer
#parkscanada #banffnationalpark #banffalberta #banffcanada #larches #fall #autumn
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