Great conditions in Fossil Creek - strong, clean flow but no problems crossing when necessary. Needed to do 2 chest deep wades that were a bit chilly, otherwise nothing deeper than waist-high. From the confluence with the Verde I went due north and climbed directly up Ike's Backbone (with a short section of loose scree and 4th-class near the top), then along the flat mesa top north to the Child's Power Road and back down to the car. Sure glad they've taken out the power stations and returned all the flow to this sweet creek. Now if we can just keep the yahoos from trashing the place!