As part of the Hermit Loop....
As one of my closest friends (and my best hiking buddy) passed away this spring, it was a bittersweet trip back to his favorite spot in the Canyon, the waterfall at the head of Monument Creek. Leading his brothers and two sons into the Canyon, somewhere none of them had ever been, was the sweet part. And of course putting my close friend to rest, the bitter.
Anyway- the trail has a couple of new-this-year rockslides, athough they are small. The trail, generally, is in good shape with some evidence of recent (this year) trail work. The "Tonto Trail" sign at its junction with the Hermit is missing, but if you can't figure out where you are, I guess you have no business in the Canyon in the first place.
Hermit Creek camp was inhabited by just two other people - the campsites are in good shape as well. That first dive into that pool below the campsites was, shall we say, brisk. On to Monument Creek..........