Old Grandview Trail - Lower Photoset • clairebear • 2015-11-27 • HikeArizona.COM

Old Grandview Trail - Lower, AZ

	2015-11-27
	14 by clairebear

Old Grandview Trail - Lower

Northwest, AZ

Old Grandview Trail - Lower

Northwest, AZ

Backpack	20.75 Miles	5,800 AEG

Backpack	20.75 Miles	3 Days
	5,800 ft AEG

no routes

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linked

Grandview Trail

Tonto Trail

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partners

John9L

A early morning trip to the Grand Canyon BCO on Friday morning resulted in two permits to camp below the rim in the Grand Crevasse. When we arrived at the BCO there was next to nothing available so I was elated with our permits for two nights in the Canyon.

We set off via the Grandview trail just as snow started to fall. The very top of the trail was a bit snow covered already, but nothing too treacherous. We made good time hiking down the Grandview trail and arrived at Horseshoe Mesa where for a bit a moment to checkout what was once Peter Berry's cabin before proceeding down from the Mesa. The final portion of the trail was very steep and covered in loose rocks that required a lot of effort on my part to not fall all over the trail. Finally the trail leveled out and we arrived at Cottonwood Creek where set up camp for the night. After camp was set up we used up the rest of the afternoon to check out the area and follow cottonwood creek. Eventually the creek becomes a narrow slot and we climbed out connecting to the Tonto Trail and back to camp in the late afternoon.

Back at camp we sat around with hot tea and no fire lol. Darkness comes early this time of year and without a fire to keep us warm outside I was settled into the tent with a book and a tent beer as soon as darkness fell.

The next morning I was a big wimp about the cold so I stayed in tent for a bit until I was finally motivated to face the old--- thanks to a warm coffee.^^ Our hiking plan for the day was to set out east along the Tonto and perhaps check out the Old Grandview trail to the river. Along the Tonto it was not very difficult to find the prominent pile of rocks that marks OGV. (Although From the Tonto Trail the land slopes off drastically and gives the impression that its impossible to have a route leading down to the river. This is deceiving and there IS actually a pretty straightforward and easy to follow old route to the river.

After the land levels off from the Tonto the Old Grandview becomes a steep downhill requiring some scrambling until stopping at ridge that juts out toward great views of river on both sides. From the ridge the trail narrows and levels out for a bit until the chute. From the chute until the final push to the bottom the has deteriorated into loose rocks boulders all the way down to the river. Taking very deliberate steps to avoid knocking rocks onto John and the three other hikers below us, I eventually arrived at the Colorado

We stopped for some lunch on the sandy beach and a few photos and chatted briefly with the three guys who also arrived there just a few minutes before we did. It is an impressive spot and I'm glad I was afforded this opportunity to see it ^^^
Going back out was no problem and we were back at the Tonto Trail in the early afternoon. I decided we should explore more along the Tonto trail before settling in back at camp. From a lookout, we had nice views of grapevine rapids, took some more photags and returned back to the tent.

Since I was no longer warmed by hiking it was nice to put on every piece of clothing I had in order to warm up and relax at camp. Another cold night that invited tea and a warm mountain house before retreating into the tent with a book

Day three was another overcast and cold morning. We broke up camp and began our walk out. When I saw the snow covered trail and felt bitterly cold air on my face I knew I was close to the top

Thanks to a memorable trip my weekend went by much too quickly

~The caveat with fun trips--before you know it they are over and then its back to that m-f work nonsense ^^^

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