DESTINATION Apache Plume - GCNP 1 Photoset
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| Hike & Climb | 8.10 Miles |
830 AEG |
| | Hike & Climb | 8.10 Miles | | | |
| 830 ft AEG | | | | |
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| no partners | | A fortunate late April trek to the Grand Canyon’s Apache Point area.
Grudgingly, I’d blown off planning trips to any of the Havasupai accessed areas because of the sketchy entry issue. We’d already done Mount Akaba in 1997 and a day hike to Apache Point with my dad et al. in late April of 1994. Besides Mount Sinyala, the area just wasn’t much of a summit precedence anymore.
Until chossmonkey got me somewhat interested, after he emailed a photo of the area.
It brought back some lost memories of my previous unrestricted trip. He mentioned at minimum an easy summit scramble of the main point and suggested attempting a climb of the Apache Plume[1]. Honestly, I was at first startled when scrutinizing all the chossy ascent options of those southern faces. I fleetingly thought perhaps there’s other options on the unseen side but still was doubtful about the regulated access issue. I think I hastily emailed back “I’m in” and attached the completed Havasupai permit form.
The trip date quickly approached, work got crazy and the weather forecast for NAZ seemed to keep getting worse. The planned trip spanned a valuable Fri/Sat, which usually were my days to spend climbing lower-elevation desert lines this time of season. My regular partner tried several times to convince me otherwise. Nonetheless, Keith had somehow persistently managed to organize the trip by acquiring permits from both the Havasupai and NPS, but my outlook remained scornful, and I was looking for an out. Eventually, his gumption and the thought that this was maybe a rare opportunity not to be missed won out. It helped that Bill volunteered to drive. We’d meet in Prescott.
I was still somewhat grumpy on the rainy trip up from the Valley. It was cold in Tusayan and everything on FR328 was moist and muddy. We would need a significant break in the weather to not take our climbing gear for another long walk. We arrived at the Havasupai gate a little early, was asked politely to nervously wait, hoping for Mark to show up as assured. He was punctual and it was determined that the Havasupai would escort us to the proper TH with him following. Shortly thereafter, we were gearing up at Jiffy Tank, ready to start the hike. After some brief pleasantries, the two natives rode off east past the tank on their ATV, Mark drove away and we hiked into the forest.
Almost immediately, I stopped to remove a warm layer and somehow was separated from my other three companions. I had been too busy to study any maps prior and tried to remember the area, heading out in the direction I thought would be the rim. Embarrassingly, I quickly ended up back at the Jeep… WTF?! Now what… would my climbing gear not even get that long walk?
I started with earnest into the woodland again, eventually hiking past the parked chaperons’ ATV and shortly afterward, reached a burned area of the rim, northwest of Point Quetzal. The Colorado River at Elves Chasm was obvious, as well as Spencer Terrace extending north (left) from Mount Huethawali. Explorers Monument and Marcos Terrace were also prominent above the hidden Stephen Aisle.
I tracked the rim north, taking in the great views, trying not to stop too much for photos, knowing that I was significantly behind the others. Unexpectedly, the five of them were at the rim overlooking Apache Point, as the Havasupai had also hiked out there!
I ate a quick snack, as it seemed Bill, Kaiden and Keith were eager to descend to the Apache Terrace Esplanade. We stashed some water and quickly descended the relatively easy route to the first saddle. I was the trailing hiker and veered off, scrambling up to the north side of the first tower. There are several grungy cracks that end at steep, scary faces and one deep chimney, all of which do not quite reach the blocky summit. I stemmed up the chimney as high as I could without gear. There are a bunch of precariously perched chockstones within the chimney, so I quickly retreated to an off-width crack splitting off from the main chimney about twenty feet up. The face looked loose to the crack’s right, but the pitch wasn’t that steep. We thought we could scope most of a possibly route to the top. A few sections would only be revealed by climbing up, so I hastily geared and convinced Keith we could do it.
It sprinkled slightly as I began the lead up past a small, loose ledge with an Acacia bush. The rock was cold and from the ledge, a grungy handcrack split the left side of a steeper, wonkier face. The crux was definitely clearing this dicey section, without launching too many rocks on the three below, to a large, loose alcove at a sunny notch. The two Havasupai were still on the rim overlook, now able to see me with their binoculars. The woman began to wave and whoop?! I tried my best to set an adequate belay (only a single cam) at about ninety feet, atop of a precarious block and then Keith carefully climbed up.
The rope had taken a brutal core shot on my lead, so Keith had tied in above the damage. Since we were now short on rope, we decided to establish our descent anchor before continuing to the top. The only safe option was to drill a bolt. After setting the belay/rap anchor, I stepped off the loose block and climbed the wobbly face above to a low angle ramp. A highly featured pillar right of a prominent window slit was then easily climbed to the summit. I placed no gear on this runout thirty-foot pitch, sling belaying safely from one of the many huge summit blocks.
We signed a new register, took some quick photos and slung one of the huge boulders for rappel. During the climb, Bill had scrambled to the main Apache Point summit and Kaiden had chilled at the base. We all stashed our climbing gear and rapidly descended through the Coconino break. Our route[2] is clearly visible in the center of the north face of the first plume. After setting camp on the Esplanade, we separately explored several of the Apache Terraces. The most significant rain of the day came through as a cold, hasty wave soaking the Supai benches. I hiked out to the northeastern promontory of the terrace and gazed into Blacktail and Conquistador Aisle, downstream from the immense south side of Powell Plateau.
I can vaguely remember some late-night talk of activism motives and any apparent conclusions of that discussion still remain elusive, perchance due to the margaritas, Mickeys and whiskey?! On Saturday, the day broke rainy and then became mostly foggy. We quickly ascended back to the north side of Apache Point, as we planned to also go to the main summit. It was a slippery, cl.3 scramble with the rain, but well worth the hike. The apex elicits more curiosity than should be illuminated here.
I really have almost zero desire to be an activist, as it seems there are more than enough of them when it comes to anything related to the Grand Canyon. I wouldn’t go as far as describing my mood as insolence. Perhaps my attitude has (d)evolved to skepticism, over time… as the fact that there are more than enough climbs available in unrestricted areas, that I feel expending valuable time to access certain, onerous areas is usually futile.
With any luck, our privileged trip hasn’t spoiled the efforts expended by those that obviously have been concerned more than I and that their determinations are in worthy spirit and not because of undue promotional pressure.
[1]Apparently, the Apache didn’t customarily wear warbonnets, until adapting them from the Great Plains Indians. Regardless, I’m not sure who came up with the idea of the Apache Plume, but the name is an accurate and superb descriptor of the formation.
[2]FA, but the route wasn’t an extremely difficult endeavor, so it’s possible that some of the more rugged, previous inhabitants of the area were quite capable of reaching this zenith.
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