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| Hike & Climb | 39.50 Miles |
10,749 AEG |
| | Hike & Climb | 39.50 Miles | | | |
| 10,749 ft AEG | | | | |
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| partners | | After 20 plus years of scrambling around the Grand Canyon, there was only one summit left on Seans’s to do list, Chuar Butte. I’ll be honest, it was not really on my radar, but it did not take much to sell me on the massive summit in the eastern Grand Canyon. We had permits for this trip back in the spring, but Covid cancelled those plans, which made this attempt and summit all the more fulfilling for us. Carlos joined us as well, as he was also on the original permit.
We started our mini expedition from Lipan Point and utilized the Tanner Trail to descend to the river. We got a very late start by Canyon standards, as Sean and I drove from Phoenix that morning. Nevertheless, we were across the river and topped off on water for the next day and a half by 3:00 p.m. Carrying six liters of water a piece and our pack rafts we lumbered the three miles or so to our camp at Carbon Canyon. Once at camp, it was the usual camp chores and then a very early bedtime for all of us.
We set off from camp at 4:50 in the morning on the second day. Luckily, the lack of light was not an issue for our approach, as one can’t really go wrong following the Butte Fault Route there. Upon reaching the saddle of Chuar and Temple, we utilized the steep ridge to our south to gain the pesky Supai. Insider tip: Traverse as high and as close to the coconino cliffs of Chuar, for a more pleasant traverse. After gaining the Supai, we made the semi tedious traverse to the gully that would reveal the “summit” of Chuar. I say summit in quotations, because once you top out from the gulley, you have close to another mile of hiking to reach the high point of Chuar on its far western end. I am sure I have said this before about other summits, but Chuar may offer some of the best views of the Canyon there are to be had. Highlighted by some dramatic views of the confluence and the geological wonderland that is the great fault. Descending Chuar was not too bad and we cleaned up our approach route pretty nicely on the way back, which led to a generally more pleasant walking experience.
We were back to camp just before four and quickly back down to the CO river sometime around five, where our armada of packrafts departed shortly after. We floated to the point where we had put in the other day and then backpacked up trail another half mile or so to are pretty nicely developed campsite along Tanner just below the rapids.
The hike out on day three was pretty standard. I felt pretty good about getting to the rim just after noon, but that feeling quickly dissipated after learning Carlos and Sean had already been there an hour. That last mile to the rim just destroyed me. I was crashed on energy, the muscles were sore and I had reduced my hike to one switchback at a time by that point. But alas that is how the hike out goes at times in the Canyon. This was my 38th Grand Canyon summit. |
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