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| Backpack | 30.00 Miles |
9,500 AEG |
| | Backpack | 30.00 Miles | 2 Days | | |
| 9,500 ft AEG | | | | |
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| Partners |
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| partners | | I kinda knew I wasn't going to get up past Isis' southeast corner but thought I'd tag along anyway just to check it. We got to the canyon by 7am and Joe and BiFrost got a head start down the South Kaibab while I waited for the backcountry office to open to get our permit. Then I hoofed it down Bright Angel to try and catch up. They had at least an hour on me plus a shorter trail so I really didn't think I'd see them again until near Isis. Plus I stopped at the canteen for a lemonade and a bagel.
Earlier we decided that Joe and Kyle would leave a piece of gear at the intersection of the route to the SE corner and the trail down to Phantom Creek so I would know they were there. When I got there I saw that Joe had left his fanny pack. Inside was his water filter and an empty bottle. Did leaving these items mean they had already gone down to Phantom to get water? I was sure I was way behind them so I grabbed the fanny pack and headed up to the base of the south-east corner. Didn't see them so I just hung out. About 45 min later I see Joe under an umbrella trudging up the slope. Turns out they had spent some time at Phantom Creek and then Joe went back up to retrieve his forgotten filter but some idiot had already taken it.
Joe showed us the route up the corner and I pretty much noped-out right away. They tried hard to convince me to give it a go but I had made up my mind. So the two of them went up like champs and I turned and headed for Phantom Creek. Before we split up Joe said something that would echo in my head for the rest of the trip: "You gotta live a little". Later that night as I lay in my sweaty bivy sack I realized how much I would regret not at least trying.
I went down to Phantom Creek to wash up a little and look for a campsite but then decided it was too buggy without a tent so I trekked back up to Utah Flats and found a nice campsite within the legal use area. It was hot most of the night so I didn't sleep much. Was up, packed and on trail by 4 am, hoping to beat the heat out the canyon.
Out of the canyon by 8:30, I now had an entire day to kill waiting for J and K. I didn't want to go too far, not knowing exactly when they would finish and with no way to communicate with them and too tired to do any shot hikes, I searched for a quiet place to rest. I napped in Maswick Cafeteria, in front of the General Store, in the Yavapai Cafeteria, on several buses and at the Kaibab TH parking area. They topped out on SK at about 6pm and I was glad this long day would be coming to a close.
Thanks, Karl for driving and being my 50th HAZ hiking partner! |
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