Grand Canyon Adventure: Backpack & Day Hike Stories and Photos
The Nankoweap-South Rim Hike


April 16-25, 2013


A view toward Saddle Mountain from trail 57 Dennis Foster, Rob Jones and yours truly at Nankoweap trailhead
Rob points out the Marion-Seiber route near the head of Nankoweap Canyon A view along the Supai through Nankoweap Canyon
A stone sentinel stands watch over the Nankoweap trail at Marion Point Marion Point in Grand Canyon National Park
Looking east through Little Nankoweap Canyon toward the Colorado River An old Utah Agave stalk along Nankoweap Trail
Hedgehog cactus in bloom A fresh Agave stalk along the Nankoweap trail below Tilted Mesa
Western Mariposa Lily in Nankoweap A view toward Nankoweap Creek with a gray line tracing the route Rob and I followed up to Nankoweap Butte saddle
Our camp site in Nankoweap Creek. Rob's Tarptent Notch is behind him. My Tarptent StratoSpire 1 is on the left. A Cotalpa Consobrina beetle in Grand Canyon
This boulder along Nankoweap Creek is covered with ancient petroglyphs Scorpion petroglyph in Nankoweap Creek
Snake petroglyph in Nankoweap Creek Another petroglyph in Nankoweap Creek
An archaeological survey marker from the 1960 Schwartz expedition in eastern Grand Canyon Potsherds in Nankoweep
Potsherds in Nankoweep A ancestral puebloan ruin site in Nankoweap
Looking into a room outline at a ruin site in Nankoweap A broken metate in Nankoweap
Another broken metate in Nankoweap Rob surveys a ancestral puebloan ruin site in Nankoweap
Rob pauses to scope out the route up to Nankoweap Butte saddle Arriving at the Nankoweap Butte saddle on a wintry April morning
A view into Kwagunt Canyon from the Nankoweap Butte Saddle Contouring across Nankoweap Butte saddle toward the ridge leading into Kwagunt Canyon
A weathered Precambrian stromatolite fossil along the descent route into Kwagunt Rob negotiates a boulder field along the descent route into Kwagunt
Blooming Banana Yucca Flowering Banana Yuccas in Grand Canyon
Rob photographs a Banana Yucca on the Kwagunt descent route Interesting geological formation in Kwagunt Canyon
Colorful rock layers exposed in the drainage leading to Kwagunt Creek Blooming Desert 4 O'Clock
Potsherds in Kwagunt Canyon Potsherd in Kwagunt Canyon
Rob holds a small potsherd in Kwagunt The outline of a small room at a ruin site in Kwagunt
Kwagunt Creek Canyon Lichen covered stone in Kwagunt
Mormon Tea in bloom in Kwagunt Canyon Rob photographs a blooming Hedgehog Cactus in Kwagunt
Hedgehog Cactus in bloom Kwagunt Canyon shines golden in the early morning light
Mojave Aster in Kwagunt Canyon Rob ascends from a plateau along the route to the Kwagunt/Malgosa saddle
Dramatic Kwagunt Butte towers over Malgosa Canyon Gunther Castle as seen from Awatubi Canyon
Hiking up the southern slopes of Awatubi with Kwagunt Butte visible in the distance Rob pauses the check his GPS along the ascent route out of Awatubi Canyon
Chuar Butte dominates the southern horizon from the Awatubi/Sixtymile saddle The improbable profile of Kwagunt Butte as seen from the Awatubi/Sixtymile saddle
Interesting geology encounterd while descending into Sixtymile Canyon Blooming Indian Paintbrush in Sixtymile Canyon
Hiking in Sixtymile Canyon early on Day Four A view toward the Sixtymile/Carbon saddle
Looking into the east arm of Carbon with several buttes and temples visible in the distance A view north from the Sixtymile/East Carbon saddle with Kwagunt Butte seen in the distance
Claret Cup Cactus in bloom Approaching a junction the main drainage and a side canyon in upper East Carbon
Rob pauses to admire a freshly grown Agave stalk in East Carbon Negotiating the bypass of a major dry fall in East Carbon
The last significant down climb in East Carbon A large Precambrian stromatolite fossil boulder in East Carbon
A casual stroll down East Carbon Naked Stem Sunrays
Collared Lizard Admiring the interesting geology on display in East Carbon
Awe inspiring Carbon Butte A view to the southeast of Temple Butte with a flowering Banana Yucca in the foreground
Angled rock layers in East Carbon A long-stemmed Prince's Plume
Standing in East Carbon at a junction with an unnamed drainage leading west to Lava Creek An interesting contrast of lush green and desicated stone
Cactuses in bloom along the river runner trail connecting Carbon with Lava Temple Butte looms over the river runner trail connecting Carbon and Lava
Cactus in bloom Starting up a cairned route bypassing the dryfall along the Carbon/Lava river runner trail
Overlooking the final section of the Carbon/Lava river runner trail A river guide waits for her group along the Carbon/Lava trail
Lava Creek runs through a mineral-rich bed at the junction with the Carbon/Lava trail Colorful Lava Creek
A river guide leads the way down Lava Creek to the Colorado River The Arizona Raft Advertures (AZRA) flotilla at Lava Beach
Rob enjoys the view from Lava beach in Grand Canyon The Tour West river party departs Lava beach on Day Four
AZRA boats rest peacefully at Lava beach as sunset deepens the shadows over Grand Canyon The Wesley
An AZRA raft prepares to depart Lava beach on the morning of Day Five The AZRA river party departs Lava beach
Walking up Lava Creek Sacred Datura
Chris (left) and Rob discuss the geology of Lava Creek Canyon Pausing to admire the view from Lava Creek Canyon
Desert Globemallow in Lava Creek Enjoying a fine spring day in Grand Canyon
Stone layered like chocolate cake in Lava Creek Red Trumpet Flower by Lava Creek
Desert Globemallows bursting with color near Lava Creek in Grand Canyon Rob and Chris hike past a Cottonwood tree in Lava Creek
Chris delivers a very special package - ice cold beer! Four icy Blue Moon Ales presented for your approval
Happiness is a cold beer in a desert oasis The old coffee grinder at the Still Spring site in Lava Creek
Rob checks out some old bricks and other debris at the Still Spring site An intensely blue wildflower in Lava Creek
Hiking beside Lava Creek in Grand Canyon Blooming Hedgehog Cactus in Lava Creek
Butchart Butte (center left) stands above the Redwall at the northern end of this unnamed canyou. The ridge to the right (east) with two summits is also unnamed. Rob stands atop a boulder next to the gushing spring source of Lava Creek
A late afternoon photo of the Redwall saddle route out of Lava as seen from Juno Ruin Looking north from the Lava/Unkar Redwall saddle toward Ziegfried Pyre and the North Rim near Atoko Point
Looking south from the Lava/Unkar saddle into the north arm of Unkar Boulder hopping in north Unkar
Redbud Tree blooms in north Unkar Exposed Redwall Limestone in north Unkar
Blooming Desert Phlox in north Unkar Rob hiking down north Unkar
Mojave Aster in bloom Hiking down north Unkar with Vishnu Temple visible in the distance
Looking up north Unkar toward the Tapeats/Shinumo Quartzite narrows Walking down the main arm of Unkar, looking for water and a place to camp late on Day Six
From our camp site in Unkar Canyon, the Big Dipper points the way to the North Star and the Little Dipper hanging just above an unnamed butte Walking up the main arm of Unkar early on Day Seven
Chris leads the way up through a break in the Tapeats to bypass a dryfall in south Unkar Chris and Rob finish a sporty climb through the Redwall in upper south Unkar
Chris visualizes a line up to the Unkar/Vishnu Redwall saddle Looking southwest into Vishnu Canyon fromt the Redwall saddle. A route through the fault just below and to the right begins the descent into Vishnu Canyon
Chris stands atop the Unkar/Vishnu saddle with Vishnu Canyon behind A freshly sprouted Agave stalk strains for the sky
Looking up the north arm in Vishnu from atop the Redwall A view into Vishnu Canyon from our lunch location atop the Redwall
Rob stands atop the Redwall with Vishnu Canyon behind Yours truly perched atop the Redwall with Vishnu Canyon seen in the background
Utah Agave Entering the north arm of Vishnu
My pack and trekking pole take a well-earned break Walking the Tapeats narrows in Vishnu Creek
The Tapeats narrows in Vishnu Creek Water pockets in the Tapeats narrows
Climbing out of Vishnu Creek en route to the Redwall Rob in Vishnu Creek
Looking up Vishnu Creek toward the Redwall The Redwall in Vishnu Canyon
Rob and Chris approaching the Tonto level in Vishnu Canyon Perhaps the tallest Agave stalk I've ever seen
Nearing the top of the Redwall overlooking Vishnu Canyon A butte atop the Redwall below Wotans Throne
Wotans Throne Blooming Brittlebush
Angels Gate Looking south towards the Redwall saddle overlooking the east arm of Clear Creek
Looking into the east arm of Clear Creek from near the top of the descent route Chris approaches the creek bed in the east arm of Clear Creek
A ancestral puebloan ruin site in Clear Creek Potsherds in Clear Creek
Looking up toward Zoroaster Temple from Clear Creek trail Rob Jones, the organizer of the 2013 Nankoweap to South Rim trek


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Copyright 2007 / W. D. Ferris