Went down South Kaibab to the Tipoff and out. Trail is almost dry. I could have made the whole thing without crampons, but for the little bit of glare ice on the second switchback, and that could have been bypassed with care. It is nice to walk on a trail as wide as a sidewalk and clear of mud and ice. Passed two other groups on the way down.

Amy, Emily, and Art: trust me: no one cares that you hiked a mile down the trail. So no need to write your name on the rocks.

I bought a new stiffer brush to try on the graffiti at the halfway sign in the Redwall. Limestone is tough, because the scratches are deeper. The new brush almost works. It is obvious that something was written there, and it injures the patina on the rocks, but at least the letters are now illegible. After all, writing on the rocks injures the patina as well. It just breaks my heart when people scratch things into these beautiful rocks. I'll try a little vinegar next: it makes the limestone fizz so it might help get rid of the writings.
The river was green a few days ago and now it is brown. Snow must be melting in the White Mountains, or Utah, or both.

The pack mules came into sight as we were finishing lunch, so we took off to beat them out. They took even more stops than the dude mules. I beat them out handily. Maybe they had a heavy load, or they were training a new mule. Passed another lady in sequined tennis shoes. What are these people thinking?