Had my January trip to Phantom for GCAFI.  The mules cannot get down the trail, in fact they have not been for six days.  Had to make a helicopter run to resupply the ranch and take out the trash.  No new reservations accepted, and there were only 13 people at dinner, including our eight.  Very strange experience.

One gal really wanted to go up Phantom Creek, so we did so.  Cold crossing the pothole.  New slides all up and down the canyon.  The scree slope is no longer stable.  In some areas, rocks had fallen and bounced so hard they left divots.  I assume in August when we had a our big rain and the Bright Angel washed out.

The South Kaibab is drifted over and hard to tell where the trail is.  Bright Angel has a good path stomped in, but step off, and you are hip deep in powder. Some people did that stepping off for us.  Thanks guys!  I suppose the mules would break a leg if they accidentally got into that deep stuff.

I took people on this trail in this snow for their first Canyon hike?  Holy moly.

Black bridge: almost there

Cabin eight: my favorite

Killers of fish: they are eliminating the non native species

had to air lift the food in and the trash out

For birthday, I like to get a cabin at Phantom Ranch.  This year the weather was inauspicious.  Much rain and snow in the forecast.  No rain on the way down, but the mud!  Ankle deep mud.  All the way through the Red and Whites.  The mules churn the dirt into fine dust, and when it gets wet, it gets sticky and slippery at the same time.  Put in a little clay, as is found in the Hermit, and it is a gooey mess.

Jenn had her daughter down for HER birthday, and they ate dinner with us.  I embarrassed her good by telling the staff to sing happy birthday to us.

We were in Cabin 10, which is one of the originals.  On the layover day we started walking up North Kaibab, and wound up at Ribbon Falls.  We do this a lot.  Oh, let's just start walking with no goal in mind.  Then once at the Beaver Ponds, Gee, we're almost there now.  Might as well keep going.

It rained like a fiend Saturday night.  So the trail was even more muddy going out.  Took an extra half out to get out just because of the footing.  Glad I wasn't racing the mules, or a guided group, or a kid.

New picnic tables

Mist moving in

I like these dancing mules

ONeil Butte

Cabin Ten