Sunday, January 31, 2010


Hiked down to Skeleton today. South Kaibab is pretty iffy. They apparently shoved the top two switchbacks, but then one is on one's own. In places the drifts were shoulder high. Some of the trail leaves the trail as people try to get down without getting too close to the edge, which no longer has any sort of protective rock wall. Can't imagine doing this without grippers.

Passed by two runners in shorts, tees, and grippers. No clothes, no food, no water. Ok, but if anything goes wrong, WFR tells us to use what the other hiker has to fix him up, and they had nothing. I would have stepped into the knee-deep soft snow on the side of the packed trail, or caught the grippers on the water bars, or probably cut my leg with my own grippers had I tried to run.

My raven was not at Skeleton, possibly because a red tailed hawk was cruising.

Friday, January 29, 2010


Dragged our weary bodies out of bed and clumped over to the rim for a workout, and what should our wondering eyes behold but an inversion layer! Haven't seen one for at least twenty years. Debated if we should keep hiking or run out to the rim trail and get a better view, but we kept hiking, and 20 minutes later the clouds lifted, so that was a good choice.

No one on the trail. One dude in cotton jeans and no ice grippers asked if we were doing OK. better than you, I guess? Or was that a disguised cry for help?

Sunday, January 24, 2010



They plowed the rim trail Saturday, so the skiing was pretty nice. A few inches of fresh snow over plowed. Skiing into the snow blocks ones glasses and makes it hard to see. Also, old show tunes make a good rhythm for skiing ("You've got to be taught, to be afraid, of people whose eyes are oddly made...").

Sunday hiked down to Three Mile. Lots of snow still. About two feet. First mile had been shoveled, then it was just what people and mules have worn down.

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Thursday we didn't get enough snow to close school (even though every other school in Northern Arizona is closed) but we did get a two hour delay. We hiked down to the second tunnel on the Bright Angel. Started out in the dark with our headlamps. Only one set of tracks ahead of us on the trail.

At the first tunnel we heard a shout: "Turn off your lights!'. We stopped, understandably confused. "Turn off your lights! The mules are coming!". So we did.

The pack mules passed us. I guess our lights would destroy their night vision. Without headlamps I could see Okay, but not enough to trust myself on the trail with that drop-off on my right. I let the mules get ahead and turned my lights back on. I figured that was allowed, or else imagine the lawsuits? Xanterra TOLD me to hike down in the dark with no lights...

Very quiet, very alone (except for the mules) and our leds made the falling snow look like it was strobing.

Sunday, January 17, 2010

Friday hiked down to skeleton then drove to Flagstaff to pick up a new washer. Saturday at the folks' for their anniversary, today hiked to Skeleton again. Looks like the trail crew has a new toy. It appears that this object crushes rocks. Must replace a few student conservation volunteers at least.

The resident raven is still at SP. He gets closer every time, and still hasn't figured out that we won't feed him. But it makes for good pictures. Took about a dozen trying to get it with its beak open. Oh, well. It would probably have opened up for a piece of bagel.

Was passed by some kids (in their 20's or so) and caught them at the chimney. Turns out they are professional guides from Colorado, and they had just hiked down to the River and back. So I didn't feel that hot about passing them, except maybe that I do have a few years on them. But I'm not competitive or anything.

Sunday, January 10, 2010



Hiked to Three Mile Resthouse. Carried out a canteen and managed to reuinite it with its owner. He was most appreciative. Almost beat Brad out but got caught behind a mule on the last switchback.

When there is this much snow, no one is writing their name on the walls and no one is cutting switchbacks. Because the wimps who do such things stay home, or because they can't find the rocks or the shortcuts under the snow?

Saturday, January 9, 2010



Hiked down the Hermit. Turned around before Santa Maria because of glare ice. Top of the trail was REALLY icy. People who slide down on their bottoms make the trail more packed and thus more dangerous.

Found an old milk tin with a solder spot on the bottom. I think this dates it to early 1900's. Since the trail was built in 1913, this makes sense.

Friday, January 8, 2010


Hiked down to Skeleton Pt. Very windy. The wind was, in fact, playing a little tune on the holes that adjust my trekking poles. Ice for two miles, then dry, then ice on the dark side of O'Neil. The trail crew mules were hauling dirt, so we sat in the sun and mostly out of the wind waiting for them to dump their load (of dirt).

People writing on the snow instead of the rocks. This is refreshing, except when they write silly obscenities.

Wednesday, January 6, 2010


Got to teach a class on Mary Colter for the Field Institute. We spent day one talking about Colter and visiting her buildings on the South Rim, including the Watchtower, but we were too tired to get out to Hermits Rest. Then we hiked down the snowy and icy South Kaibab, spent two days at Phantom Ranch, and hiked out. Took an history tour of the Ranch and snuck into the 10-person cabins to look at the prickly pear ceiling. The pipeline was out, again, so we didn't get showers the second night, but they didn't have showers in 1922 either.

First night the door to the bathroom was so squeaky everyone woke up anytime it was opened or closed. We couldn't find any WD-40, so I stole a pat of butter from dinner and used that on the hinges. Worked great.