Have tried for three years to get into Clear Creek again and this year it worked.  Haven't carried a 30 pound pack in a while, though.  Lots of peeps at Bright Angel Campground, this being the first weekend of spring break.  As we descended into Clear Creek a group was coming out.  No one camped there that night.  The second night a small group arrived after dark and vanished into the gloom.  So we essentially had the place to ourselves.

We both remembered the ruin as having a lot more artifacts, and referring to old pictures we were right.  I guess the more persons who visit a site, the more likely one or two will have sticky fingers.

I filled my graffiti bottle before coming out since it had been the start of spring break, and sure enough, the kiddos were busy at the rocks.  One IS-2014 was very nicely carved, as though he thought he would return in ten years and still find it.  Sorry, bud, it lasted perhaps three days.  One little book Christian (so called because they think all it means to be Christian is to carry a Bible around) wrote Jesus and put crosses all over.  WWJD?  Probably not write his name on the rocks.

I had wanted to hike down Bright Angel to see the Redbud, but binoculars indicated that they were not in full bloom.  But we did find some up Clear Creek.

Some of this was a shakedown for our ten day hike in the Sierras this summer.  Equipment worked fine.  Brad probably needs a new 80 liter pack.  I was a bit cold, but I can add a few items when we are camping at 10,000 feet.

The first cactus flower of spring

redbuds

trilobite butt print (we hid it and left it there)