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