Now we've been on the trail 9 days and have learned and seen a lot. Our hike started with sunny skies, cool temperatures, and about 2-6 inches of snow. Our first few nights were chilly as we were learning how to deal with below freezing temperatures. We battled frozen water bottles and frozen food - that is the food we had just cooked if not eaten quickly would soon freeze. Frozen rice and salmon is not tasty. We figured out that if we prepare our hot meal at lunch time in the warm sun, it is enjoyed so much more. We also quickly learned a few tricks that made a big differnece in sleeping comfort and warmth. Like, how to pick a good camp in a valley or other less-windy area, make a good shelter with our tarp with three sides down to the ground, build a big fire, and sleep with a nalgene bottle full of boiling hot water.


We have been following forest service roads along the Arizona Trail for most of our journey thus far. Due to snowy conditions, road travel is easier, safer, and faster. We still managed to wander off the trail/roads our second day out, but only 2 miles out of our way, we found our way back to the AZT. The detour took us to an awesome camp with slick rock and loads of fallen trees to burn.

Hiking in the snow has been fun, you can see all sorts of animal tracks that you normally wouldn't see. We've seen the tracks of packs of Coyotes, Jackrabbits, Cottontail Rabbits, Mice, and Mountain Lions. We have even seen where a bird of prey has swooped down to pick up a rodent, leaving wing prints in the snow and the dead-end of some small rodent tracks.

On our second day out we witnessed a Mountain Lion hunt. All morning we heard the yelps of hound dogs. After breaking camp, we stumbled upon the chase scene. Atop a hill, looking down a valley, we saw the hunted being chased by at leas 9 hounds. The large Lion escaped up into a cave, where the hounds followed, 3-4 of them able to get inside the cave. We heard the hiss of the Lion as it must have been just out of reach of the hounds. The hunters soon appeared, climbed up onto the ledge in front of the cave, and yanked the dogs from the cave. We were thinking," these men must be crazy!" After the dogs were extracted, the Lion was able to escape through an opening  a little higher up. He then sauntered around the corner, 9 hound dogs and 2 hunters in hot pursuit. We cheered the Lion on.

From Jacob's Lake, we hiked along highway 67 to the Grand Canyon. Day one was a sunny hike on the black top. Day two, the road turned icy, then snow packed. We stumbled upon this awesome empty Forest Service cabin that night, and declared the next day a rest day. At this point, the snow base was 36 inches. We snowshoed the next 3 days, averaging 8 miles a day through the meadows of the North Rim, the snow swirling around us. The day before we were to head into the Canyon, a large storm hit. We awoke to 1-2 feet of fresh powder.

It was a wet snowshoe 2 miles to the North Kaibab Trailhead (see Bob's picture on the "about us" page taken at the trailhead), and then a very wet and cold hike 14 miles to Phantom Ranch.  It was one of the most beautiful and humbling experiences I have had, as water was rushing down every drainage, frantic to find its way to the Colorado River (see picture on our "links" page). There were waterfalls everywhere, some over the trail where we would inch our way under, walking on thick ice slicks above 200 feet drop-offs. Rocks were falling everywhere, as the Canyon errodes most when water lubricates rocks, moving them from their angle of repose. I was ready to jump towards the cliff wall, all senses alert, waiting for a rock to come tumbling down upon me. Just as we were entering the "safety zone," the area away from cliffs and falling rocks, a basketball-sized boulder fell just 6 feet from us. By the time the word, "rock," had left Bob's mouth (Actually more like "Holy S**t, Look at the size of that rock!"), I was flat against the cliff wall. We still had 8 miles to go. This was a death-march style hike and we were welcomed, dripping wet and exhausted to the Ranch by old friends, a hot shower, and a delicious meal.

We are now resting at Phantom Ranch, waiting out the big storm with friendly folks. Tomorrow, Bob's brother Jesse meets us and we continue on.

(Contrary to comments left, Bob Does not have a rash on his bottom. The only pain in his butt is his loving big brother, Jeff.)

 

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