Spring Shots

With some family in for a short visit, we decided to get up to Rocky Mountain National Park to enjoy the great weather that had finally arrived in the area. Did the short hike from the Wild Basin Trailhead up to Copeland Falls and slightly beyond, before a quick visit over to Bear Lake. Saw some typical wildlife during lunch, some good early runoff water volume on the falls, early wildflowers and good reminders that spring is still spring in the higher altitudes.

Stellar Jay

Foamy Log

Early Wildflower

Bear Lake

GC Day 5: South Kaibab Trailhead to Bright Angel Campground

October 19th - Backpacking Day 1

Late start to the day with a 4:55am wakeup alarm in order to catch the 6am shuttle to the South Kaibab trailhead.

We were on the trail by 6:35 at first light and very WINDY conditions. We guessed that there were 30-40 mph gusts which is fun when on a trail with some significant drops off at least one side of the walk.

Started the day with long sleeves and pant legs, but about 3 miles in by Skeleton Point the sleeves and legs had to go.

The couple of overlooks that gave us first views of the river made us realize that we were still a long ways up, but at least we could see our destination amongst the trees below.

Crossed the Black Bridge and arrived into the campground 5 hours after we started. After a small lunch, we wandered north to the end of the Phantom Ranch area and then back down to the river and the Silver Bridge. A brisk 94F at the bottom of the canyon that day.

At 4pm I went down to hear a ranger talk about a number of "Firsts" that have occurred in the canyon's exploration history. While cooking dinner, the ranger checking permits informed us that the Cottonwood Campground water had been turned off that same day, meaning we would need to collect and filter our own water for our 2 nights there - no big deal, just inconvenient. At 7:30 we heard another ranger talk, this one on the American Condors, followed by an orientation on scorpions and how to find them using black light.