17 April 2024
Tonto Trail, ridge between Cottonwood Creek and Grapevine Creek to Cremation Creek
(15 miles, +1,100/-1,300 feet).

I feel well rested this morning.

But sleep was hard!

It was so hot that I could not get comfortable with my sleeping bag. It was too hot to be in my bag but too chilly to be comfortable in my clothes without the bag.

I have always just brought my 20 degree bag on trips, but I guess I need to invest in a 40 degree bag for hot trips like this.

Anyhoo, I’m still quite stoked to be on the Tonto Trail and that’s enough for now!

One thing this morning taught us: the Grand Canyon is not just one big canyon but many small ones, each with their own character. The Tonto Trail tries to keep the same elevation, so it winds in and out, a lot!

We spent four hours just getting to the crossing for Grapevine Creek and then back out to the main canyon, and that included many smaller tributaries of Grapevine itself!

We weren’t expecting Boulder Creek to have water, but it did. We didn’t need any so we pressed on.

We did stop for water at Lonetree Canyon, where there are many more than one tree!

As we neared Cremation Creek we had some options for where to camp. Unfortunately the best places came earlier, and we kept passing them!

We ended up on a tight vegetated sandbar that had only 3 viable campsites in total.

This turned out to be a good place to camp. A large group came after dark that found just the one site left and then decided to press on to the ridge above, out of sight and out of earshot.

So once again we found ourselves all alone in the Grand Canyon. Peaceful and wonderful!