Trailrunner & Jim,

Our trip was as follows:

April 15 > Drive to G.C. & camp overnight at a S. Rim campground.

16th >Park at Bright Angel Lodge & take shuttle bus to Kaibab trailhead. Backpack down Kaibab Trail to Phantom Ranch & camp there.

17th > Backpack 9 mi. to Clear Creek and camp. The desert flowers were incredibly beautiful and were everywhere. Rangers said this was the best year ever and the Clear Creek Trail had the best flowers. Trail is absolutely not maintained after the 2 mile point but still decent in most places.

18th Lay over a day at Clear Creek after being foiled trying to bushwhack (literally!) to the Clear Creek Falls - which, unusually, were running.

19th > Hike 9 mi. back to Phantom Ranch AND GET A MEAL AT THE CANTEEN! YEA!

20th > Backpack up, up to Indian Gardens & camp.

21st > Hike ever upward thru endless switchbacks past FOUR [email]d@mn[/email], dusty mule trains of jaded tourists to the rim and our cars at the Bright Angel Lodge parking lot. Muleskinners need to learn they don't own the trail. Reigning in as they sudenly round a bend to give hikers time to get out of the way would be nice. Also, mule trains not stopping to palaver while backpackers patiently stand by waiting for them to pass would also be greatly appreciated. Next time no more Mr. Nice Guy.

The trip was my 1st and now I "have" to do the North Rim trails. Being a transplanted Pennsylvanian sure is fun. Plus this was my "Medicare birthday trip". 65 on April 4th. Yeee HAW! (Over what hill? Funny, I never saw any hill.)

Eric

P.S. Jim, It got to 90 F on our return to Phantom Ranch but mostly we had some evening wind or just plain beautiful spring days.