21 April 2024 Boucher Creek to Hermit’s Rest (9 miles, +4,700/-800 feet). Here’s what the National Park Service has to say about our route out of the canyon today: The Boucher Trail (pronounced Boo-shay) offers access to a charming and secluded part of the Grand Canyon, but the beauty has a price. The Boucher challenges…
Day 5: Slate Creek and the Colorado River
20 April 2024 Tonto Trail, Boucher Creek to Slate Creek to the Colorado River and back (13 miles, +1,800/-1,800 feet). This morning I woke up to find out that UltraShuffle had a party in his tent last night! In the early evening he was awoken by something that crawled over his face. It was a…
Day 4: Salt to Boucher
19 April 2024 Tonto Trail, Salt Creek to Boucher Creek (12 miles, +1,700/-2,300 feet). What a difference 13 hours in the tent makes! I felt so much better this morning. Last night it was so hot that I actually laid there without clothes for the first two hours. But it eventually cooled down and I…
Day 3: Cremation to Salt
18 April 2024 Tonto Trail, Cremation Creek to Salt Creek (14 miles, +1,900/-2,100 feet). Last night I looked at the map and realized that we were camped in a tributary of Cremation Creek, not the main Creek itself. This gave it a wild, jumbly, tumble-down character that was especially apparent in the morning light. Today…
Day 2: Grapevine to Cremation
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…
Day 1: Grandview to Grapevine
16 April 2024 South Kaibab Trailhead via FS 206 to Grandview Trailhead to ridge between Grapevine and Cottonwood Creek (18 miles, +1,200/-4,600 feet). I think this is my ninth visit to the Grand Canyon. And certainly not my last! The target this time was to do a large section on the Tonto Trail. This path…
Pepperwood Canyon to Agua Caliente
28-29 January 2024 Pepperwood Canyon to Agua Caliente via Inner Pasture and Moonlight Canyon (28 miles, +4,800/-4,800 feet). The first time I came to McCain Valley was during the pandemic. All the National Forests in California were closed, and I was losing my mind being trapped indoors. Half Cookie said why don’t you go do a short…
Fonts Point
6 January 2024 Inspiration Wash to Fonts Point (5 miles, +500/-500 feet). Another desert getaway! This time we went to Anza Borrego. Ever since I left my stake bag at Inspiration Point on a section hike of the San Diego Trans County Trail, I have wanted to return to see if I could find them! We…
Palm Springs Escape
17-18 December 2023 Art Smith, Fern Canyon, Palm Canyon Trails (10 miles, +2,000/-2,000 feet). Half Cookie and I were supposed to go to Yosemite this week. But she got sick for four days and then I got sick the four days after that! Oh well. We got well enough in time to use the last couple…
The JimmyJam Hiking Club 