Maybe Lindy is human after all. After a short slightly easier section of boulders we reached Deer Creek Falls, climbing from there to the rim fairly exhausted him, and he had trouble keeping up even after we reached the flats on the top. We stopped well short of where we wanted to get, and I doubt we’ll be able to make it to the North Rim tomorrow as planned, unless Lindy makes a dramatic recover tonight. Still we had a great day.
Coming up from the falls, we came through a gorgeous and bizarre section of narrows above the creek, where we wound our way along a narrow shelf in the middle. Past the narrows we hiked through a verdant desert oasis to Deer Creek Spring, an incredible spigot of water shooting straight out of the cliff. We filled up with water at the spring and began our climb in earnest . . .4,500 ft to go.
From the spring we climbed up into a light rain. We were lucky when it came to the weather clouds and drizzle cooled us throughout the climb. We passed prickly pears and barrel cacti, whose saber-sharp coating of impenetrable needles caused me to dub them the “concertina wire of the plant kingdom.” After a while we reach Surprise Valley, the views of the canyon are starting to open up. I can make out the Tapeats terrace and it’s peak, Steamboat Mountain, 4,000 ft to go.
It was a long climb up to the top of the next layer of cliffs (the Redwalls?). At the top Lindy was distraught to find the last tallest part of the canyon towering above us. I can’t stop taking pictures. Wave upon wave of clouds pass us bathing some part of the canyon in light while showering others in rain and shadow creating a dramatic effect impossible to capture with my meager photography skills. As we crossed the sandstone benches between the next section and us I fairly danced my way across the rack, 2,000ft to go.
The Bill Hall Trail took us ever higher, bringing more of the canyon into view. Steamboat Mountain, the Tepeats Terrace and many other features previously above us now sank far below. Marvelous, I took more and more pictures. Digital makes it easy to find diamonds in the rough. More rough—more diamonds. Finally, we reach the top. The weather has cleared, leaving the evening cold, but still and bright.
We managed maybe another 4 for miles on the plateau, wandering slowly upward another 1,000 ft through recently burned ponderosa forest. Lindy is extremely winded from the climb, and Sharon and I insisted we carry his pack up the hills n the top. Even so, we made slow progress and stopped early. Long day tomorrow if we want to get to the North Rim.
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