In the spring of 1902 Francois E. Matthes and three others in his party started a trek across Grand Canyon in his assignment to make a topographic survey of the gorge for the U.S. Geological Survey. Since the south rim was the most accessible the surveyors began the project there and after several months of surveying operations, triangulation, leveling and plane table mapping on the Plateau and from the canyon rim down into the chasm they began looking for a route to the north rim. From in front of the log Bright Angel hotel they cast long glances across the river and up the Bright Angel Canyon on the other side. That was the most direct way; there was only one drawback. No trail existed where they could take their pack animals safely to the north rim.

W.W. Bass a kindly gentleman, who knew the canyon advised them of the trail below his camp and consented to let them use his homemade boat. There was a catch here too-the boat was on the north side of the river, and the sound of a churning, roaring rapid could be heard from the bank where the surveyors stood. Stripping down to their underwear two of the party matched their strength with that of the river and swam across.

The survey continued throughout the rest of the summer and into the fall, then the weather turned cold and the prospect of snow became imminent. By this time the survey had progressed as far east as the head of Bright Angel Canyon. Matthes wrote:

"Now Bright Angel Canyon is carved along a great fracture in the earth's crust, - a 'fault', as it is termed by geologists, on which the strata are offset vertically by more than a hundred feet, and the lines of cliffs are consequently broken. The same fault extends southwestward into the embayment on the south side of the chasm and has made possible the building of the old Bright Angel Trail now familiar to the thousands of tourists. It did not take us long, therefore, to discover a route along this fault where the Red Wall, the cliff of Coconino sandstone, and lesser cliffs are interupted by slopes of debris.

"On the very day when we started to examine this route, by a remarkable coincidence, there emerged from the head of the Bright Angel Canyon two haggard men and a weary burro. These men, Sidney [Lannis] Ferrall and Jim Murray, had explored up through the Canyon and finally had fought their way up along the fault zone. At once the prospects of return of the survey party by this new route became brighter. However it does not follow that where a small burro was boosted up, a pack train of heavily loaded horses and mules can come down in safety. Two of the party, therefore, set themselves the task of cutting out brush and rolling out logs and boulders, so as to make a reasonable clear way down to the mouth of the Canyon."

It was November 7th and heavy clouds indicated the weather was about to change, when the party broke camp and began their way down the new trail into Bright Angel Canyon. At places the trail was so steep the animals almost slid down on their haunches. Then again there were sections where the path was so narrow the pack animals had to be unloaded before they could make their way farther down. By noon they reached the bottom of the canyon then threaded their way along the creek, crossing and recrossing it no less than 94 times in water up to their knees. That night it rained and looking up toward the rim they saw snow.

It is not often that researchers are presented with two accounts of the same story that can be compared. L.L. (Sidney) Ferrall had by 1927 moved to Phoenix and in reply to a letter from a Mr. Glen E. Sturdevant he wrote another view of the story of the making of the trail in Bright Angel Canyon. Ferrall wrote:

                                         Phoenix, Ariz. Dec. 10th, 1927

Mr. Glen E. Sturdevant
Park Naturalist,
Grand Canyon, Ariz.

My Dear Sir:-

 Your letter of the 23rd ulto. [sic] also the article of Mr. Matthes were duly
received. My only excuse for failure to reply earlier is neglect of my
correspondence.

I have a high regard for Mr. Matthes and appreciate your having sent me the
article, however the reference to "two haggard men" causes me to smile.
During those days neither Murray or myself were unused to doing a little
roughing it.

A year previous to Murray (now dead) and myself making this trip Wash Henry
and Porter Guffey with pack burros spent two or three months in Bright
Angel creek trapping beaver, they went from the South rim and through to
the North rim and returned to Flagstaff by way of Lees Ferry. Guffey wrote
me from Flagstaff telling me of their success and it is my recollection
that they got between thirty and forty beaver in the creek.

At this time it is surprising how little was known  on the South side of
the Canyon of the country on the opposite side and I believe the two men
mentioned were the first to ever make the trip across to the North rim at
this place. I wanted to make this trip which Murray and myself did. I think
in October 1902. We had two pack burros and were six days from the time we
left the South rim reaching the North rim, there were some delays but the
greater part of the time was consumed in hunting a way to get the burros up
after leaving the creek on the north side, there was lots of brush,
overhanging limbs and cliffs that were insurmountable and in many cases we
had to turn back considerable distance and start from another route. We
could have easily gone afoot but the burros were essential account the food
and bedding. After reaching the North rim we had some difficulty in finding
water (there were no roads or trails) which by a fortunate circumstance we
did and near by found Matthes camped.

As to pioneers of that region, I have a good recollection and an
acquaintance with almost all that were in the country from the early
eighties and would be pleased to give you all the information that I could,
this would be quite an undertaking and I hesitate to attempt it by letter.
Should you come to Phoenix I would be glad to have you call at my house and
we can fully  discuss these matters. I don't know but possibly may be up to
the Canyon the coming Summer in which event I will make it my business to
see you.

In the event of your wanting information regarding any particular
individual I will gladly respond at any time.

                                        Yours respectfully
                                        L.L. Ferrall

So that is the story of how the trail through Bright Angel Canyon came into being.

Used by permission of the Grand Canyon Pioneers Society.

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