10:30 am - First stop

I am at the camp for Wednesday night, which is also the camp Robin and I used when she broke her ankle, I have been in the shade so far but the Sun is just cresting the rim.

I got a later start than hoped for and did not get to the trailhead until 8:38. I had breakfast at the El Tovar with a lovely woman, Michele, from Minneapolis. She wanted to sit at a table by the window but those were reserved for parties of two or more so she asked if I would join her. She came to the Canyon for a few days from a business strip in Las Vegas and hiked the Bright Angel Trail to Indian Garden yesterday. It was nice to have breakfast with someone.

The top portion of the trail has some steep sections moderated by little contours. The steeper sections have lots of loose rubble and are very slippery.

There was a nice longish contour in the Toroweap before the Coconino break. The Coconino was loose and slippery as well.

I got though the Coconino by about 9:30 and have been just following the canyon floor since then. The trail crosses back and forth many times. I slipped twice coming down through the Hermit but landed on my butt. I landed on (sat on) one of my hiking poles and bent it. I managed to bend it back but I have done that several times with these poles now and I don't know how much longer they will last.

The Supai contour is next and then the Redwall. I have not drank any water yet but I had some with breakfast and also sucked down a liter before I started. I have 2 liters to get me to the river.

12:50 pm - In the Redwall

I stopped around 12:30 for lunch and have just finished that. I am almost through the Redwall with maybe only another 100 feet to go (vertical). I stopped here because it looked like a nice spot with big rocks and a shade tree. I have only been in the sun for a little while now, just since I have started moving away from the cliffs. It will likely be sunny for the rest of the distance to the river now.

I met a couple of other parties heading out and there us one party of 5 ahead of me. They stopped for lunch just below the Redwall but are gone now.

03:05 pm - Floor of Red Canyon

I am almost at the river and I think I can make out features on the north side. I stopped for a snack in the little patch of hard shade here. I switched into shorts and T-shirt as soon as I hit the creek bed, probably about and hour ago. It is very warm down here and the Sun is full out now.

05:20 pm - Papago Camp

I am at my camp next to the Papago Wall. I got to Hance Rapid around 3:30 but decided not to stay there and get an extra mile or so under my boots. I am camped right next to the big rock slide that will be my first challenge for the day tomorrow. At least now it is here and I know I can have right at it.

I did not even go to look at Hance Rapid and headed east on the Escalante Route, looking for a good river access above the rapid to get some water. There was a river trip setting up camp on the beach there and I was going to ask if I could use their water filter to refill my water bottles. But before I had a chance to ask they immediately offered me a beer! How could I refuse? I love river trips. So I am not even a full day into the trip and I've already had my first river beer---a Pabst Blue Ribbon. I don't remember the last time I had one of those.

I am sitting here on the beach, which is all mine by the way, waiting for my dinner to re-hydrate. I am having Pad Thai tonight and it smells yummy. After dinner I need to filter some water and by soon after that it will be getting dark. It has been a very nice first day.

The breezes down here are very strange---alternating between cool one minute and warm the next. It has been overcast most of the day but it looks like it may clear. I don't know if the moonlight will even reach me here with the high cliffs all around.

07:00 pm - Night time

It is quite dark here already and I am all tucked away inside my tent. I barely made it will all the camp chores before darkness set it. Dinner was very yummy considering it was just a freeze-dried concoction and I will definitely get the Pad Thai again. I also had coffee after dinner. I am so extravagant!

I am not camped at Hance Rapid but there is a small unnamed rapid here that results from debris washed out of Papago Creek. It is far less chaotic and noisy than Hance and is rather pleasant sounding actually. There are also a few crickets.

Trail notes---

I don't remember most of the trail from the last couple of times I came down it. I need to go and reread my trip reports and trail description. I just remember it much different and don't understand how it could have changed that much.

The Redwall descent was pretty easy and I do remember that. I do not remember the contour through the bottom portion of the Redwall. I do not remember descending to the east arm on the creek, crossing that and then contouring above it on the east side. I remember the distance from the camping spot above the Redwall to the actual descent as much shorter than it is, and the trail as much better. I could not even find the spot where Robin slipped and slid down the slope. Nothing along that section looked familiar at all.