We did not get as early a start as I had hoped for but it still wasn't bad. I think I was awake a little after 5 and out of the sack about 15 minutes or so after that. It was plenty bright enough to see by that time. I rolled up my sleeping bag and pad and made myself some coffee to go with my bagel.

I think we started down the trail around 6:40 or so. We arrived at the cairn marking the top of the Marion-Seiber Route at 6:52 and I pointed that out to the gang and we stopped to take some photos.

I had talked to a ranger at the Backcountry Office the prior week, when I went up to get backcountry permit changed, and asked about the "scary spot" on the Nankoweap Trail. He said that the Park Service had done some work on it a few years back when he was down there a couple of years ago he had walked right past it without even a notice. I was convinced he was only telling me this to alleviate any fears I might have about the trail, of which there were none since the scary spot never bothered me. But I relayed this information to the others and it did make Pam happy since she was a little worried about it. I don't think Gordy would have been bothered by it since nothing seemed to bother him. Rob had seen it before as well and he and I were both looking forward to seeing how they could have fixed it up. We knew it was right before Marion Point and we kept waiting to see it. At one point we passed by a section of trail that was very close to the edge and I wondered bur kept on walking. It was probably less than a minute later I suspected that was the spot and we had already passed it. I mentioned this to Rob and neither one of us could believe they could have fixed it up THAT much. Until we arrived at Marion Point and there had been no scary spot. I really should have gone back to take some photos since we rested at Marion Point for a while anyway.

We were at Marion Point for probably about a half of an hour, taking a rest that really wasn't needed. We arrived there just a little after 8am and most of the day so far had been in the shade but from here on in it looked like most of it would be in the sun so we decided to rest in the little shade that was available there. Pam was very happy to be past the scary spot even though I reminded her there was another one that was not quite so scary on the other size of Marion Point.

We left Marion Point around 8:45 or so and we found the other scary spot at 9:15. This one didn't bother me either as it was not nearly as bad as the other one had been but it was very close to the edge and there was a very big drop-off and it gave Pam the creeps. She walked right past it though, smiling for the camera the entire time. I learned later that the smile was ONLY for the camera and she was scared *expletive deleted*-less.

And on we hiked... Most of the trail was in sun and we made little stops here and there behind the few cliff edges that were still providing some shade. We arrived at the top of Tilted Mesa just a little after 11. It was still too early for lunch and there was not much in the way of shade there so after snapping a few photos of "The Gate of Hell" (as I named it after my first Nankoweap trip) we continued on down the trail.

Right after The Gate we came to the small cliff that needed to be down-climbed and I really thought that was going to be further on down the trail. That was the first "tricky" move of the trip but I think Pam enjoyed it. I am sure that it was considerably less adventurous than some moves we have had to make in the White Mountains.

After that we only went for about 15 minutes longer before we found some good shade tress and decided to take a long lunch break. It was just a little before noon and the hottest part of the day was among us so I suggested we just stay there until 2pm and really rest up for those 3 grueling miles that remained going down to Nankoweap Creek. I did not get any complaints.

We ate, talked, rested, napped a little and a little after 2pm we started the final leg down to Nankoweap Creek. It's funny (NOT!) how the mind makes it easy for you to forget the things it would rather not remember. This section of the Nakoweap is long and has some very steep and slippery/slide-y section. Some parts seem to just go on forever. We trudged on, taking short breaks in the limited amount of shade we could find, and arrived at Nankoweap Creek around 5pm or so. The last half hour or so was not that bad as most of the descent is done at that point and you are just left navigating a huge cactus garden on the final approach to Nankoweap Creek. That final downhill before you reach that final approach seems to be the worst part of the trail though as it looses a lot of elevation over a relatively short distance.

Everyone was very happy when we finally arrived at the creek. Pam was still smiling after the ordeal which was a good thing. Even if it was a faked smile, which I don't think it was, she at least made the effort to fake it.

We had a nice evening at camp and it was pleasant to have the frogs and crickets to listen to after a relatively quiet evening up at the trailhead.