12:30p - Mystic Falls

Well, I made it! I've been here a couple of hours already. Mystic Falls is absolutely beautiful, even more so than I imagined. I actually managed to fight my way through the brush to the base of the falls and got some photos from up there. I got soaked by the mist while crossing below and in front of the falls but it was cool and refreshing and felt marvelous. I found a small granary just off to the east of the falls and then found a trail leading back down to the main creek bed from there.

I am sitting here on the opposite bank of the creek and have just finished my lunch. It is very relaxing listening to the gurgling water of the creek, the thundering waterfall in the distance and also all of the birds. There sure is a lot of bird activity in the Canyon at this time of year. All of the water is making for lots of plant life with is likely encouraging them for forage down deeper into the Canyon than the normally would. It's amazing how much "stuff" is growing down here... lots of grass.

I need to check out this side of the creek and see if I can find any of the other ruins and then I need to head back to camp. It took me 5 hours to get here but I am hoping to do the return trip in 4. I fought my way up the creek the last mille coming up and that was a big mistake as it was very brushy and slow going. I will seek out a higher route away from the creek on the way back. I would like to be heading back by 2 so I better get a move on. I drank my 2 liters of water already and just filtered 2 more from the creek for the return trip.

8:00p - Nankoweap camp

I got back here around 6:30, so it only took 4½ hours to get back. The time is probably about the same as going up as I am sure I used about a half hour for breakfast on the trail.

My feet are killing me... no blisters just sore as all get out. Hopefully no blisters will develop overnight. Tomorrow is Kolb Arch day.

I did not find any ruins on the other side of the creek but then I did not have a lot of time to look either. I had GPS approximations but they didn't help. Those slopes are very brushy and hard to negotiate. I did find that one small granary next to Mystic Falls so it's not a total loss. I got to see the falls themselves and that's the important achievement for today.

This was really too long for a day hike because it takes ALL day. Tomorrow will be about the same, perhaps even a little longer.

Chuck and the other ranger, Sam, will be going with me to Kolb Arch tomorrow, that will be nice.