"We are here to laugh at the odds and live our lives so well that death will tremble to take us" Bukowski
In search of the Grand Canyon's highest waterfall, the elusive Cheyava Fall.
Day 1-Kaibab Trail to Phantom Ranch
Day 2-Clear Creek Trail to Clear Creek, North Rim
Day 3-Clear Creek to Cheyava Streak
Day 4-Clear Creek to Phantom Ranch
Day 5-Phantom Ranch, Bright Angel Trail to the South Rim
50 miles in total
This was a Grand Canyon Field Institute trip of 11 including Lorenzo and Jake. The boys were both a tad bit high maintenance for the Lobo guide. We stayed at the Field Institute's lodging the night before, caught a few NCAA games at the Maswick Bar and later watched "Why do Cowboys Sing?" an excellent documentary filmed in Northern Nevada, and the classic "A Fistful of Dollars" in our luxury abode, stocked with old tapes. And exactly why do cowboys sing? "Why does the frog croak!"
The group headed for the Ranch early the next morning. We enjoyed a great steak dinner and several Tecates at Phantom.
Yea Baby! I love Phantom Ranch!
Unbelievably, this was Zo's first trip on the main corridor trails. He has done many of the more remote trails and routes.
The weather was a combination of sunshine, hail, sleet, and cold winds.
Cheyava fall was a major disappointment as it was only a wet streak on the canyon wall. It has been too cold on the rim and the fall had not yet been recharged with any meltwater. For the fall to be really cranking it requires a good snow year. This is my second trip to Clear Creek, and the fall was also not running then, so I elected to do the 10 mile round trip to the Colorado, down a serpentine gorge through one of the most spectacular stretches of Vishnu narrows in the park. This is a good option, but you must down climb about a 15' slick-rock pour-off just before you arrive at the river.
However, our hike to the fall was scenic, traveling through the varicolored rock layers of the Grand Canyon Supergroup. We stopped at several ruins along the way and could see granaries high up on the canyon walls.
The trek from Phantom to the rim was the usual arduous, suck-it-up climb. The boys liked Indian Gardens.
We celebrated at the Beaver Street Brewery in Flagstaff with burgers and beers and the three of us agreed that the best part of the trip was that Dingo did not come!
MEN and WOMEN Behaving Badly
Zo-for initially being a "Man behaving bravely" by addressing the over capacity compost toilet at Clear Creek with a stick, but quickly turning into a MBB by chucking the stick. If he was a good environmentalist he would have packed it out, utilizing it as a walking stick.
Jake-for proclaiming that he now had logged more miles in the canyon (120) than Juan da Jackal, because according to Jake, you lose all your miles(like frequent flyer programs) if you have not traveled in the canyon for one year.
Lobo-for deserting his guide post in the back after he got frustrated being stuck behind Angie, the slow senior citizen client, and telling Angie, “Let me get in front of you in case you fall,” then quickly proceeding to leave her in the dust.
Angie-for laughing loudly every time she fell.
Angie’s daughter-for hiking way ahead of her mom and leaving poor Lobo the guide to help her up when she fell.
Zo-for continuously asking: “Lobo, what’s the best part of this trip?”; Lobo-for replying: “Dingo’s not on it!”; and Jake-for laughing.
Lynn-for falling behind the group and going the wrong way, then demanding “I paid $600 for a guide to take me to the fall!”
Terry-the Chicago financial planner, for trying to get Zo to carry his whole tent rig after Zo volunteered to leave his rig behind and share a tent with Terry so he wouldn’t have to carry it all.
Terry- for leeching stoves, stove fuel and water filters from others in the group-no wonder he could hike faster than most of the rest of the group.
Jake-for not washing himself until the 3rd day.
Lobo&Jake-for being antisocial by setting their tent away from the rest of the group at the Clear Creek campsite.
Jake-for not acknowledging his secret training of carrying his 1 year old son to build up
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