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VIP Cottonwood Rehabilitation Cruise:
GCHBA Volunteer Service Project At Cottonwood RS (Ranger Station), Grand Canyon NP / Grand Canyon Hikers and Backpackers Ass. (GCHBA) / Working toward a Rim-Rim-Rim / Or - how many ways can one prepare breakfast burritos? Bonus: Article about Dual Ribbon Falls Oases (March 13-23, 2016) Text © copyright by Rob; and Photos © copyright by Rob Jones |
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Co-Adventurer VIPs: Barry B., Holly B., Dan E., Mike H., Denise H., Rob J., Susan N.,
Richard S., & Jeremy W.
Mule packing by packers of the NPS
(National Park Service).
Site-based planning by Elyssa S. and Erika A. (with thanks to Debbie B. Canyon Ranger District; Ed H. Maintenance)
GCHBA planning and organization by Rob Jones, GPP-SP
(Grand Penultimate Poobah of GCHBA Service Projects).
VIP is Volunteer In Park.
This volunteer service project was supported by the NPS people who put the "Service!" in NPS; and by the members and Board of the GCHBA (Grand Canyon Hikers and Backpackers Association). Thanks for your stewardship of our precious public lands.
camera: Panasonic DMC-ZS19
Note: the opinions in this report are not necessarily those of the GCHBA or its Board. However, the spirits that live behind Lower Ribbon Falls approve this trip report.
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Preliminary: 3-12-2016; pack & fly: 6 miles
Hermit 6.0 miles, ERM of 11. following months of preparation, we're
finally bound to The Canyon. Dan and I are in his truck, loaded with an assortment of food buckets
to be shipped to Cottonwood, food sacks to be muled to the Phantom Bunkhouse, and boxes of extra equipment
going to Cottonwood or Manzanita. Mike's generator ends up in the heap of tools and paint going to Cottonwood.
Mike, Kathy, Richard, and Susan stay and help Ranger Erika prepare sling
loads of equipment, materials, tools and such while Dan and I go to hike the Hermit Trail toward Dripping Spring.
The group currently at The Canyon enjoys dinner, post shower, at the Yavapai
and slips early to bed in the raw cold wind.
I awake to what I groggily assume is the moon shining brightly in my face.
Too bright. Then, the moon speaks to me, "Daniel, you are in someone's camp. Daniel?" What?! Why is
the moon talking to me?
It's a Ranger, shining his flashlight in my face and telling me that the
site is already registered to someone. Someone else.
Dan moves the truck after more than enough screaming from the women who
have duplicately reserved 139, and I try unsuccessfully to go back to sleep.
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GCHBA Task List, Cottonwood 3-2016 (pdf)
(Click the image for the document) | ||
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Day 1: South Kaibabian, to BA 7.7 miles. 17 ERM.
The rock layers are piled above and below as we swirl the switchbacks into The Canyon. Rocks made by time.... goes the pneumonic. Know the Canyon's History, Study Rocks Made By Time.
Know - Kaibab Limestone
The - Toroweap Formation
Canyon's - Coconino SS
History - Hermit Shale
Study - Supai Group (including the Esplanade)
Rocks - Redwall Limestone
Made - Mauv Limestone
By - Bright Angel Shale
Time - Tapeats SS
Know The Canyon's History, Study Rocks Made By Time.
The foreground of Brittlebush colors the kaleidoscope of Canyon colors. Gorgeous ranging vistas of rocks made by time dominate the foreground and the far ground.
The loping lilt into The Canyon goes smoothly with a sub-40 pound pack. Dan is exuberant about his first backpack into The Canyon, powering down the trail, stopping, gazing, powering, smiling.
We VIPs (Volunteer In Park) of the GCHBA (Grand Canyon Hikers and Backpackers Association) rendezvous at the BA (Bright Angel) Bunkhouse. Most of us sleep in the nearby stock camp, while a few sleep in the screen porch of the bunkhouse. It's a lovely evening of gazing at rocks made by time as we prepare dinner and battle the wind setting up tents and such. We have partial use of the bunkhouse, so I enjoy a shower before retiring to the tent.
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 wGCHBA 3-2016 day1-8 Rob, Barry, Mike, Jeremy at Tip-off.jpg |
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Day 2: Hiking the Ribbon to Cottonwood CG 7.5 miles. ERM of 13.
The falling water slides off the calcium carbonate cone, slipping through the
moss dreadlocks to the stream.
Jeremy, Etch (Dan), and I are enjoying and exploring Lower Ribbon Falls, and pausing for lunch just off the
North Kaibab Trail. Lovely.
Soon, we'll be in Cottonwood Camp and start work to get materials into place
and clean up the outside of the RS, Ranger Station, in preparation for a plethora of painting.
The day starts with a slightly cool hike through The Box of Bright Angel Creek.
Wondrous and pleasing, walking streamside boxed in by a thousand feet of salmon and ebony hued basement
metamorphic rock (Zoroaster Granite, Vishnu Schist). It's a narrow trail ribbon leading to Ribbon Falls and beyond.
We discover that the Manzanita RS/bunkhouse is not accessible for us, and
our group splits between a sun-baked small group site and the bleached stock site in Cottonwood CG. Jeremy,
Barry, Mike, Richard and I are in the stock site, while Dan, Susan, Holly, and Denise are in #11,
near the RS. We in the stock site are up at the upper end of the campground, with good views up the Transept
Canyon yet far from the water, the stream (Bright Angel Creek), and the scenic new composting toilets.
Probably a fair trade, at least for us.
The Zunis, who now mostly live in Western New Mexico, are one of several
tribes with a historic link to the Grand Canyon. According to Zuni mythology, their place of origin was
Chimik’yana’kya dey’a, known to hikers today as Ribbon Falls which feeds into Bright Angel Creek along what
is now the North Kaibab Trail. Emily Omana Smith, of the NPS Fisheries program, tells me that the invasive
trout removed via weir and electro-fishing from Bright Angel Creek as part of a restoration of native fish
are cleaned, vacuum packaged, and sent to beneficial use and the Zunis for their ceremonial eagles. How appropriate.
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Day 3: Paintorama 3 miles.
The Hornet dusts us volunteers loosely grouped around the Cottonwood RS
as it picks up a sling load of old appliances and junk.
It's a glorious day of painting, cleaning up the tool shed, cleaning and
priming inside the RS, and toting junk about.
After a full day, I enjoy a bucket bath, some wine, and preparations for
breakfast burritos with Jeremy. Dan joins us for burritos and conversation. What portion of our public
lands will be sold or given to corporations if more repulsicans are elected, we ask?
Orion pops brilliant as the salmon light fades from layers and layers of
rocks made by time.
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Day 4: Grand Canyon Brown 3 miles.
"Turn that frown into Grand Canyon Brown," says a VIP. Today, there's plenty of Grand Canyon Brown around, around the South side of the RS, to the East and then the West, and to the North, then there's the Clinic too. It's a day of painting outside and in, plumbing and cleaning and assorted other tasks too.
Elyssa is painting in her bee suit (painting coveralls), helping along the project.
And, what a work site. Cerulean blue skies. Layers of different reds interrupted by white rocks made by time. Gorgeous.
After working into late afternoon, we stop for the evening activities of bucket bath, clean up, and cooking another round of breakfast burritos, this time with chef Dan. Yummy. Some of the goodies we add to the various breakfast burritos during this tour include: new potatoes, refried beans, red onion, Roma tomatoes, green chilies, cheese, summer sausage, smoked spam, eggs, olive oil, peas, salsa, bacon, tortillas, pita bread, and wine. Some of these ingredients were dried (e.g., eggs, beans).
A discussion of the social ills created by globalization ensues, and many politicians, mostly the right-leaning ilk, are baked and fried. Certainly, they are not edible, nothing like our breakfast burritos.
Bright Angel Creek lows in the background, natural quiet for the wilderness spirit.
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Day 5: More Paintorama 3 miles.
Finally, I'm switching from Grand Canyon Brown to Ivory Tusk, as Jeremy
and I begin to paint the interior of the clinic.
It's a glorious day of sunshine and vistas and painting. Dan is working
on the sump pump and rebuilding the cistern for the RS gray water. Holly, Susan, and Denise are painting
inside the RS. Barry finishes the RS exterior painting after Jeremy
and I move inside. Mike is crafting frames for window screens. Ranger Elyssa is painting shelves and
window frames. Lots is accomplished along the bench of Bright Angel Creek.
Again, Dan joins Jeremy and me for yet another version of breakfast
burritos as the sun fades. It's already behind the West wall, and now it's growing dark as we tell
tales and revisit Canyon lore. We're excited about the possibility of hiking to the North Rim tomorrow.
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Day 6: North Rim Ramble 13 miles, 29 ERM.
The Aspen sport their Winter garb amidst the dots of snow at 8200 feet
on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. Holly, Dan, Jeremy, and I are climbing toward the North
Rim Yurt and enjoying the near perfect solitude of The Canyon when the North Rim access is closed. Today,
we see 6 other hikers. Soon, a scourge of runners will mar the natural quiet and trample the trail ethics
of The Canyon ("scourge" is a group name for Canyon runners, as in an exaltation of Larks, a murder of crows,
it's a scourge of rim-rim runners).
We start early from Cottonwood Camp and roll uphill to Manzanita RS on our
free hike day, where we dump our evening gear in the finally vacant bunkhouse, trimming the packs for the
North Rim Ramble.
Up. Up through rocks made by time. Up more, over 4000 feet of up from
Manzanita. Up 4500' from Cottonwood.
Reaching the Rim at the North Kaibab TH, we climb a brief snowbank and eat
lunch in the deserted TH parking lot in lovely sunshine, then continue into the forest to inspect the Yurt.
Of course global warming is a myth, 99% of real scientists are just wrong. It's a coincidentally long drought
that's disrupting precipitation in the West, and will surely be reversed this year, just like how republican
concerns for public lands will show positive action to support the NPS, FS, BLM, USFS, etc. Hah.
Lilting back down and down to Manzanita, we enjoy showers and a scrumptious
meal prepared by Rangers Elyssa and Erika. Thanks Rangers.
Many of us VIPs sleep on the covered porch. Barry and Jeremy enjoy the full
sky exposure from the helipad. It's been a glorious free hike day along the North Kaibab Trail and Bright Angel Creek.
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Day 7: Moving Rocks. 6 miles.
Finish up and Plateau Point.
We're moving rocks in the hot sun, we wrestle with rocks and the rocks
won. Sung to a country western tune, yet without the horse and train whistle.
The day starts with a slow awakening on the porch of the Manzanita RS,
the thunderous cascade of Bright Angel Creek in the near background. Barry is up and baking muffin cakes,
cranberry orange and chocolate chip. My stomach demands to know more. It's one of the few times that the
VIPs of the GCHBA are together for a meal. And, it's a pleasant experience.
Soon, we're hiking down canyon, back to Cottonwood for more painting, Mike's
carpentry, Dan's plumbing and building (amphitheater work for future Elyssa naturalist programs), and then
Dan, Jeremy, and I wrestle with rocks obliterating unwanted social paths and lining use trails. Others
finish the extensive reworking of the RS. Holly paints the final green and
Denise and Susan touch up the Ivory Tusk inside the RS. Richard oils the fence. Ranger Elyssa hikes out
late in the afternoon, and we make plans to see her on the way out to the South Rim in three days.
We're exhausted, yet Jeremy and I work up a Canyon goulash of red onion,
new potatoes, tomatoes, peas, beans, green chilies, sausage and bacon, garnished with cheese and white wine
and served in fajita tortillas while the nearly full moon chases away the maroon glow left by the setting sun.
Yummy. Yet another scrumptious version of the breakfast burrito. My 10" folding frying pan is getting a
good workout during this trip. And, here I was seriously considering not bringing this somewhat heavy
implement (14 ounces).
Then, I put together the bed (we relocated to Manzanita for just the one
night) and sort through the food bucket in preparation for the sling load that is scheduled to depart tomorrow.
Goodnight moon.
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Day 8: Pack Rat Palace. 7.0 miles.
Dan, Jeremy, and I are dragging bits of brush pile from there to here,
here to there, collecting the ton or so of old brush piles into a burnable location. Lots of work.
A pack rat palace. Rehabilitating bits of old trail is another task of today. Susan plants
cactus in the disrupted dirt near the new scenic toilets. Holly and Mike, Denise, Richard, and Barry
finish work on the Ranger Station and the Clinic. It's a long day. (See the task list below.)
All this and a hurried construction of two sling loads. Hurried because
it's predicted to become windy (it does, and still is as the full moon rises above the Canyon walls,
barely penetrating the obscuring clouds) and the helicopters won't be able to fly later today. Some return
to camp to see a land of sand inside their tents. We in the upper level of the stock camp are ensconced
behind a wall of low brush and on a scattered vegetation clump, and are therefore sand free.
Old bones creak and muscles protest the long day, where we started about
8 a.m. and finished at 6 p.m.
Most of our burrito frenzy equipment and supplies have departed on the sling load, so for the first time
in many days we won't be cooking some sort of burrito or Canyon goulash. We make do with orzo and such
and some of the remaining wine.
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Day 9: Upper Ribbon. 11 miles. ERM of 17.
The spray from Lower Ribbon Falls splatters on my face as Jeremy, Dan, and
I hike 100 or more feet above Lower Ribbon Falls on the trail to Upper Ribbon Falls.
Yoweee, we go up via the Jeremy ramp route which is shorter, yet death-defying and easily as time consuming.
(It's better to just take the old CCC trail both to and from the Upper Falls.) Barry is down at Lower
Ribbon guarding the packs from the rapacious rats. Thanks Barry.
Then, we tour into the upper canyon on a decent trail, which was constructed
by the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corp) to where it ends in a rock box. There in the box Upper Ribbon cuts
through and drops 50 feet in a splendid falls of crystal Canyon water.
Off to the South, tucked carefully under a low ledge are some ancient Pueblo
structures, including perhaps remnants of a Kiva. Glorious.
Dan and Jeremy climb into the lower bowl of Upper Ribbon for adventure and a
photo opportunity.
Wait, yes, we're talking about an upper and a lower Ribbon Falls, both
refreshing oases in Grand Canyon.
Lower Ribbon is the Ribbon Falls with which most hikers are acquainted and
sports a 30 foot high cone of travertine deposit. Travertine is essentially limestone (aka calcium carbonate),
and in the case of Lower Ribbon Falls, it's covered with emerald green moss. The stream creating the falls
flows through limestone layers, dissolving calcium carbonate and re-depositing it on the cone. Upper Ribbon
is a more classic falls, and the upper canyon is lined with water-loving Cottonwood trees. Both falls produce
rare desert oases.
The wind screams as we hike toward the burg of Phantom, dust peppering the
eyes and sand stinging bare legs.
We reach the Clear Creek junction and make calls to love ones before continuing
to the Phantom/BA area, where I talk with Sjors about times for the October VIPs trip, and meet Adam Sherman,
LE Ranger before enjoying a bunkhouse shower. Ranger Jeff is somewhere on the Rim, and I'll meet with him
later to finalize October plans.
The wind screams on into the night, cancelling the naturalist program about
rattlesnakes.
Fortunately for us, we have the bunkhouse to ourselves and some VIPs sleep
in the bunks while others sleep in the screen porch.
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Day 10: Walk in Beauty. 10 miles. ERM of 20.
Canary yellow Brittlebush contrast
sharply with the ebony of
the basement rocks. Approaching IG, Indian Garden, the steel pink glow of Red Bud
trees among
the newly-leafing Cottonwoods provide radiance to the
Redwall Limestone cliffs. We're
climbing out of the Canyon, reminiscing about a restored Cottonwood RS. Certainly, it's a Grand Canyon.
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Links:
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Related Links:
Grand Canyon Hikers and Backpackers Association site (GCHBA)
Task accomplished at Cottonwood during this volunteer service project (pdf; same list as seen above)
Bonus Feature: A Second Ribbon Oasis - AZ Daily Sun 3-30-2016, pdf
VIPs at IG - Volunteering at Indian Garden RS, 2015
GCHBA Gusher at BA - Volunteering at the bottom of The Canyon, 2015
the geology of the Grand Canyon by the NPS
Eaarth - Living on a fundamentally altered planet by Bill McKibben
Other WV reports about the Grand Canyon:
Click here or on the Looking Lizard to go to all WV reports about The Grand Canyon
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More Truth Than Joke:
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