North Bass Nirvana:
- Backpacking the North Bass Trail / Wondrous William Wallace Bass / Harvey Butchart Natural Bridge / Shinumo Creek / Tapeats Narrows of White Creek / Redwall Canyon to start of Burro Route
 

September 27 to October 4, 2012

Text © copyright by Rob Jones and Photos © copyright by Rob

Sunny Canyon disposition - Day 7
Sunny Canyon disposition - Day 7
(Click the image for the full-size image)
Redwall Canyon chockstone - Day 4
Redwall Canyon chockstone - Day 4
(Click the image for the full-size image)

Glowing Aspens on Kaibab NF- drive in
Glowing Aspens on Kaibab NF - drive in
(Click the image for the full-size image)
Steve, Zig, Rob - NB in back
Steve, Zig, Rob - NB in back
(Click the image for the full-size image)

pano from Tonto bypass, Day 6 - scroll L-R to view it 
all (4555 x 1200 pixels, 1.7mb)
pano from Tonto bypass, Day 6 - scroll L-R to view it all (4555 x 1200 pixels, 1.7mb)
(Click the image for the full-size image)

(There are - photos embedded in the trip narrative.)

Co-Adventurers: Zig Sondelski and Steve Cash

Nirvana An ancient Sanskrit term used in Indian religions to describe the profound peace of mind that is acquired with liberation.
Also - Nirvana was an American rock band that was formed by singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen, Washington in 1987.

ERM - Energy Required Miles. A mile is added for every 500' elevation gain or loss. It's a very serviceable method of estimating energy required miles.

Total trip - (per my GPS) of 37.7 miles and total ERM = 75.8.

Movies: You may wish to begin downloading the movies as you peruse the report - this way, they will pop up to view (and you won't be waiting). The movies in the below list are also seen interspersed in the text. The movies are:

Click here to: see a Movie of the obstacle falls in Shinumo - 2mb.

Click here to: see a Movie of Shinumo Cr - 1.4mb.

Maps:

Map - GC: North Bass; 2012; 38 miles
Map - GC: North Bass; 2012; 38 miles
(Click the image to see the map)

for a full-resolution map, click here. Caution - do not use this map or gps track for navigating the route.

Map - GC: North Bass to Harvey Butchart Natural Bridge
Map - GC: North Bass to Harvey Butchart Natural Bridge
(Click the image to see the map)

     Summary: Three of us hiked from Swamp Point (North Bass, NB, TH) to The River, then the Tapeats Narrows of White Creek, up Shinumo Creek to the obstacle falls, and to the huge Harvey Butchart Natural Bridge. It's a country in search of a trail, albeit the NPS and volunteers greatly improved sections of the existing or historic trail about 6 years ago. Be prepared for slow going, this may be the most difficult 'trail' in the Grand Canyon.

     Prologue Because of the understandable desire of hikers to explore the NB (North Bass) during the Fall, and the limited number of permits available, I've been unsuccessfully trying to get a NB venue for the past four years. In the Spring, there is snow on the road or the road is impassable, cluttered with down trees. By the time the road is cleared, it's too hot in The Canyon, making Spring a less-preferred time to hike the NB. Fall hiking is also with issues, because, as noted, most hikers want to hike in the Fall, and permits are limited, and an early snow storm can ruin your day. Beware, wind and early snow can close the Swamp Ridge Road at any time.
     The day has finally arrived as I rendezvous with Zig near the North Kaibab Lodge, then together we bump the forest and park roads to Swamp Ridge and finally to Swamp Point, where we meet Steve, who blazed up FR 22 from near Fredonia, AZ. Today, September 27th, we have a permit to car camp at Swamp Point, and do so - enjoying the vast views, which are abutted on the West by the imposing and glorious Powell Plateau. Steve has brought some of that excellent California wine, and it lubricates our chat about trips enjoyed and those that floundered. Steve is part of the "Cashorama" team of Dave and Steve Cash - who provided resupply in that critical Southern portion of the John Muir trail (see the 2010 JMT Jaunty Juggernaut report here and in the links section.)

     Mini History - W.W. Bass: William Wallace Bass, according to Bob Ribokas: "William Wallace Bass came to the Grand Canyon in 1884 for health reasons. He spent more than forty years living at the Canyon and during that time did some prospecting, got married and became the first person of European descent to raise a family at the Canyon. He is credited with building a road from Ash Fork, Arizona to his camp, Bass Camp, on the south rim, a distance of some 70 miles. He is a also responsible for the construction of both the North Bass and South Bass trails, which he used to guide tourists into the Canyon and over to the north rim. The trail was also used to haul asbestos out from his mine and to tend his garden near Shinumo Creek.
     The Bass Formation is named after William Wallace Bass."

See a Book partly about and by W.W. Bass: Adventures in the Canyons of the Colorado (1920)

North Bass photos - Day 1

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wNB-2012-day1-1  View to the NW.jpg (299631 bytes)

wNB-2012-day1-1 View to the NW.jpg

wNB-2012-day1-2  NB and Powell Plateau.jpg (388626 bytes)

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wNB-2012-day1-3   Teddy's Cabin.jpg (504978 bytes)

wNB-2012-day1-3 Teddy's Cabin.jpg

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wNB-2012-day1-4 Teddy's Cabin.jpg

wNB-2012-day1-5  Supai Traverse.jpg (452243 bytes)

wNB-2012-day1-5 Supai Traverse.jpg

wNB-2012-day1-6  Into the Redwall.jpg (308308 bytes)

wNB-2012-day1-6 Into the Redwall.jpg

wNB-2012-day1-7  NJ Walker inscription - bottom of Redwall.jpg (352995 bytes)

wNB-2012-day1-7 NJ Walker inscription - bottom of Redwall.jpg

wNB-2012-day1-8  froggie.jpg (269824 bytes)

wNB-2012-day1-8 froggie.jpg

wNB-2012-day1-9  Steve enjoys the slickrock.jpg (307101 bytes)

wNB-2012-day1-9 Steve enjoys the slickrock.jpg

wNB-2012-day1-10  Monument at top of Tonto descent.jpg (456047 bytes)

wNB-2012-day1-10 Monument at top of Tonto descent.jpg

wNB-2012-day1-11  Dusk and Shinumo drainage.jpg (263844 bytes)

wNB-2012-day1-11 Dusk and Shinumo drainage.jpg

wNB-2012-day1-12  Dusk and Shinumo drainage.jpg (279684 bytes)

wNB-2012-day1-12 Dusk and Shinumo drainage.jpg

     Day 1: Shinumo Slog: TH to Shinumo Creek. GPS miles 10.5; NPS miles 8.3. ERM = 20. Camp at 2800'.
     The nearly full moon climbs above the clouds hanging in the Shinumo gorge and the light washes over our camp alongside rushing, roiling Shinumo Creek. Zig and I make it to the camp just before sunlight fades. Steve decides to stay on the slickrock just before (upper, North end) the Tonto bypass goes above the Tapeats narrows of White Creek. I give Steve most of my meager water and roll onto the bypass, which is like a superhighway after the tedious boulder-hopping and brush-beating (we're getting the beating, not the brush) over the 3+ miles of slow going.
     At the start of the day - We start down the reworked trail from the TH to the Muav Saddle and pause to visit Teddy's Cabin. Built as a patrol cabin (Teddy did not sleep in it, but reportedly did sleep on the general site). Then down past flowing Queen Anne Spring (Muav Spring) and down and down. Then, down brush-filled White Creek to a pour-off in the top of the Redwall Limestone (near BM 5175 marked on the King Arthur Castle USGS quad; this is marked 5181 on the actual BM monument). This is the start of the Supai Traverse, and affords most excellent views of the native grey to steely-blue color of the Redwall in the narrows developing below (blushed a brilliant red by a patina of iron oxides from the overriding Supai Formation). We hike up along the Redwall rim on a descent path and then begin the slide of the Redwall descent. Argh.
     Now, we're again in the creek bed, where we find an "N. J. Walker" inscription and hand point to The River. Perhaps N.J. is related to W.W. Hawkins from the Powell expedition? Continuing on, we encounter another pour-off/falls, this time in the Bright Angel Shale, which is again passed on the right (West) before we return to White Creek from more dancing with boulders. The struggle continues to the Tonto bypass, which like all good Tonto sections, is atop the Tapeats SS.
     Today, we find water at Queen Anne Spring, above and below the Redwall descent - yet nothing from here to Shinumo. Groggy, tired muscles and feet, lots of small scratches everywhere, it's time for bed.

     The mnemonic goes like this (read down, use first letter of starting word as a reminder - from the rim, down; with mixed layers near The River that do not follow this convention):

    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.

Income gains at the top income dwarf gains in all other brackets
Income gains at the top income dwarf gains in all other brackets

Movie of the obstacle falls in Shinumo - 2mb
Movie of the obstacle falls in Shinumo Day 5 - 2mb
(Click the image to see the short video - 6mb)

North Bass photos - Day 2

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wNB-2012-day2-1 Zig filters day 1.jpg (332286 bytes)

wNB-2012-day2-1 Zig filters day 1.jpg

wNB-2012-day2-2  Zig crossing Shinumo.jpg (279835 bytes)

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wNB-2012-day2-3  Steve crossing Shinumo.jpg (350398 bytes)

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wNB-2012-day2-4  Steve-Zig along Shinumo.jpg (294927 bytes)

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wNB-2012-day2-5  Shinumo shine.jpg (290694 bytes)

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wNB-2012-day2-6  Zig thrashes.jpg (440864 bytes)

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wNB-2012-day2-12  bug tent.jpg (550644 bytes)

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     Day 2: Bass-a-matic: To Bass (Shinumo) Camp : 1.3 GPS; 1.4 NPS, little elevation change.
     1.3 GPS; 1.4 NPS, little elevation change.
     I'm lounging native in the streamside willows and cottonwoods, occasionally dipping or submerging in the burbling Shinumo Creek. Nirvana.
     Zig, Steve, and I explore the relics of the new Bass Camp (about 100 yards above the actual camp, which is marked as "Shinumo Camp - site" on the USGS quad) and find a USGS monument and a couple of inscriptions, enjoy a shady lunch and a chat with Jane and Elizabeth, wandering rafters camped at N Bass Beach, before the glaring sun prompts us to move creekside. It's a very warm day.
     At the start of the day, Zig and I wake to a refreshingly cool morning after a weltering start to the evening's nap. Starting to filter water, Zig's filter quits. Probably a blocked check valve? - which we puzzle over until Steve appears on the Dox SS skyline. Harrah.
     The sun hits us and we head downstream in Shinumo, donning water shoes for the 7 crossings to Bass Camp.
     Late afternoon - Lazily, the sunlight rotates. Another dip, another daydream, and we consider hiking a loop to The River and reject it - thinking about the likelihood of baking hot basement rocks roasting us like a convection oven or like pseudo religionists (that is, republicans) who refuse to help the poor, the sick, any others - roasting and toasting in hell. You know that part of the bible, like 700 instances or so, where helping others is commanded? As opposed to the 7 or so times same sex marriage is mentioned. Yes, the a lord did mean to say those socialist things. Anyway, it's better to await an early start tomorrow, regardless of the reason.

North Bass photos - Day 3

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wNB-2012-day3-1  Morning bug.jpg (245146 bytes)

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wNB-2012-day3-2  NB morning.jpg (129870 bytes)

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wNB-2012-day3-3  Beachfront.jpg (367253 bytes)

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wNB-2012-day3-4  Steve, Zig Shimuno morn.jpg (210184 bytes)

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wNB-2012-day3-5  Bass works near orchard.jpg (511582 bytes)

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wNB-2012-day3-6  early into lower Shinumo.jpg (187848 bytes)

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wNB-2012-day3-7  early into lower Shinumo.jpg (258723 bytes)

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wNB-2012-day3-8  Zig gauger - lower Shinumo.jpg (513122 bytes)

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wNB-2012-day3-9  panels at gauger - lower Shinumo.jpg (520187 bytes)

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wNB-2012-day3-10  Zig brink of falls - Shinumo.jpg (266622 bytes)

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wNB-2012-day3-11  falls - River around bend.jpg (278299 bytes)

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wNB-2012-day3-12   Steve at brink of falls.jpg (341007 bytes)

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wNB-2012-day3-15  at The River.jpg (427375 bytes)

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wNB-2012-day3-16  pueblo near The River.jpg (518490 bytes)

wNB-2012-day3-16 pueblo near The River.jpg

wNB-2012-day3-17  The River from overland route.jpg (408036 bytes)

wNB-2012-day3-17 The River from overland route.jpg

wNB-2012-day3-18  once upon a beach.jpg (547697 bytes)

wNB-2012-day3-18 once upon a beach.jpg

     Day 3: River Rounder - to The River: gps mileage 5.9, ERM = 11. Camp at White/Shinumo junction at about 2770'.
     The roar of plummeting water fills the narrow gorge of Shinumo Creek. Yikes. Deep in the basement rocks, Shinumo water is almost to The River. Going home? We inch out to the brink of the falls and look down. Yikes. Back upstream, we climb out near the gauging station and intercept the low trail and then follow it to The River. Dipping into The River, we have officially hiked the North Bass. Yahoo. A rafter camp is here, yet empty of people, so we enjoy their chairs for a foot break and snack before climbing back over the overland saddle to the Shinumo (Bass) camp, where we are almost packed up before the hot sun pounces. Then, fully loaded (boots in pack), we hike the brush and stream crossings back to the foot of the Tonto bypass trail and from there continue up Shinumo to where it meets White Creek to camp. We meet many of the rafters on the trail, returning from explorations toward White Creek. As I was considering a stream crossing, I see clothes scattered on a sunny slickrock. Closer inspection yields three nude women, one with a full body tan. Dangling feet in Shinumo. Stream nymphs.
     Finding a mostly shady spot is luxurious and we filter and treat water, bathe, and enjoy some Canyon time.
     Tapeats SS cliffs rise to the NE, Redwall and Supai glow towering up the gulch of White Creek. A hot wind blows up from The River, making sweet dreams less likely, at least for the first hour or so.

North Bass photos - Day 4

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wNB-2012-day4-1  Morning near White Cr.jpg (349022 bytes)

wNB-2012-day4-1 Morning near White Cr.jpg

wNB-2012-day4-2  White Creek.jpg (357838 bytes)

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wNB-2012-day4-3   thrashing White Creek.jpg (251219 bytes)

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wNB-2012-day4-4  variegated boulder.jpg (459164 bytes)

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wNB-2012-day4-10  Redwall Canyon.jpg (109692 bytes)

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wNB-2012-day4-19  floater pair.jpg (403738 bytes)

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wNB-2012-day4-20   up White Cr.jpg (204237 bytes)

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wNB-2012-day4-21  dinner day 4.jpg (122929 bytes)

wNB-2012-day4-21 dinner day 4.jpg

     Day 4: Redwall Ruckus. Day hike Tapeats narrows/White Creek to Chockstone and to Redwall Canyon to Burro Route: gps miles of 5.3. ERM = 11. (poor gps signal at times).
     The second dry falls looms. Above, a huge chockstone is wedged in the Tapeats SS. Yikes. Zig and I are in Redwall Canyon, scouting a route to the fabled Burro Route, which rides the top of the Tapeats SS back to above Shinumo Creek, below the Holy Grail Temple, and then up (above) Shinumo to the Modrid/Merlin Abyss junction, where one gets off the Tapeats and to the stream (Shinumo Creek). Passage up Shinumo from the Shinumo/Flint junction is reportedly blocked by a chockstone with twin falls (full of water - unlike these in Redwall Canyon).
     We start the day with a slow hike (brush, minor obstacles) up White to where the Tapeats base is at stream level (start of Tapeats gorge) - from here, the next major canyon on your right, going up, is Redwall. It's about 0.2 miles from the start of the Tapeats narrows to the mouth of Redwall Canyon, yet beware, your gps will not work well here.
     Up the second dry falls we climb and then hike out of the canyon to the top of the Tapeats. It's hot up here, so we return to White and explore up it a bit to the chockstone and massive, insurmountable falls at the end of the narrows. (The route around is in a tiny drainage to the right of the falls.) There's only a trickle of water in White, yet enough to cause issues along the way.
     Also along the way, we find a thief of time ruin - apparently pot hunted or adopted by those who wrecked the walls. We spy a few pot shards.
     We are back in camp in time for a bath, water treatment, dinner, and some gazing at glowing Redwall before dark collapses.
     I soak a bandana in cool Shinumo water and lay it across my chest to cool in the bug tent. I've stripped the fly off the TarpTent and it's now a bug tent. The last of the fullish moon climbs into the Cottonwoods and the burble of Shinumo sings a lullaby.

Movie of Shinumo Creek  Day 5 - 1.4mb
Movie of Shinumo Creek Day 5 - 1.4mb
(Click the image to see the short video - 9mb)

North Bass photos - Day 5

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wNB-2012-day5-1  goodbye moon.jpg (375572 bytes)

wNB-2012-day5-1 goodbye moon.jpg

wNB-2012-day5-2  unidentified fish in Shinumo.jpg (358212 bytes)

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wNB-2012-day5-3  sloshing Shinumo.jpg (278729 bytes)

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wNB-2012-day5-4  possible pueblo sites.jpg (651624 bytes)

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wNB-2012-day5-5  Shinumo rolls.jpg (412723 bytes)

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wNB-2012-day5-7  Steve admires.jpg (459512 bytes)

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wNB-2012-day5-8  Zig swims.jpg (334704 bytes)

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wNB-2012-day5-9  Dox Castle presides.jpg (231401 bytes)

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     Day 5: The Twin Towers. explore Shinumo Creek: gps miles of 2.7. ERM = 5. Camp #3 at Shinumo/White junction.
     I'm ensconced in the willows and horsetails and cattails Shinumo creekside while the dry roasting sun washes over the camp. A dip in the creek keeps the core temperature reasonable.
     The day starts with Zig going back up White to find his sandals, which hopped out of his pack during yesterday's junket. Steve and I loaf a bit in the morning coolness, then start wading, scrambling, and brushing and overlanding up Shinumo to just beyond the junction with Flint, where all exploration up canyon is blocked by twin towers of water falling on both sides of a huge chockstone. Lovely setting. Still deep in shade, we soak up Canyon ambiance. Soon, Zig appears, wearing his wayward sandals. We see several trout and a big minnow or chub in the cool Shinumo water. The route passes through what may be foundations built by ancients?
     The camp, splendid camp, roasting lasts but 2 hours and it's bath and dinner time, for the Tonto awaits tomorrow.

North Bass photos - Day 6

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wNB-2012-day6-1  up to the Tonto from Shinumo.jpg (397039 bytes)

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wNB-2012-day6-2  on the Tonto Bypass.jpg (500125 bytes)

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wNB-2012-day6-7  top view of chockstone in upper White.jpg (251167 bytes)

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wNB-2012-day6-8  reflection - BA bypass top.jpg (381726 bytes)

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wNB-2012-day6-9  froggy in slime.jpg (377960 bytes)

wNB-2012-day6-9 froggy in slime.jpg

     Day 6: Ledgemere. To top of Bright Angel bypass: gps miles of 5.7. ERM = 10.7. Camp at about 4000'.
     The Neapolitan walls shimmer, reflected in a cattail pool coursing through depressions in the Bright Angel Shale. Glorious. The pools slip into a gorge with falls.
     We start early, retracing steps to the bottom of the Tonto bypass, where we bid farewell to the lovely Shinumo Creek and start up what appears to be Dox SS. As we climb, the sun invades the Canyon. At the trail junction with White Creek, we walk down White to where the chockstone is lodged above the dry falls. Scenic. Then, the trudge up White to the top of Bright Angel bypass, where we decide to camp after a short hiking day.
     There's water and some sort-of level slickrock on which to camp. Luxurious languishing afternoon evolves into a cooler evening on the North Bass.
     Bats flit in the amphitheater, water faintly trickles, and an upcanyon breeze begins to cool, and the silhouette of rocks made by time grows less distinct.

     Day 7: Butchart Bash: to Butchart Natural Bridge, and home. gps miles of 6.3. Total gps mileage = 37.7. ERM = 16.7. Total estimated ERM = 75.8.
     Zig and I are fighting through the nearly impenetrable brush - on our way to access the sinkhole entrance to "the room" of Butchart Natural Bridge - an unofficial name to this lovely NB. Attributed to recent discovery by Harvey Butchart (in about 1967) and documented by Rich Rudrow a year or so ago, it's just "natural bridge" on the USGS quad, but surely was known to Bass and White. Some in the NPS also know about it.
     We're up early and on the route to the Redwall ascent, climbing to the Supai, by the time the sun finds us. Then, the ranging Supai Traverse.
     Nearing the North end of the traverse, I see vegetation growing across what appears to be a side canyon drainage. What? Across? I walk over for a closer look. Yow, there, below, in the slim slot of White Creek - is the natural bridge! Yippee.
     Zig and I scout (from the traverse side) and then thrash to the NB along the East side. Into the cavernous room we slide and scramble. Lovely. Fantastico!
     Back on the trail, yes, finally trail, we huff to the TH - noting the desiccated beefalo turds on the trail above Muav Saddle. It's time for the FS and NPS to host a BBQ for employees and get rid of these non-native, invasive, not true bison spring and forage destroyers.
     Steve has beat us to the top and departed for the vertigo and headache of Las Vegas - one of those cities, along with Phoenix and LA, that should not exist. Good trip Steve.
     As we dump a water bottle rinse over our heads, Zig notes that his expectations have been far exceeded and is good to depart for home. We were thinking about a day hike of the Powell Plateau tomorrow. Yet, we do not have a permit for the rim, so home we go, enjoying fresh memory flashes of North Bass Nirvana.

     The mnemonic goes like this (read down, use first letter of starting word as a reminder - from the rim, down):

    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.

Harvey Butchart Natural Bridge on the North Bass

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Butchart Natural Bridge

Muav Canyon, North Bass Trail, North Rim of the Grand Canyon, Arizona, USA

UTM coordinates: 12 S 378713 E 4019425 N; NAD 83/WGS84 datum

Sinkhole NB in Redwall Limestone. Top of NB opening is at approx. elevation of 5160'.

directions and photos by Rob Jones Wilderness Vagabond

named by Rich Rudrow for Harvey Butchart, a prolific Grand Canyon explorer. Butchart reportedly documented this NB in 1967.

Driving directions:

     Starting from Jacob Lake, Arizona, drive South on Arizona hwy 67 toward the North Rim of the Grand Canyon for approximately 26 miles. Take a right turn (West) onto Forest Service road (FR) 22, just past DeMotte Campground and the Kaibab Lodge. After a mile, turn hard left onto FR 270. Drive FR 270 for 2.2 miles, then turn right (West) and follow FR 223 for approximately 5.8 miles to FR 268. Drive approximately 0.25 miles to FR 268B (goes left at fork), then approximately 0.7 miles to the Park Boundary. Drive the rough Swamp Ridge Road 8.0 miles to Swamp Point and the TH for the North Bass Trail.
     Note that these roads are not all well-marked or maintained. The Swamp Ridge Road is especially slow-going and prone to closure by snow and falling trees. This route to the TH climbs to over 9000'- keep this in mind. You will need an NPS permit to camp in the park, which you entered at the start of the Swamp Ridge Road.

Hiking directions:

     This hike loses (and gains coming out) 2300' in elevation. It is about 2.7 miles to the NB, one way. It is partially on trail and partially in brush, sometimes nearly impenetrable brush. Wear long pants and take care. The last 600' to the sinkhole presumed to form the NB is in very thick brush. The route down into the "room" at drainage level is dangerous because of lose rocks and steep angles.
     Starting at 7500' at Swamp Point, the North Bass TH, hike the trail down through the Kaibab, Toroweap, and Coconino layers to Muav Saddle over 0.8 miles. Take the right fork of the three-way junction at the saddle to see Teddy's Cabin (named after Teddy Roosevelt). Our NB is to the left at the junction. (The center trail climbs to the Powell Plateau.) The trail continues into Muav Canyon, through the Supai layer, here in the streambed (brushy, no longer a trail). After about 2.6 miles, the route reaches the top of the Redwall Limestone (actually a native grey color when not stained by oxides from the Supai Formation) and a series of increasing ghastly dry falls. You are near BM 5175 marked on the King Arthur Castle USGS quad; this is marked 5181 on the actual BM monument.
     From the top of the dry falls in the Redwall, the Supai Traverse (trail) goes right (West). (It is suggested that you hike the Supai Traverse for about 600' to get a view of where the NB might be in the narrow yet deep canyon, and determine a possible route through the brush on the other side of the canyon. The axis of the NB is parallel to the main creekbed. Return to where the traverse climbs out of the creekbed.) The NB route goes left, East side of canyon, scrambling along a boulder then entering thicker and thicker brush as one works toward the side drainage and then to the sinkhole beyond it. Stay back from the canyon edge and take your time. This 600 feet is slow going.
     At the sinkhole, you have arrived at Butchart Natural Bridge. Enjoy the view. Travel into the canyon bottom is possible yet not recommended.
     Bob' Arches explains the canyoneering route into the room below Butchart NB.
Bob's review of Butchart NB (click here)

click here to -- Link to the Arizona Daily Sun article about Harvey Butchart Natural Bridge... or click on the below image for the pdf.

Arizona Daily Sun Wrangling Whitney (pdf)
Arizona Daily Sun (newspaper) A Bridge Not Too Far (pdf)
(Click the image for the full article; pdf)

Links:

Book by W.W. Bass: Adventures in the Canyons of the Colorado (1920)

NPS North Bass Trail description - pdf

Bob Ribokas' North Bass Trail description - excellent info

Maps:

Map - GC: North Bass; 2012; 38 miles
Map - GC: North Bass; 2012; 38 miles
(Click the image to see the map)

for a full-resolution map, click here. Caution - do not use this map or gps track for navigating the route.

Map - GC: North Bass to Harvey Butchart Natural Bridge
Map - GC: North Bass to Harvey Butchart Natural Bridge
(Click the image to see the map)

Panos:

Click here to: see a pano from Tonto bypass, Day 6 - scroll L-R to view it all (4555 x 1200 pixels, 1.7mb)

Movies:

Click here to: see a Movie of the obstacle falls in Shinumo - 2mb.

Click here to: see a Movie of Shinumo Cr - 1.4mb.

Books:

Eaarth : making a life on a tough new planet, McKibben, Bill, Time Books, 2010.

Maybe one : an environmental and personal argument for single-child families, McKibben, Bill, Simon & Schuster, 1998.

The end of nature, McKibben, Bill, Random House, 1989.

A River Runner's Guide to the History of the GRAND CANYON, Crumbo, Kim, JOHNSON BOOKS 1880 South 57th Court, Boulder, Colorado, 80301 1994.

Other WV reports about the Grand Canyon:

Click here or on the Looking Lizard to go to all WV reports about The Grand Canyon

All Wilderness Vagabond trip reports about the Grand Canyon
Looking for All Wilderness Vagabond trip reports about the Grand Canyon?
Click the image to go to All WV reports about The Grand Canyon

Related Links:

Ben's Scenic USA - Picture of the Day.

And - John Muir Trail – Hiking the Jaunty Juggernaut.

And - Click here to see The Archman's site on Utah and area arches.

Ben's Scenic USA - Picture of the Day.

Scenic Toilets of Inner Earth

the geology of the Grand Canyon by the NPS

the geology of the Grand Canyon by Bob Ribokas

More Truth Than Joke:

vote republican
vote republican
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personhood or freedom?
personhood or freedom?
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RNC - crazy never sleeps
RNC - crazy never sleeps
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repulsicans unite
repulsicans unite
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better off now?
better off now?
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little benefit to fracking
little benefit to fracking
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