KACTUS Monday KICKERS APS Hiking Club October 15-22, 2005 Thunder River / Deer Creek Backpack

Approximately 373 Miles and 10 Hours from Central Phoenix

Type: BP CC Max Rating/Points: See Desc Elev. Change: 5,250' Length: ~ 43 miles

Start Time: 7:00 AM Duration: See Desc. Max No. of Part: 11 Last Scouted: 1991 Check all that apply Contact Information (give details in Desc.) Coordinator Alternate Major Hike: Name Fred Pfeifer Cross-country: Work Ph 602-250-2024 Mobile: 602-920-3542 Exploratory: Station 8860 Individual Effort: Home Ph 602-978-1854 Options : Email [email protected] Home: [email protected] Pass/Fees Rqd:

Required Equipment: Waterproof tent or tarp, rain gear, water filter or purification equipment, stove and fuel (no fires allowed except for stoves or sterno per NPS regulations. Car camp equipment, food and extra water for trailhead.

Recommended Equipment: Lightweight backpacking equipment, clothing and food with three 1.5 liter water containers for caching on the Esplanade and Surprise Valley. Water sandals or shoes and day pack or fanny pack are very handy for the day hikes. Backpacking boots, socks, trekking poles, sunglasses, hat, sunscreen, bandanna, camera.

Cautions and Special Preparations: The trails are rugged. Care must be taken in the steep, loose, slippery and rocky sections of the trail to avoid a fall, sprained ankle, etc. Prior Grand Canyon backpack experience recommended.

Description:

You must be on the permit list to attend this backpack. All permit spots are currently assigned. Please contact the coordinator if you would like to be added to the Permit Waiting List.

We will be driving to the Bill Hall Trailhead on either Saturday or Sunday, October 15th or 16th. If arriving on the 15th, plan to carry your water and food to the Bill Hall / Thunder River trail junction on Sunday, October 16th. The more water and food that can be cached near this junction means the less that we have to carry with our full backpacks down the steep Bill Hall Trail on Monday, October 17th. There is a 15’ section that you may wish to rope your pack.

10/15/05 Saturday: Drive to Bill Hall Trailhead (dry camp) if you will be carrying your water and trail snacks to the Bill Hall / Thunder River trail junction on Sunday, October 16th. Bring food, shelter, warmer clothes and sleeping bag for car camping on the North Rim.

10/16/05 Sunday: 1 point. Day hike carrying water and trail snacks for 2.5 miles to the Bill Hall / Thunder River trail junction, cache the water and food near the junction, then return to the Bill Hall Trailhead. Approximately 5 miles round trip.

Option B: 10/16/05 Sunday: Drive to Bill Hall Trailhead (dry camp). Plan to carry all of your cache water (suggest 2 x 1.5 liters) and trail snacks on Monday, October 17th. Bring food, shelter, warmer clothes and sleeping bag for car camping on the North Rim.

10/17/05 Monday: 2 points. Backpack 11 miles from Bill Hall Trailhead to the Upper Tapeats campsite. Cache water and trail snacks for the return trip on the Esplanade near the Bill Hall / Thunder River trail junction and at the top of the Redwall break. Suggest 1.5 liters of water per person at each cache point. 10/18/05 Tuesday: 1 point. Stay at the Upper Tapeats campsite. Day hike 6 miles round trip to the Colorado River and back.

10/19/05 Wednesday: 1 point. Backpack 5 miles from the Upper Tapeats campsite across Surprise Valley to the Deer Creek campsite. Cache water (suggest 1.5 liters) and trail snacks at the southwest corner of the Surprise Valley trail junction. Day hike 3 miles round trip to Colorado River and back.

10/20/05 Thursday: 1 point (if hiking). Stay at the Deer Creek campsite. Optionally day hike 3 miles round trip to Colorado River and back and/or exploratory hike in the Deer Creek drainage for approximately 3 miles round trip.

10/21/05 Friday: 2 points. Backpack 9.5 miles from Deer Creek campsite to Bill Hall trailhead and either dry camp or drive (part way) home. If intending to drive (part way) home, there should be at least 2 drivers per vehicle so that one can sleep while the other drives.

10/22/05 Saturday: Pack up car camp and drive home.

Thunder River Trail: http://www.kaibab.org/bc/gc_tr_tr.htm Bill Hall Trail: http://www.kaibab.org/bc/gc_tr_bh.htm

Driving Directions: Drive to Flagstaff (via I-17), then east on I-40 toward Winslow to the Country Club exit, then north on US 89 toward Page. Follow US 89 to the US 89 / Alt 89 intersection near Bitter Springs, turn left (north) on Alt 89 toward Marble Canyon. Continue past Marble Canyon on Alt 89 to Jacob Lake. At Jacob Lake go left (south) on highway 67 to the Kaibab Lodge in Demotte Park. Continue south on highway 67 for about a mile then turn right (west) onto Forest Road 22. Travel 17.6 miles northwest until FR 22 intersects with FR 425. Turn left (west) on FR 425 and travel 8.8 miles until you get to a 3-way split on the road. Go straight ahead on FR 292A for 4.6 miles. The Forest Roads are dirt and are in good condition during dry periods, but narrows the last 4.6 miles on FR 292A.