Hermit to Bright Angel

Natural History Backpack March 15-20, 2020

with Sherri O’Neil & Helen Ranney

CLASS INFORMATION AND SYLLABUS  Floral and faunal adaptations to Grand Canyon’s desert environment. Participants will actively share in the exploration of  The natural history of bats/raptors/condors. the remarkable ‘Tonto Platform’ in the Grand  The importance of seeps and springs at Canyon during a backpack from the rim down the Grand Canyon. Hermit Trail, over to Monument Creek onwards to  Symbiotic relationships between plants and Indian Garden via the Tonto Trail and, finally, up animals. the Bright Angel Trail. There will be day hikes to the Colorado River in Hermit Canyon and Monument  The effects of Glen Canyon Dam on Grand Canyon. Canyon, and how we are working to mitigate these effects. This class is designed as an in-depth look at Grand  The background, consequences, and future Canyon ecology, biology and geology, and the of exotic and invasive species within Grand connection between them. The route followed by Canyon. the class travels through some of the most  Sedimentary rocks: how they form and how geologically and biologically significant areas of the this is reflected in texture, color and canyon, and affords views and access to spots that composition are exceptional illustrations of various principles and  Fossils and ancient environments processes. We will have an opportunity to explore  Introduction to metamorphic and igneous life zones from the rim to the river and creeks, rocks: how they form and what this tells us including biologically important seeps and springs. about the region Geologically, we’ll see everything from the very  Geologic time—deep time, lost time and ancient inner canyon basement rocks to the very unconformities modern sands and silts deposited by the Colorado  Grand Canyon through time: the River and her tributaries. This route also contains environment and geography from the views of some layers of rock that are only visible in a Precambrian to the Late Paleozoic and very few places in the canyon; without these layers, beyond. the geologic story of Grand Canyon cannot truly be  Faults and folds: movement within the completely understood. Throughout the trip, we will earth discuss the interplay between geology and biology in Grand Canyon.  Modern erosional processes: mass wasting, flash floods and debris flows - widening and The route is an excellent one in that it naturally takes deepening the canyon, formation of rapids us on a progression from basic principles to more  The Colorado River: modern processes and complex ones during the course of the class, all the environmental battles while taking us to some incredibly beautiful places!  Scouting and running rapids  Grand Canyon Geomorphology—shapes Biologic, ecologic and geologic concepts and forms on the landscape discussed throughout the class include:  Grand Canyon Supergroup—the missing  The Life Zone concept and associated biotic years communities within the Grand Canyon.  Formation of the canyon—ideas and  Introduction to many of the plants and controversies animals within each community and description of their key features and natural histories. DAY 1 DAY 4

We meet at 10:00 a.m. at the historic Community We will relocate our camp eastwards along the Tonto Building on the South Rim. Here we will discuss Trail to Monument Creek. The trail from Hermit logistics and gear, and introduce the class and Camp to Monument Creek is about 4.5 miles. ourselves. Time permitting; we’ll head out for a short There is some elevation loss and gain, but not much rim hike in the afternoon. Please bring all equipment until the descent into Monument Creek. It is a good with you so we can double check our packs. trail with some spectacular views. For those who are interested, we’ll day hike down Monument Creek to DAY 2 the Colorado River. The path again slices through the last of the canyon's Paleozoic sedimentary layers We meet again at the Community Building – early, at and into the lowest and oldest metamorphic and a time determined on the previous day. Gear that crystalline basement rocks. We will begin our you wish to leave behind can be stowed safely at the discussion concerning Colorado River ecology and Community Building. We will then be shuttled to the management issues. The sandy vantage point of the trailhead. The hike on the Hermit Trail to beach at the mouth of Monument Creek is a Hermit Creek Camp is about 7.5 miles on a wonderful classroom location allowing us to discuss rugged, non-maintained trail. The elevation hydrology, geology, and management issues, change from South Rim to Hermit Camp is including a chance to visit an important experimental approximately 3,500 feet. We will hike slowly, vegetation restoration site. If we are lucky we might stopping occasionally to discuss the rock layers and witness rafts running the wild whitewater of Granite ecological zones through which we are passing. We Rapids- an added bonus! descend the Hermit Trail via stops at Hermit Basin and Santa Maria Springs, before continuing the DAY 5 remaining distance to our camp nestled in the Tapeats Sandstone ledges of Hermit Creek. We will Today we leave early and make our way east to focus on the top four or five strata of Paleozoic Indian Garden. Total distance is about 10.5 miles rocks, which range in age from about 270 million to over relatively flat terrain. Along the way we gain a 350 million years old. You will learn how to identify perspective on Grand Canyon that can only be and interpret sedimentary strata based on the achieved from the Tonto Platform. We will see rock structures and fossils found within the rocks. There layers that are visible only at certain places in the are two excellent fossil locations on this trail; we will canyon because they have been eroded elsewhere. stop at each to discuss the fossils and what they tell We will discuss these layers, how they fit into Grand us about palaeoecology and palaeogeography. We Canyon's history, and events that led to their erosion. will be descending rapidly through Grand Canyon’s We will also get some excellent views of the buttes, varied ‘life zones’ and will pay particular attention to temples, and monuments that make Grand Canyon how they might vary locally and well as regionally. so visually interesting.

Note: Camps along the route have composting Indian Garden has a well-developed campground toilets and flowing creeks (Indian Garden has with composting toilets, picnic tables, and potable additional comforts such as potable tap water, water. We will set up camp at the group site. After shade and picnic tables). Creek water needs to we set up camp and rest, we will discuss varied be purified/treated prior to consumption. Be opinions as to the formation of Grand Canyon, and prepared along the whole of this route to recap our time along the route. safeguard your food against rodents and other critters. A ‘Ratsack’ is an excellent way of doing If we still have the daylight and energy remaining, we this. A Ratsack is considered essential gear for may walk 1.5 miles (one way) over flat terrain out to Grand Canyon backcountry hikes. Should you Plateau Point for the sunset. This point hangs not yet have one; we can loan one to you. precariously over the inner gorge, providing a truly DAY 3 breathtaking view of the schist chasm and Colorado River: a great place to hang out and watch colors Today’s layover day allows for exploration of Hermit morph from reds and browns to gold, salmon, Creek. We’ll have time to hike down Hermit Creek purple, pink, blue, and violet... to the Colorado River and Hermit Rapids as well as visit the remains of Hermit Camp and, time DAY 6 permitting, head up Hermit Creek to explore this remarkable oasis in the desert. Today we hike out of the canyon on the Bright Angel Trail. The trail out to South Rim climbs about 3200 feet in 4.5 miles. It is a well-traveled Helen lives in Flagstaff with her husband Wayne path with rest stops every 1.5 miles. Water is Ranney, geologist, trail guide and author of "Carving available on the trail between Indian Garden and the Grand Canyon". rim. The trail should be shaded much of the way and so should offer pleasant hiking. Everyone hikes RECOMMENDED READING at his/her own pace and meets at the Community Building (no prize for first place). There we will Anderson, Michael. Living at the Edge: Explorers, wrap up the class and say our fond farewells. We Exploiters, and Settlers of the Grand Canyon should be out of the canyon by lunchtime or a bit Region. later and wrapped up by early afternoon. Anderson, Michael F. Polishing the Jewel: An ABOUT THE INSTRUCTORS Administrative History of Grand Canyon National Park. Sherri O’Neil grew up in Connecticut backpacking the Appalachian trail, but when she began Carothers, Steven and Bryan Brown. The Colorado backpacking in the Grand Canyon in the early 90's, River through the Grand Canyon: Natural History she knew she wanted to live and work there. She and Human Change. lived at Grand Canyon for nearly a decade and in that time worked for the National Park Service as an Coder, Christopher. An Introduction to Grand Interpretive Ranger and also as a Backcountry Canyon Prehistory. Ranger; both positions allowing her to pursue her passion for the Canyon and its trails. In her time at Hampton, Bruce and David Cole. Soft Paths: How the Grand Canyon Sherri has hiked 1000's of miles to Enjoy the Wilderness Without Harming It. and led ranger programs and tours on Archaeology, Ethnobotany, and Geology. Sherri's additional Houk, Rose. Introduction to Grand Canyon canyon experience includes rafting the Colorado Ecology. River during science research projects, and studying Anthropology and Archeology at Northern Arizona Price, Greer. An Introduction to Grand Canyon University. Besides leading Canyon trips Sherri is a Geology. silversmith and a certified yoga teacher Ranney, Wayne. Carving Grand Canyon. Helen Ranney first saw the Grand Canyon on a cross country road trip with her family. As the Sadler, Christa. Life in Stone: Fossils of the Colorado daughter of an U.S Army officer, she traveled the Plateau world living in places such as Hawaii and Europe. During her professional career she worked for Whitney, Stephen. A Field Guide to the Grand Arizona Highways magazine, which gave her the Canyon. unique opportunity to learn about the Grand Canyon from numerous photographers and writers. Most of these books and other interpretive aids can be purchased at Grand Canyon Conservancy After several years of driving between Phoenix and bookstores on the north and south rims, online at the Canyon just to complete a day hike, she took a www.grandcanyon.org, or by calling 800-858-2808. big leap accepting a job with the Grand Canyon GCC members receive a 15% discount. Association as Director of Marketing and Outreach and later as the Associate Director of Philanthropy. Living and working at Grand Canyon National Park allowed her the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding about the Canyon’s human and natural history. Helen has trekked internationally completing a 15-day trek to the Everest Base Camp in Nepal, and summiting Mt. Kilimanjaro in Africa at an elevation of 19,341 feet. In 2016, Helen completed a 21-day, 240+ mile backpack on the John Muir Trail.