Thunder River
My first trip backpack trip in Grand Canyon was a last minute deal for me. Chris and his friend Ron had permits to do a 4 night trip but I didn’t think I could get away for that long from Andrea. But I figured I’d go out and camp one night with them at the starting point at Monument Point and maybe do a day hike part of the way down. While camping that night they talked me into going at least for 1 of their 4 nights, and although I didn’t bring my backpack tent Chris said I could squeeze into his tent. So I figured what the heck, I’ll go along.
Before I met them that late afternoon, I did take about a mile hike down from the trailhead to scout the trail, and it was definitely a rugged one mile. On the way up, I did walk along part of the way with a nice, attractive young lady who had completed a backpack trip down into the Canyon by herself. She was actually a writer for the Outdoor books, Lonely Planet. She had some good info that she shared, not only about the Grand Canyon, but also of some of her other adventures.
The next morning we began my first of what will become many backpack trips into the Grand Canyon. The first few hundred yards was innocent enough, along the rim at Monument Point. But then you began a very steep, rocky descent. With a backpack on you really had to watch each step, making sure you didn’t step on a loose rock or too slippery a foothold. The views were immense, looking south towards the wide canyon, different layers and colors of rocks and cliffs below blue, brilliant skies. There were 3 cliffs you had to go down in order to get to our destination, each at least 1500 feet in height, and there were switchbacks carved in these cliffs that allowed you to get down them. The first one was probably the steepest, it involved one spot where you had to get on your butt and slide down, perhaps also belaying your backpack below to someone below.
Once down from this top cliff, you came upon a trail junction – to the right it took you back to a trailhead on top of the rim called Indian Hollow Campground; to the left was towards Thunder River, the direction we were going. At this point, the trail leveled off for about 2-3 miles. This was on the Esplanade level, one of my favorite parts of this hike, as well as any other hike that had the Esplanade in the Colorado Plateau. It contained mostly slickrock, with beautiful colors and hue of orange and red. Nice little washes that when they contained water, would be beautiful running streams as well as magnificent waterfalls. There would be no rain today or any of the days on this hike, so these washes were bone dry. The trail had to take you far around on the ledge of this slickrock – you couldn’t go straight for the rim of the 2nd cliff because it would take you far down and the far back up to the same ledge on the further side. Finally it took you to the rim of the second huge dropoff, overlooking Surprise Valley.
Again, switchbacks took you down, down, down - this time to Surprise Valley. This was nothing like the Esplanade level above. It was desert, scrub, sand, rocks. No shade anywhere. When you finally leveled off from the long climb down to the valley, you came upon a junction in the trail. To the right would take you to Deer Creek (more on that in 2nd Thunder River backpack trip). We went to the left, towards Thunder River and Tapeats Creek. This was about a mile of relatively easy hiking. We were getting quite hot by this time, due to no shade and rising temps in the deeper and lower parts of the Canyon. We started at 7200 feet elevation way up on top and were at about 4500 feet here. We ate lunch under what little shade the vegetation provided us, which wasn’t much. But we also knew that not much further away was an oasis awaiting us – Thunder River. After getting to the rim on top of Surprise Valley, we could see and hear Thunder River, about 2 more miles and 600 feet or so down below.
We decided to throw our packs down on the edge of Surprise Valley looking down to Thunder River and Tapeats Canyon. We found a good spot away from the rim and off the trail a ways. But instead of resting here and pitching camp, we were way too hot and thirsty to waylay any time here. So we took the last big cliff down towards paradise, Thunder River. It’s about another 1500 feet drop from here down to the confluence of Tapeats Creek and Thunder River. But we had our sights and ears set only to the spot in the trail’s descent that first hit the upper part of Thunder River.
Thunder River is one of the most unique spots in the entire Grand Canyon’s vast wilderness. It originates up high along the high cliffs just off from the Surprise Valley. Vast amounts of water come gushing out of the cliff; a huge waterfall that you can actually see from 10 miles away from Timp Point high above on the North Kaibab Plateau. And for the 1st 400 yards from it’s source, the surrounding banks on both sides are lush, green vegetation, a number of shady cottonwoods. And the water is as clean as water can be, and the perfect cool temperature. After 5 or 6 hours hiking in the canyon, totally exposed to the high, hot sun - no shade or water , when you get to the Thunder River crashing down the rocks, you arrive at the perfect example of an oasis in the desert. They say that this is the shortest river in America at ¾ of a mile. It is also one of the only rivers that actually flows into a creek. It’s always a creek flowing into a river, but not in this case. But who cares about whether it’s a river or a creek or how long it is at this time. We took a nice dip into the river; and drank to our heart’s content. And rested in the shade.
Chris and Ron were in no hurry to go any further for awhile, and since I was going to not go any further the next day, while they continued down the trail to camp the next 2 nights, I went on ahead for a quick 4 mile hike without my backpack. Refreshed from the cool river, I was able to hike down the remaining 800 feet drop-off down to where Thunder River met the Tapeats Creek. I then went down the creek a ways, to the Tapeats campground where Ron and Chris would camp the next 2 nights. And I went a little further down the creek. Tapeats creek is such a wonderful flowing creek, nice little falls and cascades all along the way. From the campground to the Colorado River was about 2-3 more miles so I didn’t make it all the way to the river. But I got a good taste of Tapeats Creek and then went back to do the deceptive climb up back to Thunder River Falls where Chris and Ron were relaxing under the Cottonwoods. We then climbed the rest of the way, up endless switchbacks up to the top where we came back to Surprise Valley and within 100 feet to our packs. This was where we set up camp.
I crammed into Chris’s small little backpack tent, said goodnight and goodbye, since the next day we’d go different directions. They’d spend 3 more nights down there, and I would take off back to my car the next morning. I woke up at least an hour before the sunrise, and in the dark left them fast asleep. For the 1 ½ mile through Surprise Valley it was still dark, but the trail was easy to follow, I didn’t really even need to use my flashlight. And by the time I made it to the next 1500 foot climb up the cliff, it was that vague light of early morning that you’d see where the sun had not quite made it over the eastern horizon, but the earth was still aglow with the anticipation of the new day. This didn’t mean the climb up was easy, but it sure made it more bearable as compared if I would have left 2 or 3 hours later with the sun hitting me as I climbed. Even the early morning sun out in the Grand Canyon, especially when you’re climbing straight up, can take it’s toll on you. But there would be no sun as I climbed up to the Esplanade level awaiting me up there.
It was a nice break from climbing once I got to the level Esplanade section of the hike. And as I approached the part of the hike where I’d start the last climb, the sun was starting to pop up. But luckily as I climbed up this last 1500 feet , I was mostly in the shade due to the big mesa just to the east of me. By this time, legs start becoming weak; your lungs are screaming for oxygen. It seems endless the last section of switchbacks. Thank goodness I was doing this in the early morning and in the shade, because I can’t imagine doing it in the middle of the afternoon. But finally you make to the rim and back to Monument Point; and the car.
I got in my Jeep and traveled about a mile or two to a lunch break on top of Crazy Jug Point. This point gave you a Hawks Nest view of where I was the last 2 days; Surprise Valley barely visible because of being blocked by the Esplanade and it’s red rocks; Tapeats Ampitheatre and it’s canyon. And somewhere down there way below was the Colorado River.
Chris and Ron came out 3 days later and on their way up the last climb they came upon a German female hiker, alone. She was disoriented and dehydrated and lost. They assisted her, gave her some water. But she insisted that she would be fine and went her way, hopefully to where she was intending. But it’s easy to see how someone could get into such a state with their body and their mind. This is wild and rugged country. No water (except when you get to Thunder River), grueling terrain, unforgiving. But it’s a chance to see the heart of the Grand Canyon with very few other humans and a feeling of being able to be a small speck in the huge canyon.
My first trip backpack trip in Grand Canyon was a last minute deal for me. Chris and his friend Ron had permits to do a 4 night trip but I didn’t think I could get away for that long from Andrea. But I figured I’d go out and camp one night with them at the starting point at Monument Point and maybe do a day hike part of the way down. While camping that night they talked me into going at least for 1 of their 4 nights, and although I didn’t bring my backpack tent Chris said I could squeeze into his tent. So I figured what the heck, I’ll go along.
Before I met them that late afternoon, I did take about a mile hike down from the trailhead to scout the trail, and it was definitely a rugged one mile. On the way up, I did walk along part of the way with a nice, attractive young lady who had completed a backpack trip down into the Canyon by herself. She was actually a writer for the Outdoor books, Lonely Planet. She had some good info that she shared, not only about the Grand Canyon, but also of some of her other adventures.
The next morning we began my first of what will become many backpack trips into the Grand Canyon. The first few hundred yards was innocent enough, along the rim at Monument Point. But then you began a very steep, rocky descent. With a backpack on you really had to watch each step, making sure you didn’t step on a loose rock or too slippery a foothold. The views were immense, looking south towards the wide canyon, different layers and colors of rocks and cliffs below blue, brilliant skies. There were 3 cliffs you had to go down in order to get to our destination, each at least 1500 feet in height, and there were switchbacks carved in these cliffs that allowed you to get down them. The first one was probably the steepest, it involved one spot where you had to get on your butt and slide down, perhaps also belaying your backpack below to someone below.
Once down from this top cliff, you came upon a trail junction – to the right it took you back to a trailhead on top of the rim called Indian Hollow Campground; to the left was towards Thunder River, the direction we were going. At this point, the trail leveled off for about 2-3 miles. This was on the Esplanade level, one of my favorite parts of this hike, as well as any other hike that had the Esplanade in the Colorado Plateau. It contained mostly slickrock, with beautiful colors and hue of orange and red. Nice little washes that when they contained water, would be beautiful running streams as well as magnificent waterfalls. There would be no rain today or any of the days on this hike, so these washes were bone dry. The trail had to take you far around on the ledge of this slickrock – you couldn’t go straight for the rim of the 2nd cliff because it would take you far down and the far back up to the same ledge on the further side. Finally it took you to the rim of the second huge dropoff, overlooking Surprise Valley.
Again, switchbacks took you down, down, down - this time to Surprise Valley. This was nothing like the Esplanade level above. It was desert, scrub, sand, rocks. No shade anywhere. When you finally leveled off from the long climb down to the valley, you came upon a junction in the trail. To the right would take you to Deer Creek (more on that in 2nd Thunder River backpack trip). We went to the left, towards Thunder River and Tapeats Creek. This was about a mile of relatively easy hiking. We were getting quite hot by this time, due to no shade and rising temps in the deeper and lower parts of the Canyon. We started at 7200 feet elevation way up on top and were at about 4500 feet here. We ate lunch under what little shade the vegetation provided us, which wasn’t much. But we also knew that not much further away was an oasis awaiting us – Thunder River. After getting to the rim on top of Surprise Valley, we could see and hear Thunder River, about 2 more miles and 600 feet or so down below.
We decided to throw our packs down on the edge of Surprise Valley looking down to Thunder River and Tapeats Canyon. We found a good spot away from the rim and off the trail a ways. But instead of resting here and pitching camp, we were way too hot and thirsty to waylay any time here. So we took the last big cliff down towards paradise, Thunder River. It’s about another 1500 feet drop from here down to the confluence of Tapeats Creek and Thunder River. But we had our sights and ears set only to the spot in the trail’s descent that first hit the upper part of Thunder River.
Thunder River is one of the most unique spots in the entire Grand Canyon’s vast wilderness. It originates up high along the high cliffs just off from the Surprise Valley. Vast amounts of water come gushing out of the cliff; a huge waterfall that you can actually see from 10 miles away from Timp Point high above on the North Kaibab Plateau. And for the 1st 400 yards from it’s source, the surrounding banks on both sides are lush, green vegetation, a number of shady cottonwoods. And the water is as clean as water can be, and the perfect cool temperature. After 5 or 6 hours hiking in the canyon, totally exposed to the high, hot sun - no shade or water , when you get to the Thunder River crashing down the rocks, you arrive at the perfect example of an oasis in the desert. They say that this is the shortest river in America at ¾ of a mile. It is also one of the only rivers that actually flows into a creek. It’s always a creek flowing into a river, but not in this case. But who cares about whether it’s a river or a creek or how long it is at this time. We took a nice dip into the river; and drank to our heart’s content. And rested in the shade.
Chris and Ron were in no hurry to go any further for awhile, and since I was going to not go any further the next day, while they continued down the trail to camp the next 2 nights, I went on ahead for a quick 4 mile hike without my backpack. Refreshed from the cool river, I was able to hike down the remaining 800 feet drop-off down to where Thunder River met the Tapeats Creek. I then went down the creek a ways, to the Tapeats campground where Ron and Chris would camp the next 2 nights. And I went a little further down the creek. Tapeats creek is such a wonderful flowing creek, nice little falls and cascades all along the way. From the campground to the Colorado River was about 2-3 more miles so I didn’t make it all the way to the river. But I got a good taste of Tapeats Creek and then went back to do the deceptive climb up back to Thunder River Falls where Chris and Ron were relaxing under the Cottonwoods. We then climbed the rest of the way, up endless switchbacks up to the top where we came back to Surprise Valley and within 100 feet to our packs. This was where we set up camp.
I crammed into Chris’s small little backpack tent, said goodnight and goodbye, since the next day we’d go different directions. They’d spend 3 more nights down there, and I would take off back to my car the next morning. I woke up at least an hour before the sunrise, and in the dark left them fast asleep. For the 1 ½ mile through Surprise Valley it was still dark, but the trail was easy to follow, I didn’t really even need to use my flashlight. And by the time I made it to the next 1500 foot climb up the cliff, it was that vague light of early morning that you’d see where the sun had not quite made it over the eastern horizon, but the earth was still aglow with the anticipation of the new day. This didn’t mean the climb up was easy, but it sure made it more bearable as compared if I would have left 2 or 3 hours later with the sun hitting me as I climbed. Even the early morning sun out in the Grand Canyon, especially when you’re climbing straight up, can take it’s toll on you. But there would be no sun as I climbed up to the Esplanade level awaiting me up there.
It was a nice break from climbing once I got to the level Esplanade section of the hike. And as I approached the part of the hike where I’d start the last climb, the sun was starting to pop up. But luckily as I climbed up this last 1500 feet , I was mostly in the shade due to the big mesa just to the east of me. By this time, legs start becoming weak; your lungs are screaming for oxygen. It seems endless the last section of switchbacks. Thank goodness I was doing this in the early morning and in the shade, because I can’t imagine doing it in the middle of the afternoon. But finally you make to the rim and back to Monument Point; and the car.
I got in my Jeep and traveled about a mile or two to a lunch break on top of Crazy Jug Point. This point gave you a Hawks Nest view of where I was the last 2 days; Surprise Valley barely visible because of being blocked by the Esplanade and it’s red rocks; Tapeats Ampitheatre and it’s canyon. And somewhere down there way below was the Colorado River.
Chris and Ron came out 3 days later and on their way up the last climb they came upon a German female hiker, alone. She was disoriented and dehydrated and lost. They assisted her, gave her some water. But she insisted that she would be fine and went her way, hopefully to where she was intending. But it’s easy to see how someone could get into such a state with their body and their mind. This is wild and rugged country. No water (except when you get to Thunder River), grueling terrain, unforgiving. But it’s a chance to see the heart of the Grand Canyon with very few other humans and a feeling of being able to be a small speck in the huge canyon.
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