Ellen S - Arizona Trail Journal - 2020

Final N Kaibab Hike, for now

With the N Rim of the Grand Canyon closed to even day use, this has to be the last hike we can do in the area.
We start at East Rim Viewpoint with mosquitoes buzzing us. The sky is hazy from the thunderstorm last evening. After a brief time with views, we enter the mixed forest and pass the N Canyon trail junction.
The trail opens onto meadows, like yesterday. We pass by Crystal Spring, which is actually flowing (never seen that!). Another wildlife water collector a bit further also has water, as does Sour Dough Tank (although it is the worst of the 3). The day is pleasantly cool, and the meadows are still green. In places, the aspens are just starting to leaf-out.
As we pass by a TH along a Forest Road, we see at huge water bucket for use by crews fighting fires. I stop for a nature call nearby, and find an old cell phone in the woods. Shortly after the road, we pass thru the NPS boundary.
We are hopeful that the Rangers will ignore our brief bit of hiking on the AZT here. The trail climbs to a road to a fire tower, one that Edward Abby worked at some point. It is a short detour off the trail to the tower and what remains of the cabin the lookout used. A date from the 1930s is set in concrete at the base of the tower. Since there is no warning not to, I climb as high as I can for the view. Even in the haze, I can see to Mt Humphreys to the south, and the cliffs of Kanab and the Grand Staircase to the north. What a great job this must have been!
Back to the earth, we stroll down the road to the entrance Ranger Station. No one to be seen. We head down the road to the gate as a truck pulls up. He opens the gate with his key, we hold it open for him and help close it. The head to our vehicle, for lunch and home.

Entry 35 of 35
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