Grand Canyon Adventure: Backpack & Day Hike Stories and Photos
The Thunder River-Deer Creek Hike


October 6-11, 2010


The Bill Hall Memorail at Monument Point Looking east across the Esplanade from Monument Point
Looking west across the Esplanade toward Fishtail Mesa A water pocket on the Esplanade that has collected rainwater from recent storms
This man-made stone wall offers shelter to weary hikers in need of quiet respite Ducks mark a pouroff on the rain-soaked Esplanade
A large cairn marks the divergence of the Thunder River trail (left) and the Deer Creek trail Bonita Creek drainage in Surprise Valley
Thunder River erupts into Grand Canyon The falls at Thunder River
The riparian arear bordering Thunder River with the trail seen in the foreground Thunder River in Grand Canyon
My campsite at upper Tapeats Tapeats Creek
Tapeats Creek flows toward the Colorado with Great Thumb Mesa visible in the distance Tapeats Creek
Looking upstream along the Colorado from the Tapeats Creek trail Tapeats Creek crossing
The mini Niagara of Tapeats Creek Looking upstream through the Tapeats Creek narrows
Approaching the mouth of Tapeats Creek above the narrows The descent route from the west side trail to the mouth of Tapeats Creek
Looking downstream through the Granite Narrows of the Colorado River Looking upstream along the Colorado from the Stone Creek trail
Approaching Hundred and Thirtythree Mile Creek along the Stone Creek trail Entering Hundred and Thirtythree Mile
The Stone Creek trail passes through Hundred and Thirtythree Mile's creek bed Looking upstream along the Colorado
A view towards the Tapeats Terrace from Stone Creek trail Looking down upon Deubendorff Rapids and the Stone Creek delta from the Tapeats plateau
The falls in lower Stone Creek The falls in lower Stone Creek
An Oars dory parked at Stone Creek beach Oars rafts moored at Stone Creek beach
The early morning light catches Arrowhead Terrace in Grand Canyon The falls in lower Stone Creek
Stone Creek canyon Falls in Stone Creek canyon
Falls in Stone Creek canyon A flowing pouroff along Stone Creek
A metate at Stone Creek ruins Granary ruins at Stone Creek
Ancestral Puebloan granary Ancestral Puebloan granary
A final view of the granary ruins at Stone Creek Falls in upper Stone Creek
The view upstream from the Stone Creek trail Approaching Hundred and Thirtythree Mile Creek canyon
Arriving back at Tapeats Creek The crossing above the Tapeats Creek narrows
Looking down through the descent route to Tapeats Creek Tapeats Creek meets the Colorado
A bighorn ram casually strolls across the slopes behind my tent Tapeats Creek at the Colorado
Self portrait in silhouette Looking downstream toward Tahuta Terrace
The beach at Hundred and Thirtyfive Mile Rapids A large cairn marks the ascent route from Hundred and Thirtyfive Mile to the Tapeats terrace
Looking across the Colorado at the rock layers below Tahuta Terrace The Tapeats terrace en route to Deer Creek
Approaching the last drainage along the Deer Creek route Verdant Deer Creek laces through a golden rolling valley
A small waterfall in the Deer Creek narrows A single dory approaches Deer Creek beach on the Colorado
Deer Creek falls My campsite at Deer Creek
Crossing in upper Deer Creek Approaching Deer Creek spring
Deer Creek spring The Throne Room
Throne Boulder-strewn ascent route to Surprise Valley
Trail junction in Surprise Valley A shady spot along the route up from Surprise Valley to the Esplanade
A view into Surprise Valley from the route through the Redwall Just below the Redwall on the hike out from Surprise Valley
The view into Surprise Valley from the Esplanade with Great Thumb Mesa dominating the far horizon Looking down into Surprise Valley with the Colorado River seen in the distance
Looking across the Esplanade toward Fishtail Mesa Bridger's Knoll and Monument Point rise from the Esplanade in Grand Canyon
Filled one week before, this water pocket on the Esplanade has dried under the October sun A drying water pocket on the Esplanade
An interesting rock formation along the Thunder River trail Shade and sun mixing on the Esplanade
Partially filled water pockets below Monument Point Dos Titos
A dry pouroff on the Esplanade Cryptobiotic soil in Grand Canyon
The junction of the Thunder River and Bill Hall trails A view of the Esplanade through a break in the Coconino
Bridger's Knoll Bridger's Knoll and the Esplanade


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Copyright 2007 / W. D. Ferris