[pct-l] Re: Tonto Trail

[buzz@dimensional.com (Buzz Burrell)]

On 12/26/01 11:02 AM CMountainDave wrote (in part):

>    Anyone out there know anything about the 70 mile Tonto Trail in the 
>Grand Canyon, especially the section between Boucher Creek and Bass Canyon? 
Or the 
>Apache Trail that one can take from Bass Canyon to reach Supai in Havasu 
>Canyon? I'm planning a 2 week, 140 mile transCanyon trek this May, from 
>Tanner Canyon to Supai with a resupply at Phantom Ranch. Anyone been there 
>who has knowledge of supplies available?

The person who previously replied to this question had good info, to 
which I'd like to add a bit.

I don't feel there's a square foot in the Canyon that is uninteresting, 
but this certainly depends on one's perspective.  One thing for sure - 
there's no place like it in the world.  You're either hiking in the Grand 
Canyon or you're not;  there is no substitute.

The Tonto Trail is indeed dry and relatively monotonous, as it follows a 
single horizontal strata for it's entire length.  The upside is that you 
can cover a lot of ground, due to the minimal elevation changes, and that 
it is a marked trail, the longest and almost the only one of it's kind in 
the Canyon (the standard trails are Rim-River, not up or down canyon).

May is good but warm;  April is probably best, March and May second best.

Phantom has food, water, and minor groceries and supplies, and one can 
sometimes buy a full-blown dinner if there has been a cancellation.  It's 
a great place and definitly worth a stop for scenic, social, and cultural 
purposes, but since you could make it there in a day and half from the 
start, it's not a big help logistically.

One thing to note is that being a National Park, they are serious about 
camping reservations.  Phantom Res's for example, are gone within the 
hour they are made available (they have a separate phone number for 
cancellation fill-ins).  Everything out on Tonto West should be fine, but 
the campsites in the Inner Canyon - Tanner to Boucher - should be 
reserved on January 2 (1/1 is a holiday) - exactly 4 months (their 
earliest for booking) ahead of May, when you plan to be there.  

Congratulations on your proposed route;  I think it's outstanding.  
Needless to say, after arriving in Supai get the Permit from the natives 
to continue down Havasu to the Colorado River.  Last year a friend 
bushwacked past the Great Thumb and attempted to contour right into the 
heart of Havasu;  he got almost within sight of the Falls but turned back 
due to running out of water and not having the time to pick a way down 
the cliffs.

Have fun - there is no such thing as a bad trip to the Canyon.

Buzz Burrell
Boulder