Exploring the East Arm of Pipe Creek

click here to view a gallery and slideshow of all 43 photos from this day

dawn on the Tonto Trail, December 19, 2009

This is the second day of an overnight backpacking trip. On the first day I went down the South Kaibab Trail and spent the night at the popular overhang camp along the Tonto Trail in the Cremation use area, primarily exploring downstream in Cremation Canyon.

On this second day I went west and explored the east arm of Pipe Creek, and returned to the South Rim via the South Kaibab Trail.

Check out my little tent in this shot.

Wotans Throne, Angels Gate, Cremation Creek

Buddha Temple, Sumner Butte

Yaki Point, O’Neill Butte

This is the highest number of deer and bighorn sheep I’ve ever encountered on a single hike in the Grand Canyon – within two days – amazing how active they were here in the winter. This shot is now west of the South Kaibab Trail.

I accessed the east arm of Pipe Creek from a drainage that runs perpendicularly into its east side, north of and below the confluence of its east and west arms. From this drainage it’s possible to contour along the foot of the Tapeats, south to a point where you can scramble down a slope to the bed of the east arm, south of and above the confluence.

There’s an amazing view here where the perpendicular drainage meets Pipe Creek. In the center of the above photo you can see where the Bright Angel Trail begins to twist down the Devil’s Corkscrew. I could clearly hear people and see a mule train on the trail. Plateau Point is toward the upper right corner of the photo.

looking down into the primordial depths of the canyon

the meeting of the upper east and upper west arms of Pipe Creek

Down in the bed of the east arm, I began making my way downstream.

…and was stopped at this high pouroff.

Check out the remains of this anchor at the top of the pouroff. I’m pretty sure I know the guys that left it here.

at the top of the pouroff

So I turned around and went upstream as far as I could.

“As far as I could” turned out to be this high pouroff/waterfall near the southernmost end of the canyon. I took a great, peaceful break here. It was so nice to explore this area – Pipe Creek has a feeling of solitude and tranquility, and one can’t help but feel that they’re treading where few human beings have been before.