201 Days To Go - Shinumo Creek

Bass Rapid from North Bass Trail



 

TL Report: I have posted a food survey on the blog in the right hand column at the bottom of the "Pages" section or you can find it here. If you are a member of our trip, please take it before December 31st. We will be working on the trip menu over the holidays.  Pls note that just about everyone who's ever been on a GC trip feels the food is way over the top (anyone remember wasting half a day during our Nankoweap layover making Lasagna from scratch?) so we will be shooting for easy-to-prepare meals. I'd rather be hiking that slaving over a hot stove, how about you?

What the Grand Canyon forums are chatting about this week:



1. Kindles in the Canyon: There seems to be universal love for Kindles in the canyon. One charge lasts for about a month so recharging isn't a problem. If you like to read, this is a great thing to bring along (with a clear waterproof bag and a flotation thingy).
2. Garbage: Putting a cap full of bleach in the garbage to keep the bags from smelling. I'd never heard of this, but Bill says his NOC trips did this in Chile on the Bio Bio back in the day. We will definitely utilize this method to keep the garbage bouquet under control. Also, there was a very good reminder to avoid foodstuff with large amounts of remnant garbage (like watermelon or Styrofoam soup containers). This is a really good point and something I will keep in mind when setting the menu.

3. Health questionnaires: Closer to the trip, I will be sending out a public and private health form.  One is what you don't care if people know and the other sealed envelope will be stored in the major first aid kit. It is only to be opened in an emergency and it will be returned to you unopened at the end of the trip.



The waterfall at Shinumo Creek







Mileage This Week: River Mile 109-112. At river mile 109.2 we will enjoy a respite from the sun by hiking up beautiful Shinumo Creek (don't confuse this with Shinumo Wash/Silver Grotto at river mile 39). There is a great waterfall here (see above) just a short, easy walk upstream.

Another 2 miles up Shinumo Creek lies William Bass' Camp (who's William Bass? See last week's post). There are cool relics left of his early 1900's camp along the creek (more on this below). 

 



Humpback Chub



Shinumo Creek is noted for it's warm, clear water, making it ideal for trans-location of the endangered Hump Back Chub. We talked about this little guy upstream at the confluence of the Little Colorado River.  If you are interested in the NPS's efforts to save this rare fish and their attempts to introduce them to another site in the GC, check out this link for humpback chub information.



At river mile 111.5 we will pass Hakatai Canyon where William Bass mined for asbestos.This site is closed to visitation due to the obvious health hazard.

William Bass and helper “high grading” asbestos ore at Hakatai Canyon circa 1900. Bass would later be paid well for the asbestos when shipped to France and other locations to be used to fireproof theater curtains.
Credit: Grand Canyon National Park Museum Collection



Relics at Bass Camp



GC History: The Bass Trail System

The Bass Trail was originally constructed by William Bass during the late 1890s. It was a rim-to-rim route for the western area of the Grand Canyon. Bass originally developed the South Bass trail to transport asbestos ore to the South Rim. The North Bass Trail later completed the rim to rim route. The North Bass Trail is considered to be the most difficult of the main trails in the Grand Canyon. 

Here's what the NPS has to say on the North Bass Trail:

The North Bass Trail is possibly the quintessential Grand Canyon trail combining thrusting faults, diverse geology, and an introduction to one of the region's mythic pioneers: William Wallace Bass. Explorer, trail builder, miner, family man, and tourist entrepreneur, in many ways Bill Bass personified that rugged breed that ventured into the unknown to claim a life from the wilderness. Walking in the footsteps of a man like Bass is humbling. His trail will quickly confuse the unprepared and inexperienced, but strong and knowledgeable canyon hikers will appreciate the woven complexity of the area's history, geology, and ecosystems. Forest and upland shrub frame white hoodoos near the rim, while slickrock sections and small waterfalls wait to enchant the hiker further down.



Relics from Bass Camp

As the trail approaches the canyon floor, the canyon widens to offer stunning views and the vegetation shifts to a combination of riparian and low desert scrub. Hikers headed to the Colorado River will have to crisscross Shinumo Creek several times before reaching the historic Bass camp. The profusion of artifacts is startling—household implements, mining tools—each telling a story about the lives that Bill Bass touched. Nearby, Bass tended a canyon orchard filled with fig, peach, and apricot trees. Sit for a spell and imagine the aroma of sun drenched peach trees. How many hikers have eaten a fresh peach at the bottom of the Grand Canyon? The North Bass Trail has a well deserved reputation as one of the most difficult and demanding canyon trails, enjoy with caution. 

A 1907 newspaper mailed to Bill Bass
at "Grand Canyon, Ariz," was found
 at an inner-canyon mine site. The prospector likely
wanted something to do
 after a hard day with pick and shovel.

Credit: Bob Hostetler

I love this last part:

Much of the trail is marked by cairns. Follow cairns at your own discretion…in doing so, you assume that the person who placed them was not lost.

Great, I'm glad the river only goes in one direction!

William Bass supplemented his prospecting by offering lodging and tours into the Canyon. He built this darkroom on the South Bass Trail for professional photographers to use.

Equipment/Camp/Info Check: Flotation Straps. Rule of thumb here is don't think you can get away with cheap ones. They sink. For your expensive camera or electronic equipment, buy something decent. Natch.

Next Deadline: Final trip balance is due February 15th.