14 April 2004

Finally a good nights sleep - felt great.  I felt so good that I inquired to head to the north rim.  The skies were overcast and it appeared some weather was heading over the canyon. We decided to head to Roaring Springs and if we felt like it we would push to the north rim.  We packed up and headed north bound.  This was finally a section that I had not done before.  After just a short mile we came upon the Aiken residence.  Now abandoned, Mr. Aiken and his family were a long time residents of the canyon.  An artist by trade, he manned the pump house on the north side.  I never had the pleasure of meeting this incredible family.  I used to hear stories about them leaving lemonade along the trail for weary hikers.  We now sat at a leaf covered table and tried to envision this house vibrant with the activity of a family.

After topping off our water we headed up to Roaring Springs making it very quickly.  We all decided that we felt good and would try for the rim.  We started our hike up admiring the great views that the North Kaibab offered.  The views from this side of the canyon were remarkably different in aspect and terrain than from the south side.  We continued to chug up the trail eventually crossing the bridge and heading up the Supai group.  There were two small rock slides along this trail from the winter. 

We eventually made it to Supai Tunnel where we took a good long break before pushing the last two miles to the top.  At Supai Tunnel there are pit toilets and water.  However the water was turned off for the season.  As we sat there the weather was definitely becoming a concern.  The skies were darkening and the wind was starting to kick up.  Eventually it would start to rain.  As we were dunning our rain gear you could actually hear the rushing of water from above.   We decided that it would be smart and turn the group around and make for Cottonwood.  Even though we were just a mere two miles to the top, a decent down the North Kaibab in heavy rain and wind could be difficult.  This was not worth risking an injury.  The rain would stop but the winds were really becoming strong.  As we made our decent, we came upon the all female group heading to the rim in nothing but trail shoes and running shorts.  They would eventually make it to the top, but later they would say that it was freezing cold and miserable up there with nothing to see.   

The weather tapered off and we made back to camp a little tired.  We made sure the camp was secured as the weather was starting to go foul again.  We made our dinner and Annie once again forgot to secure the lid to the pot and covered a small bush in rigatoni.  It was hilarious - the Charlie Brown tree!  The whole group couldn't stop chuckling.  I would later help poor Annie pick rigatoni out of bush.  The poor girl packed out more wet food than I think she had in dry food at the start of the trip! 

We were able to finish dinner and make for the tents just in time for the rains started to come.  That night the it would rain intermittently with some good strong wind.   It was a good camping night - love the sound the of rain on the tent.  The cool breeze would come in under the flaps making it a great sleeping night.