Exploration of Nankoweap Canyon - concluded

Explorations

Little Nankoweap

This canyon is well-known to be impassable, but still a lovely place to visit going up from the river. There are several drops in the lower bed and all can be climbed or bypassed easily. The southwest arm is finally blocked just after a difficult climb up a fall in the narrow part of the Redwall. The short ravine to the north leads to the top of the Redwall with only a couple of unexposed, short climbs. Another curiosity: Under a Muav cliff south of the opening into Little Nankoweap the remains of a primitive boat can be found.

Granaries

The ruins in the cliff near the river seem unchanged in the 24 years since I last visited this spot, well... they have been here for more than 800. You may have to stand in line with the all river trips. The stones and mortar are tan, with a thin coat of red plaster on the surface disguising them well against the surrounding rock. The view downriver from 600 feet up equally justifies the effort spent.

Nankoweap Butte

Going up the drainage west of the Butte to the salt seep spring will duplicate the photo on page 52 of GCT-I, which is a view of Tilted Mesa and the Redwall section of Nankoweap Trail. From the spring, go up one of the drainages to the east and head for the north ridge. At the top of the gray shale, cross to the northeast ridge and go up the last 200 feet. Here, you are standing on a block of Sixtymile formation with a full view of Nankoweap and Kwagunt. Some of the slopes below are so bare that a single track of footprints can be mistaken for a trail, even from this height. Indeed, the tracks we could see seemed to correspond with the 1989 trip recounted in GCLH-II. This is rough country and traveling the Horsethief Route along the fault line could become quite an adventure.

Sieber/Woolsey

There is a lot to see. Below Woolsey is a beautiful waterfall (popularly called Mystic Falls), the base of which can be reached through heavy woods. Directly opposite the fall are several storage ruins along a ledge of dark rock (more Sixtymile formation). They are in very good condition, one with a curiously braced door shelf, and some intact door stones. All are constructed to match the rock and difficult to spot except for the shape of the door openings. The bed is dry above the flow from the waterfall until a Muav fall at the upper end; there seems to be a bypass on the north side. Looking straight up through the Redwall slot is a view of the Nankoweap trailhead. This is rumored to be a route connecting with the rim.

Marion/Seiber

Page 53 of GCT-I refers to a break in the Redwall and page 69 of GCT-III mentions better routes. Based on this, I had expectations for a steep route out and connecting to the saddle.

24 Oct 92 - In a day of exploration we scouted for a way. In error, I committed us to a Redwall fault-ravine on the south wall going up directly from the 6000 foot mark in the bed (blocked just above this point). Indeed, the route can be climbed with no more than one aggressive move at the top, but it is not the way to bring out packs. This same ravine must be the one noted in GCT-I, which "offers the possibility of climbing through a break in the Redwall." I assume this means Harvey thought it would not appeal to most. In the end, we returned that evening to the springs at the base of the trail to hike out the following day after a quarter-inch of rain that night. Curiously, the rain seemed to have improved the footing on the worst spots.

22 May 93 - Returning for the purpose of locating the mysterious Redwall route, we were successful. From the base of the first switchbacks in Nankoweap go west along the base of the Esplanade cliff and angle down locating breaks in the Supai (old log in place at one spot). There is no sign of travel and a zigzag descent may be required to hit these breaks as well as the first two limestone drops. The quickest access into the Redwall slot is a steep break exactly halfway between the upper end and the crevice in the rim of the south wall. This break comes down on top of a large bench along the north side of the bed. Go east over the top of this bench and follow sign of travel down the slope into a ravine parallel to the bed. Cross over the ravine onto the hard rock wall, following a shelf, and then turn west working back into the ravine through brush. Ascend the west slope of the ravine and go around to enter the main bed for the first time. Cross the bed into trees and follow more of this good track leading out to the saddle of a point on the south side. Descend a very steep scree ravine to join the bed again. Cross the bed onto a bench through trees to an easy climb down to the slope at the base of the Redwall. Follow this steep and loose track down until it levels. Soon after it levels, look for the first ravine leading to the bed; the track continuing east does not lose elevation and disappears above a bad slope. Join the bed again just below a boulder barrier. After a minor bypass to the south, the bed is steep but provided with Muav steps. The site of the two springs at the base of the Nankoweap Trail is less than two hours from here, and the waterfall in Seiber/Woolsey is closer. Overall, the Redwall section is easier (better traveled) than the Supai above or the Muav below and is a most improbable route for such easy access.

Debatable signs of trail construction were observed: a tree stump and some unusually wide and level spots. In GCT-III Harvey B. speculates that this may have been the route of the horse trail rather than the better-known Tilted Mesa Trail, but that seems doubtful. That it was known, improved and saw use at an earlier time seems likely.

For route details see Marion/Seiber Route.

Kibbey Butte

This route is described on GCT-III p53, but use of the word "precarious" is significant and others call it "on the edge of oblivion". George S. reports a variant to this route transforming "precarious" to "vertical", and incorporates this in the Walhalla Loop of GCLH-II, but a ranger exploring this new route from the bottom, even with George's notes (A Quick Route off Kibbey Butte into Upper Nankoweap), had to radio for a guide. Unexplored. See George Steck notes, GCLH-II, and NPS correspondence.

Water

The trail should be considered dry, although there was a drip under an overhang along the trail on either side of Marion Point. A water cache at Marion or Tilted Mesa is recommended. There seems to be water in every branch of Nankoweap Creek. On this trip there was water in all of the main channel that was visited. Springs were found below the 4000 foot mark in the north branch (Marion/Bourke), at the falls and Muav in Seiber/Woolsey. Water in the Muav of Marion/Seiber seems reliable in the spring season.

Difficulty

The Tilted Mesa Trail is not obscure to an experienced hiker, but routefinding skills are useful and the trail should probably be downgraded to a route. A walking-stick is essential equipment for safe travel. While some places are dangerous, most of the trail is merely difficult and/or steep. Still, there are many places where a slip would have serious consequences; sections in the Supai, Muav, and Bright Angel are quite exposed. The part in the Muav that Harvey B. describes as "missing" simply goes straight down the slope at the limit of what you can stand on. Traveling at a cautious pace over these areas, we spent 12 hours hiking out from the creek.

Appeal

In all honesty it's hard to see much "appeal" to the trail; this is difficult travel over long distances and big elevation changes (6000 feet). But the area is big, beautiful, remote, and there is much to see and do. A return visit by the Marion/Seiber Redwall (AKA "Freefall") access is in the works.

 

Catalog of Places - Trips - Routes - Notes