Eminence Break to Shinumo Wash, Grand Canyon Trip Report!!

John Farris on a dayhike to President Harding Rapid!

This trip really began at the ruins of the Cedar Ridge Trading Post that burnt down in the late eighties. I turned off the pavement on to the 22 mile dirt road that would take me to the edge of the Navajo Reservation at Tatahato Point, at Eminence Break. I had two sets of directions, one from the Park Service and one from George Steck’s book. But, between the two, I wound up driving 40 miles to go 22! I did get to enjoy a close-up view of Saddle Mountain when I finally made it to the rim way south of my destination. I also was shocked to see a herd of 14 Elk, the first I have seen on the Navajo Reservation. I was a bit frustrated with the road logs, for example, when the description says, "At the Y go straight," which way is straight? "The blue Chevy" is long gone now, and "the green roofed Hogan" barely has any roof left. Eventually, after a blowout and numerous scrapes on the bottom of my little compact car, I made it to the trailhead.

The view was amazing! The River, Saddle Mountain, the Nankoweap area, and Point Hansbrough, made for unrivaled views. I wasted no time in getting going since I had taken so long driving around on the Reservation. I started down the Eminence Break route hoping to make it to the river in time to do some exploring before dark. The route is marked by cairns and is steep enough to require some hand and toe climbing. The Fallen Tower Bridge is located a short way down from the rim. It is a huge 30 foot piece of the rim that is wedged between the two walls that the route goes under. There are also some large fossil footprints near a big block of Coconino. The route follows the bed of the wash until in the Supai, and then contours down and south until a real trail appears in the Redwall that takes you all the way to the river downstream from President Harding Rapid.

President Harding Rapid, at river mile 43.8, was not much of a rapid on this afternoon. There was no route river right of the big rock, and most river trips would pass this rapid thinking it was just another ripple. It was named in honor of the President’s death in 1923.There are plenty of beaches available for camping even if a river trip is there also.

On a wall above the rapid is an inscription and a ring of stones commemorating Peter Hansbrough was drowned above here in July, 1889 as a member of the Brown/Stanton party. He was one of three good men who died on that third Colorado River expedition. Unfortunately Brown had decided that life jackets were unnecessary! A boy scout is also buried at this place, and it was near here in 1956, at Mile 24.5 Rapid, that Bert Loper fulfilled every river runners dream and "died at the oars" at the age of 79.

Upstream from the rapid is the Anasazi Bridge, at river mile 43.3; a platform made of driftwood poles, more than 1100 years old. Although Mike Quinn had provided me with a photograph of it, I was unable to see it, probably do to the late afternoon shadows. Some powerful binoculars would be handy. It was also near this place that Harvey Butchart, while exploring the Anasazi Bridge retrieved some Anasazi pots for the Museum of Northern Arizona.

The next day, with three liters of water, I headed to the top of the Redwall to begin my journey upstream to the next river access at Mile 35.7 across from the Bridge of Sighs. Bill Orman had said I should be able to make it in one day if I didn't dally. The route on top of the Redwall was unmarked and rough. The rocks were loose, even three foot boulders would move when I stepped on them! This is evidence to just how few people explore this rugged, dry, section of the Canyon. This was a long, tiring, fast day. I got a good look at Buckfarm Canyon. The lower Redwall section has beautiful narrows. Bert Loper’s boat is on the rocks at a small unnamed canyon, just down river from where Buckfarm Canyon reaches the Colorado River. Bill Orman and others have recently done an amazing and fantastic route from the Rim at Buckfarm, down to the river, with numerous rappels, and then crossed over to the South side to exit via Eminence Break. Bill reported some bolts already in place on the route. Lon Ayers' recently completed the Redwall route from South Canyon to Nankoweap. Lon spent an extra day hauling 3 gallons of water down Buckfarm for a half-way cache. They sure were surprised to find it raining cats & dogs by the time they got to it!

At the end of Tatahatso Point I came to the old tram site, once maintained by the Arizona Power Authority. It was interesting with a few tent platforms, a couple piles of rocks, survey markers, core samples, nails, and bailing wire with no rust, almost half a century old and still looking like it came from the hardware store.

Tatahatso Canyon offered a route to the Rim but I continued on to the River at mile 35.7.

I came upon a place where a huge portion of the rim had fallen all the way to the Redwall Rim. I thought this must have happened very recently. Later I read that Harvey said, "A fantastic feature was the most impressive fresh looking rockfall in the entire Grand Canyon". I was happy that this place looked and felt exactly like it did 30 years ago when Harvey Butchart walked by.

I was looking for the wash that would provide access to the river, but was surprised to find the remnants of a trail going down to the little beach. The last part I lowered my pack about 25 feet. Later I found another way that would make this unnecessary. A little Anasazi ruin is at the base of the cliff. From the camp on the beach it was fun to look at the Bridge of Sighs route across the river and plan a trip to it from South Canyon. At sunset the air filled with bats feasting on the bugs.

The next day was more of the same rough, dry, stumbling along the top of the Redwall. I could easily throw a rock into the middle of the river, a thousand feet straight down. It echoed and sounded like a gunshot.

At River mile 34.7 is Nautiloid Canyon, which is known for three foot long nautiloid fossils related to Octopus. Unfortunately, access is only from the river.

Finally I made it to the Survey Site at Mile 32.8, just upstream from Redwall Cavern. There was lots of stuff to look at here. Trail construction, old pipes, tanks, bottles, tent platforms, and other stuff of the fifties when they hoped to put a dam at this location and flood Marble Canyon. I could just imagine these tough guys on both sides of the river rappelling down the side of the Redwall every day to test the rock! Upstream Vasey’s Paradise first comes into view.

Harvey says "Hikers have reported an old shack and a rough climb down the Redwall to the river…" This is the route George Steck talks about at length in his book. It was easy to find, just upstream from the survey site, with a big anchor cemented in a boulder. There was also a full pothole right there, so I refilled my bottle and had lunch. Some better climbers could freeclimb down, but for most people this route would require no hardware, but two ropes for safety.

I followed the trail remnant to the next river access at River mile 30.4 just downstream from Shinumo Wash. The views of Vasey’s Paradise and South Canyon were amazing. I could see Stanton’s Cave and Anasazi ruins on the north side of the river. Relaxing on the beach, reading the 1950 account of the French climb of the first successful 8,000 meter peak, Annapurna, I didn’t even notice the rafters going by until I saw them downriver! In the evening, I was pleased to be surrounded by bats again. I know they made Stanton’s Cave accessible to them again after years of being closed, but they seem to be increasing in the last years.

The route continues upstream to the next river access across from Cave Springs Rapid. At Tiger Wash, J.D. Green says there is a big, deep, pothole that should be reliable, but that he had to brace himself holding the rope so Ohlman could climb back out after filling their canteens. There is river access at Mile 23.3 that Harvey calls "less sporty" and rim access at 21.7 with very scary ledges to cross that very few people have done. Bill Orman reports that it involves a "totally exposed 50 or 60 foot ledge along the top of the Coconino. You can continue upriver all the way to Hot Na Na, Tanner Wash, Salt Wash, Jackass, or Arrowhead, which all provide rim access.

I followed the old Shinumo Trail, now in very bad repair, when I could, and climbed over the boulders and beat brush the rest of the time on my way up Shinumo Wash. Fifty years ago, the trail was improved by the Bureau of Reclamation, to get their horses to the river. It is a beautiful, long Canyon, mostly in the Supai. I had started very early to take advantage of the cool weather and shade, and was at its head on the rim at 10 am.

The hike across the Reservation back to the car was very dry and uneventful. I kept a bearing of midway between Shinumo Altar and Nankoweap, and ten miles and four hours later I was back at the car, enjoying the late afternoon light and some cold water.

The winter of 1999-2000 has been one of the dryest on record. Harvey Butchart says, "This would be dangerous except when the rainpockets are full." George Steck says Shinumo Wash to Eminence Break is the driest stretch he can remember.

I was lucky on this trip to enjoy many potholes full of water in the Redwall, and even a few Supai potholes in Shinumo Wash, due to the recent weather front that left 17 inches of snow in Flagstaff, and streets full of water in Tuba City. I had early starts every day, and traveled extremely light and fast. (Three pound bag, bivy, four days food) I would only recommend any parts of this trip for the most experienced of off trail hikers.

Thanks to Mike Quinn, J.D. Green, Bob Marley, and Bill Orman, as always, for help on this trip.

	All contents of all pages © copywrite 1997 - 2002 by Mike Mahanay, All Rights Reserved Do you have any off trail stories or descriptions you would like to add? Do you have any questions, comments, or corrections? If so, drop me a email at mike@grandcanyontreks.org