MARKUS NICK
CANYONLANDS TOUR - USA 2002
Grand Canyon - Apr 18:
Clear Creek Trail to Zoroaster Canyon

The plan for today is to go on Clear Creek Trail as far as possible for half of the day, have lunch and return afterwards to Bright Angel Campground.

One of many cactus
[zoom] One of many cactus
We remember this day as the day of cactus blossoms. On no other trail we have seen so many cactus blossoms as on Clear Creek Trail: Beavertail Cactus, Barrel Cactus, Hedgehog Cactus and some cactus we could not identify.

Besides the cactus there were also a number of flowering Agave Lechuguillas, which are easy to recognize with their ~2-3m high straight, single thin trunk holding the blossoms.

Lower part of South Kaibab Trail seen from Clear Creek Trail
[zoom] Lower part of South Kaibab Trail seen from Clear Creek Trail
For the trail: It takes approx. 50min to reach the viewpoint. Starting here, we get a number of good vistas on the Colorado and on the switchbacks of South Kaibab Trail below Tonto Platform.

Tonto Platform where Clear Creek Trail goes along
[zoom] Tonto Platform where Clear Creek Trail goes along
Finally, the trail leads away from the Colorado and we ascend to the Tonto Platform. Reaching the Tonto Platform, we have an astonishing wide, far view.

It is funny to notice that -although it looks around like mountains- we are actually in a canyon ~1000m below the normal surface.

On the trailside close to Zoroaster Canyon, we find a natural nice shady little shelter. Immediately we decide that this is the perfect place for our lunch break.

Zoroaster with a tiny tree on a large boulder in the foreground
Zoroaster with a tiny tree on a large boulder in the foreground [zoom]

View to south rim from lunch place
[zoom] View to south rim from lunch place

We decide to watch the sunrise from one of the viewpoints on the next morning. My little pocket computer (a Handspring Visor) tells us the time of the sunrise: 5:55am.