08:00 am - Heading in

I am in a ravine about a quarter mile beyond the Marion Point turn in the trail. It has been shady most of the morning so far but I will be in the sun for the most part now, except for little patches of shade like this, scattered here and there.

I was up just after 5 but took my time getting going. The cinnamon bun I bought for breakfast was yummy and I also finished off my dark chocolate Lindt Easter bunny that I started for dessert last night. That's my caffeine fix for the day.

I was on the trail around 620 and this is my first stop except for brief inspections of the Marion-Seiber drainage and a couple of photos. I still can't tell if there is water down there or not but I don't think so. I hear something but I think it's just wind. The wind here has been pretty spectacular since arriving at the saddle yesterday.

The wind blew continuously all last night usually just close by but occasionally right over me. It was scary at times and I now have a lot more faith in my tent's ability to withstand the wind. When the wind blew directly over me the only thing I could equate it to would be laying between railroad tracks while a speeding train passed overhead---not that I've ever done that.

The trail is rough but I expected that. The hard part is yet to come, below Tilted Mesa. That will be my next stop, for lunch. I would like to rest for a couple of hours before starting that final descent to Nankoweap Creek but if it is as windy down there as it has been almost everywhere else, I don't know. I am hoping things will warm up a little now that I am in the sun.

I heard my first canyon wren right at the top of the Nankoweap Trail and I can here a few from here over at Marion Point, between the gusts of wind.

I've got a pretty good view of Nankoweap Mesa from here and that will get better as I close in on Tilted Mesa. That's the day hike for tomorrow.

I've got my boots off here while I am resting. The feet still feel okay and I want to keep it that way.

11:00 am - About half way down

I am at the lower end of Tilted Mesa just above the Redwall descent. I've been here since 1030. I could not stop higher up, where I wanted to, because the wind was just too intense. The wind on Tilted Mesa is the worst so far and I almost got blown over a couple of times coming down here. It's still pretty bad where I am but I don't want to start into the Redwall without a good, long break. It's sort of cold here too with constant gale force winds. I will eat lunch soon and get going after noon. I've had my sweatshirt on all morning and have not even broken a sweat yet. The next part is the hardest though.

I met two hikers just a few minutes ago and I think I sort of surprised them lounging under this tree here at the top of the cliff. They belong to the other car at the parking area so now Nankoweap is all mine, unless someone else comes down. These guys said they went down to the river and Nankoweap Creek is flowing but easy to cross everywhere along its course.

03:35 pm - First camp established

Camp at Nankoweap Creek is established, I got here around 215. I left Tilted Mesa at 1145 taking a shorter than planned rest break there. The wind just got to be too much for me and I was starting to shiver. There was lots of wind on the way down and even down here at the creek. It's mostly just a strong breeze but it does gust up pretty good from time to time. Setting up the tent was a challenge but I actually managed to get the pegs into the ground so it should stay put. Unfortunately the sand blows right through the mesh fabric in the tent so keeping the inside clean is going to be impossible.

There is not nearly as much water flowing in Nankoweap Creek this year as last, which should make going up and downstream a lot easier. This is more like the creek I remember from other trips.

Another thing I noticed during the hike in was the absence of flowers this year. There was phlox and paintbrush all over the upper portion last year and this year it hasn't bloomed yet. I can see the plants in places but there are no flowers on them yet. All of the Mariposa lily that was blooming down here is sadly missing this year as well and I've only seen one or two cactus blossoms so far. The cliffrose is blooming down here along the creek though and that smells wonderful.

I went up creek a little to look for the ascent route to Nankoweap Mesa as there are two options I was considering. The first drainage had a couple of cairns so that's the one I will use, I didn't even bother to look at the other one.

I'm just killing time until dinner---resting. The hike down from Tilted Mesa has me tired but luckily my feet still feel okay.