I had wanted to do the hike from Nankoweap to Phantom for a long time.  By the time some of my friends wanted to do it, it was too late for me.  I didn't think I was in good enough condition to do it without holding back the group.  So I thought about doing only the last part of the trip with them.  But to do this I would need to hitch a ride cross the river again, like I did last year.

I chose to hike down the New Hance trail and cross the river near Hance Rapids so I would be able to access John Hance's old trail into Asbestos Canyon.  From there I could follow a route over and into Vishnu Canyon, where I would meet my friends.  I would hike with them for the last three days.

On March 30, I got an early start driving from Boulder and spent the night at a motel in Tusayan. 

This map shows the overall route I took, starting down the New Hance (Red Canyon) Trail, crossing the river to Asbestos and Vishnu Canyons, then hiking the trail back to the south rim via Clear Creek and Phantom. The hike was solo until Vishnu, where I met up with friends coming from Nankoweap.

Note:   Click photos to see larger image.