So, here we are in camp again. Well, not quite, I am actually over next to the creek, which is where I have been hanging out for the past couple of hours, since I got back from my hike. I took a little bath in the creek, washed my hair, filtered some more water and made dinner. I ate dinner watching the sunset on the south rim again. It nice here tonight and the temperature is perfect and the winds have died down considerably.

Last night was very cool here, temperature wise, and I had to get into the sleeping bag right from the start. I still did not have to zip it up though---it wasn't that cold. This morning was cool as well and I needed my long pants for breakfast.

Today was a long day. I was up around 5:15 and out of camp at 6:30, heading up Haunted Canyon. It was very nice but an awful lot of work. I guess I forgot how hard that brushy area for about a mile below the spring can be to get through. Apart from that it was a breeze but I struggled with that one mile for about 2 hours. It took 5 1/2 hours to get up to the base of the Redwall and I got there just before noon.

I took one look at the Redwall cliff and said no freakin' way. It was a lot steeper than I remembered it being. What was I thinking? Maybe if I had someone with me. It still "looks" climbable but not on a solo trip, not when no one will even miss me for at least 4 days. So, nope, didn't get above the Redwall in upper Haunted. There was a little ravine next to the cliff and I tried to get up that but could not get very far. I got to a little cliff and every rock I tested for handholds came off in my hand so I gave up rather quickly. I hate limestone---it just can't be trusted.

It was still a very good day though. The best part was the butterflies; they were all over the place in Haunted Canyon. They were all heading down the canyon too, from the north rim to the inner canyon. It must be a migration or something, as there were quite literally hundreds of them, all day long, one every few minutes or so. Very cool. Most of them were black with 3 white dots on each wing and the edges of the wings tipped in orange. No clue what kind they are but I will find out later. There were also a lot of yellow ones with black veins, which I think may be tiger swallowtails. There were other varieties as well but most fell into those two. I could not get any photos of them as they never stopped. I kept hoping but nada.

I also finally got to see a collared lizard and I know it was one so don't tell me they don't exist in the inner canyon. I have pix to prove it. This guy was quite photogenic.

Well, the sun is gone and it's getting dark so I had better head back to the tent and get ready for beddy-by. Perhaps I will read another chapter in my eBook first. I am reading the next book in the Edgar Rice Burroughs "Mars" series. So far this one isn't as good as the others but it's still early.

The frogs have just joined in with the crickets and with the creek for a backdrop it is quite noisy here right now. Ah, music to my ears! Lots of canyon wrens today too... they must like Haunted Canyon. Tomorrow morning I am sleeping in, the hike I have scheduled is shorter.