Today was one heck of a long day. I got up a little after 5:00, broke camp, had breakfast and then just waited around until everyone else was ready to go. Chuck was up early filtering water from the containers we left out to settle over night and brought me about 3 liters of water. I already had about 2 to I had the 5 I usually drink for the day.

We were out of camp around 7:15, as usual, and it took all of the morning to work our way up Basalt Creek to the saddle that overlooks Chuar Valley. We stopped several times for rest breaks and also for a longer lunch break just before reaching the saddle. These were a couple of tricky climbs along the way but only one that I really had trouble with. That was the first one and the only reason I had trouble with it was because we were trying to climb a cliff of dried mud and it kept coming apart on me every time I tried to get any kind footing on it. I did finally manage to get a foot hold that stuck and managed to work my way up and past it.

The view of Chuar Valley from the saddle was incredible. It is one enormously huge valley!

The biggest problem of the day was a long contour atop the cliffs from the saddle to the point we were to descend into the valley. My right foot started acting up again and at times it felt like the skin was sliding off of the flesh. I later discovered that the moleskin I had put on had come loose and had wrapped itself around my big toe.

Once we got to the descent the foot started to feel better even though the descent was rather nasty. I was confused as to the route down into the valley and I thought we were going down a sloping ridge that went right down into it. When we got to the ridge, however, Mike started down a steep drainage on the west side of it instead. The result was more of a barely controlled slide than anything else for a good portion of the descent.

We were all very happy to see a good quantity of water flowing in Chuar Creek when we finally got to the bottom. We now have really good fresh water to drink and we are camped next to the creek tonight. Its not the greatest campsite; there is no room for the tent and it is a little lumpy but hopefully it will do. It will have to.

After finding a camping place Chuck, Dave and I took off upstream in search of the Anasazi ruin that was supposed to exist up there. We found it after about 45 minutes of hiking and it was very cool. It is a nice secluded ruin and has not been excavated at all so it is just the way it was left when it was abandoned hundreds of years ago.

We were up at the ruin for about 30 minutes or so and then it took another 45 minutes to get back to camp. By the time I finished cleaning up and making dinner it was already dark. I setup my camp in the dark and cooked and ate in the dark and now it is time to try and sleep.