The best Grand Canyon winter🥶 hike? Clear Creek!

[@lizkemna269]

Love your video. Great info

[@KurtPapke]

Hey thanks, I appreciate the positive comment!

[@byondlight]

BEARS? I dont think youll find a bear on the south side , if anything the ring tail cats are the problem along with squirrels. They will still your lunch no matter how well you secure it outside a ammo box.. I like your video , No back ground music , just the sound of your boots on the trail .. i love that music.. ive never done the area your showing. After 6 times the ranch this looks really good ..and having a water "avaluable" is a big thumbs up. Winter snow blizzards and night hike are some of my best memorys in the canyon.

[@KurtPapke]

Thanks for the comments. Definitely a hike worth doing!

[@risley83]

Heading to Clear Creek in March. Thanks for the video. Can’t wait to get there.

[@KurtPapke]

Never been there in Spring. If you make it to Cheyava Falls you'll have to make a video!!

[@MikeRiggsAdventures]

Good Video. Now I want to go check out Clear Creek.

[@KurtPapke]

I love that hike - there is something about walking along on the Tonto platform in the openness of space there. My knee brace helped tremendously on the descent into the canyon from the rim - that’s where I need it the most, on descents.

[@kimbruns2084]

Great video as usual Kurt, very informative. I watched some of your other GC hikes and your meal preps. Great work and thanks for sharing! I’m from Michigan and have done a couple backcountry GC hikes and rafting, just got my permit for April, 4 Days Hermit to BA. I am psyched!

[@KurtPapke]

Love Michigan. My Friend Joan Young from Scottville is close to finishing up her NCT through hike, she's in the UP now. Been to Isle Royale twice now, but want to go back for maybe 2 weeks just to do filming all over the island.

[@totalwalker]

So gorgeous and so peaceful and meditative to watch !! Thank you so much !!

[@KurtPapke]

I’m so glad you enjoyed it!

[@alyshaba.1021]

What is the name of the tent your friend is using in the video?

[@KurtPapke]

REI quarter dome

[@BlackBuzzzard]

might check out clear creek this Jan. I prefer winter in GC.....heat wont kill me, crowds much reduced, and usually a walk up permit. Great vid!

[@KurtPapke]

Thanks man! In january you'll have to deal with snow and ice the first/last hour near the rim.

[@IndyRickHikes]

Sketchy descent into Clear Creek … oh my! After one of your previous videos, my daughter and I were inspired to make Clear Creek our major objective on a five-day, annual hike, 2-years ago in November. After descending the South Rim at Hermit, we came upon the Clear Creek descent at the end of day 3 😮😬! It was by far the scariest thing we had attempted in the Canyon up to that time - and totally unanticipated by us!😂. Fortunately, we gathered up our courage, persevered- and survived 😅. At the bottom we were wondering how we were going to get out of there! 🫣 But, the Canyon once again taught us that often climbing out is easier than descending! BTW, one of my favorite places too. Very special! Thanks for the tips!

[@KurtPapke]

What a great story. It was very ambitious to do Clear Creek from the Hermit in 5 days. Kudos to you! I don't think there's been any maintenance on the trail in the last couple of years, so you can imagine the descent has become more challenging. Thanks for your interesting comment!

[@briansherman7132]

Hi. At 0:55 what gaia map layer are you using that shows campsites?

[@KurtPapke]

Good question Brian. I am just using the Gaia Topo map which has no campsites. I created those as waypoints during the hike. In some of my videos I have published a link to a GPX file with the route & waypoints, but didn't think it necessary for this one.

[@kirkrozelle1900]

Thanks for the great info. I'm motivated to do more research/planning for a trip like this. I had to cancel another Grand Canyon trip earlier this month due to getting the flu:( On the way out, did you hike from Clear Creek to Havasupai Gardens (14 miles and 3300 ft elev loss and gain) or stop and camp at Sumner Wash again? Just looking for additional input to consider in planning out a trip like this. Thanks again, Kurt! I enjoy the content on your channel.

[@KurtPapke]

Thanks Kirk - we stopped at Sumner wash for a 2nd time on the way out. I just love to camp there!

[@kirkrozelle1900]

@@KurtPapke Thanks for the input. I just finished putting together a candidate CalTopo map and itinerary and did conclude that it would be best to stop and camp at Sumner Wash on the way back, too. The only logistical challenge is securing a reservation for the Havasupai Gardens site on the main corridor. Thanks again.

[@kirkrozelle1900]

Hi Kurt. I followed your advice from this video and successfully completed a 5-day/4-night trip out to Clear Creek in November 2023. I thought you might like to check out a trip video I made for this trip. You may notice in the video description on KZbin that I gave a Special Thanks to you and included a link to your video. (My video is located at kzbin.info/www/bejne/oHqYmX2FraaXaMUsi=bzceUe2y0lls3h3W).

[@KurtPapke]

Just finished watching your video Kirk. So glad your group enjoyed the trip, it’s a great one! I appreciate the attribution in the credits!!