When Sumi told me she had an extra spot on her permit, I jumped at the chance to join her six day backpacking trip to Clear Creek. I had never been to Clear Creek and this sounded like a fantastic trip (especially for late March/early April before it gets too hot). This was our itinerary:

Day 1: South Kaibab to Sumner Wash (Clear Creek Trail), ~ 9.5 miles, 4700’ elevation loss/1250’ elevation gain
Day 2: Sumner Wash to Clear Creek campsite, 6.7 miles, ~1200’ elevation gain/1350’ elevation loss (cumulative accounting for the ups and downs)
Day 3: Day hike to Cheyava Falls, 10 miles, ~1300’ elevation gain/loss
Day 4: Clear Creek campsite to Bright Angel Campground, 8.7 miles, 1350’ elevation gain/2450’ elevation loss
Day 5: Day hike to Ribbon Falls, 12 miles, 1240 feet elevation gain/loss
Day 6: Bright Angel Campground to Bright Angel trailhead, 9.5 miles, 4400 feet elevation gain

Overall the trip was terrific. We had nice weather, good company, and gorgeous scenery. Ribbon Falls was a lovely oasis and Cheyava Falls lived up to its name, which means “intermittent river” in Hopi. Dry or not, it was still a nice day exploring Clear Creek Canyon (minus all the yucca stabs). The solitude was a nice respite from the hive of activity at Phantom Ranch (although I certainly appreciated the Arnold Palmers and $1 refills!). I haven't backpacked the canyon since moving here in 2019 - so it was nice to be in the backcountry again. Awesome trip!