Everyone meets at Grandview Point around 11:00.  We drive Traci's truck over to Lipan Point to use on our exit later in the week.  Then it's back to the Grandview trailhead to have lunch and assemble gear.  I'm trying to get everyone's picture before we start down, but Adrian and Craig are nowhere to be found.

Darcy and Emily 10-19-2015 @ 11:01	Traci and Emily 10-19-2015 @ 12:39

     After downloading the following picture from Adrian's camera, I'm guessing I couldn't locate them because they were probably over checking out the Jeep Tour driver.

	The Jeep Tour driver 10-19-2015 @ 12:35

     We finally all get together, walk over to the trailhead, and start down.

Grandview trailhead sign 10-19-2015 @ 12:36	Grandview trailhead sign 10-19-2015 @ 12:36	Grandview trailhead sign 10-19-2015 @ 12:36

     Right away you can see Horseshoe Mesa far below with its distinctive horseshoe appearance.

	Horseshoe Mesa far below 10-19-2015 @ 12:44

     A few sections of the trail have had some extensive repairs with Juniper logs to more naturally blend in with the surroundings.

Darcy on the trail 10-19-2015 @ 1:03	Darcy on the trail 10-19-2015 @ 1:15

     It's a very pleasant day and we are all glad not to be hiking in rain that was forecast.  I've not hiked with Craig before, but he proudly displays his home state Texas flag while hiking.

Traci, Emily, and Craig 10-19-2015 @ 1:05	Descending the steep trail 10-19-2015 @ 1:29	Craig with his Texas flag 10-19-2015 @ 1:30

     Pete Berry and Ralph Cameron went to great lengths in 1893 to "pave" their trail from Horseshoe Mesa to Grandview Point with stones.  They needed this hard surface to accommodate their copper mining on the mesa and to provide an all-weather surface for the numerous mule teams carrying ore up to Grandview Point.  Despite being unmaintained for over a century, many of the paved sections of the trail are still in excellent shape.

Horseshoe Mesa 10-19-2015 @ 1:23	A paved trail 10-19-2015 @ 1:33	A paved trail 10-19-2015 @ 1:40

     I have been out front of the others for some time.  Just as I am approaching the Mesa, Adrian catches up with me.  This radiation and keep out sign near the first mine you come to has only been here a few years.  The Park Service used to let you go right up to the mine opening.  We drop our packs here and wait for the others to arrive.

Richard near the Mesa 10-19-2015 @ 2:35	A new radiation sign 10-19-2015 @ 2:41	The Page Springs sign 10-19-2015 @ 2:46

     Adrian says he has never seen the Pete Berry claim marker just down the trail right before you reach the Cook's cabin, so I show him where it is.  I explain that it was upright my first few times down here, but my last time or two here the marker was turned over.  On my previous hikes, I did not think I could raise it by myself, but with Adrian's help, we restore it to its original position.

	Pete Berry claim marker 10-19-2015 @ 2:49

     Adrian also has not seen the tin can pile near the Cook's cabin, so we check that out.  It's surprising that many of the cans are intact with very little damage after this length of time.

Tin can pile 10-19-2015 @ 2:52	Tin can pile 10-19-2015 @ 2:52	An almost intact tin can 10-19-2015 @ 3:04

     The Cook's cabin is the only building structure remaining on the mesa.  My first few times here the big steel cooking pot was in perfect condition and hanging in the fireplace.  Apparently, someone has removed and damaged it.  Click here to see two pictures of original buildings on Horseshoe Mesa taken around 1903.  All mining activities on the mesa ceased in 1907 when copper prices fell drastically.

	Cook's cabin on Horseshoe Mesa 10-19-2015 @ 2:52

Cook's cabin on Horseshoe Mesa 10-19-2015 @ 2:52	Cooking pot 10-19-2015 @ 2:52	Cook's cabin on Horseshoe Mesa 10-19-2015 @ 2:52

     In a few minutes, the others arrive.  Darcy does not feel well, so he sits down to rest while I attempt to show Traci an old mine below the current trail.  We wander around a while and find another claim marker I had not seen before.  The Park Service has been putting bars over all the mine entrances.  Just behind the bars on this mine is an old ore cart.  It used to have a pick and shovel inside it making a very nice historical display, but someone has turned those over.

Another claim marker 10-19-2015 @ 3:27	Mine entrance 10-19-2015 @ 3:56	Bars over the mine entrance 10-19-2015 @ 3:57

     There are numerous abandoned mining artifacts on the mesa.  Adrian found some corrugated steel and an old bed spring nearby.

Building materials 10-19-2015 @ 3:41	An old bed spring 10-19-2015 @ 3: 47

     After a nice break, Darcy, Traci, and I start down the east side of the mesa.  The others remain to look at one of the mines.  Below is a mule driven cable winding machine that was probably used to haul ore up to the mesa from one of several mines below here.

	Mule driven cable winding machine 10-19-2015 @ 3:50

     It is obvious that Darcy is really feeling badly.  Traci agrees to remain with him while I proceed on down to our campsite at Hance Creek.  In a few minutes, I come to one of the bigger mine shafts.  It too has bars over the entrance a ways back.  This galvanized water tank was nearly intact years ago on my first trip down this way.

Mine shaft opening 10-19-2015 @ 4:12	Mining equipment 10-19-2015 @ 4:12	Old water tank 10-19-2015 @ 4:13

     Someone has added a nice touch to the Page Springs sign.  There will be plenty of water at Hance Creek, so I continue down the trail.

Page Springs trail sign 10-19-2015 @ 4:25	Wheel barrow 10-19-2015 @ 4.26

    After reaching the Tonto Trail, it's a lot farther over to the Hance Creek campsites than I remembered.  No one else is here, so we have our choice of places to camp.  Most people consider the large cottonwood tree to have the best sites because it is right next to the creek.  It is also near the croaking frogs, so I pick out a nice secluded spot on top away from the creek and croaking frogs and set up my tent.  I filter water for tonight and tomorrow.

Hance Creek primo site 10-19-2015 @ 5:13	Hance Creek campsites 10-19-2015 @ 5:15	My campsite at Hance Creek 10-19-2015 @ 5:46

     It is almost dark and the others are not here yet.  I'm getting a little worried, so I pack my headlight and start up the trail.  I meet them a few hundred yards up the trail.  I carry Darcy's pack back to camp for him.  Adrian, Emily, and Darcy set up camp at the cottonwood tree while Traci and Craig set up camp near my spot.  It starts to rain before I can cook supper, so I'm just going to eat one of my lunches inside my tent tonight.  It actually pours rain all night long, so I am very thankful to be dry inside a tent.

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