Whites Butte

Overview

Whites Butte is one of the easier summits in Grand Canyon National Park. Located immediately off the Boucher Trail, the hardest part is the long approach to Whites Saddle from Hermits Rest. Once there, it's a fairly straightforward scramble to the summit offering fantastic views down the Colorado River.

Getting There

Enter the South Rim via either Tusayan or Cameron. Depending on the time of year, you can either drive to Hermit's Rest (winter) or take the shuttle bus to the trailhead (spring- fall).

Route

From the Hermit's Rest trailhead, descend through the Kaibab and Coconino. You'll encounter several junctions early- your ultimate goal is the Boucher Trail. After the final junction with Santa Maria spring, you'll start a long traverse to the west above the Supai, not dropping through until the final bay before Whites Butte. The descent through the Supai is steep and occasionally loose, but will quickly take you to just above the Redwall. From there it's back to fairly flat hiking to Whites Saddle, just below the summit.

Leave Whites saddle heading cross country through sagebrush. The largest band up Supai about 1/3 of the way up can be climbed via a class 2-3 weakness on the southeast slopes, about 100 yards from the main southern rib of rock running off the summit. The final bands of summit rock can be obtained by a series of class 3 weakness on the southwest corner, although many options likely exist as nothing is too difficult.

Roundtrip hike for Whites Butte alone is about 14 miles.

Red Tape

Admission to GCNP is $30 for 7 days. I highly recommend the "America the Beautiful" Pass for $80, which covers the entrance fees for all federally managed parks and land for one year. No additional permits are needed unless you're planning on incorporating this into a backcountry trip, however the nearest water source is Boucher Creek.

When to Climb

As with most hiking in Arizona, Fall and Spring are the best. Summer can be brutally hot, particularly below 6,000'. Winter can bring serious ice on the descent from Hermits, although less so than other south rim hikes.

Camping

Whites Saddle does make for a good campsite, although dry. Water is available in Boucher Creek, which is several miles further and requiring well over 1,000' of descent. There are two developed campgrounds on the South Rim: Mather (which takes reservations) and Desert View. There is plenty of places for camping at large in the National Forest just outside the park.

External Links

My Trip Report: The Mountains Are Calling