When I did the Poison Spring Draw/ Slide Draw loop to the Black and back... I turned left at the Grizzly Fork to the South (by car) not quite to the tear drop at the end of the road. I Parked on the rim across from the North Rim Ranger Station driveway. Walked toward the station, turned right onto the Forest rd. and at .75mi. from the car, I turned right for my descent into the Poison Spring Draw. I would assume that at this juncture, you would follow the road 1.2mi. more to gain the SW ridge, and then a possible consideration of a West face retreat might be in order... or not! My recollection of the area is desert montane, scrubby... Should be something like 6mi./1,300'RT
P.S. Add on Grizzly Ridge and Deadhorse Mesa for a 14mi./2,300' loop hike if it's smooth sailin'! You can always get Pine Ridge from the Highway North of Pioneer Point on another day.
Posted: Mon Jul 02, 2007 6:30 pm