Mile 108 - Bass Camp & William and Ada Bass

William Wallace Bass arrived to the Grand Canyon region in 1884. Around the turn of the century he built a cabin west of what became Grand Canyon Village on the South Rim. During the following decades he and his wife Ada raised four children and provided lodging to customers visiting the rim. W. Bass, with the help of Captain Billy Burro, John Waltenberg and others; built the South and North Bass trails to access both rims as well as the inner canyon. W. Bass used the trail systems to explore for valuable minerals including asbestos. In addition to the lodging the Bass’s provided on the rim and the prospecting W. Bass engaged in, they began to lead tourists into the canyon. W. Bass constructed a cable crossing in 1908 just above river level, which he used to transport pack animals as well as people across the river. On the north side of the river, in the Shinumo Canyon drainage, a tourist camp was developed under an overhanging cliff, nearby an orchard and garden were planted. William and Ada provided this area for their guests to sleep and cook food, while introducing them to the canyon.