Deserts & Canyons

After the Southwest Trip in '91 that I recently wrote about, I went back at least yearly for some backpacking until Camille was born in '96.

This is the start to the Hermit Trail in the Grand Canyon.

"Before Camille" and "After Camille" Trips

Camille and I were pretty tightly bonded when she was little and I had never spent a night away from her until something really important came up when she was 6: the opportunity to hike in the Grand Canyon again. I left her with her dad at the resort in Phoenix for 3 days/2 nights while I escaped to the canyon again. After that first venture away from her, I took a few more trips in later years to revisit the desert on my own.

See? I'm not all for roughing it. I like p.j.'s, scuffy slippers, a comfortable spot and cuddling up as much as the next person. There we are, me being Camille's piece of human furniture:

Before Camille (pre-'96):

September '92: Return to Arches Natl. Park and Canyonlands for backcountry hiking/camping. Much like my '91 visit, only in nice warm weather this time.

April '93: It wasn't hiking, but we went sort of backcountry by pickup truck to Baja California and slept in the open back of it in some lonely desert spots in the central part of Baja and along the Sea of Cortez. The Catavina Boulder fields and the Cirios, or "boojum trees" are oddities of central Baja that I enjoyed. Here are some photos of each:









April '94: Spring Sonoran desert trip and wildflower bloom. Solo backpacking to Organ Pipe Cactus Natl. Monument, AZ for 3 days/2 nights. Then up to the Superstitions east of Phoenix for more backpacking.

Interesting critters I've seen: Rattlesnakes and tarantulas (I've only seen a few), coatimundis, javelina (only from the car), gila monsters, coyote, numerous desert birds including roadrunner and I think one called a Mexican black hawk (though I could just be making that up).

October '94: Solo trip to Northeast AZ and Southeast UT. Backpacked Grand Gulch 3 days/2

So, is this cool or what? My own private place for a day and night, Garden of the Gods, north of the better-known Monument Valley:

"Recall red rock beneath soaring sky
Dream of sun and storm music
Sit and watch, sleep in moon shadow
Life and death whisper together like wind
Time is gone
An essential void stares
The true road lies bare
Stillness."

- The best I could do with some refrigerator poetry magnets

This Canyon de Chelley:

Heading into Grand Gulch for a 21 mile backpack. Lots of cliff dwellings and artifacts to be seen in that area:

September '95: I was close to 6 months pregnant and thought I better get one more trip in before I kiss goodbye my freedom for many years. We flew into Las Vegas, got a convertible and drove north to Utah. Backpacked in Zion Natl. Park a few nights, then day-hiked up to Angel's Landing, the Virgin Narrows, Cedar Breaks Natl. Monument....

"After Camille Trips"

November 2001: Grand Canyon solo hike, 3 days/2 nights. Down the South Kaibab Trail, camped at Phantom Ranch, hiked 1/2 way out up the Bright Angel and camped at Indian Gardens, then out the following day. My first big outing away from my kid.

March '02: It was Spring Break and Camille went to Kansas City with her dad so I took a solo trip to AZ. I backpacked in Aravaipa Canyon (an hour or two north of Tucson). There is a year-round running stream and you have to hike in about calf-deep water for much of the trip whenever the canyons narrow to "slots" leaving no room for the usual dirt hiking paths. The day before starting the hike, I camped at the trail-head and suffered through a 12 hour encounter with either food poisoning or an intestinal bug and only the shade of a lone saguaro to lie in (fortunately it was merely a warm day, not hot). I felt like one of those cartoon characters that crawls under the desert sun while a vulture perches nearby waiting for the person to perish. But I was back on my feet by evening and hiking the next day.

November '03: Mike & Camille stayed in a cabin on the rim while I hiked 3 days in the Grand Canyon. Down the Hermit Trail (7 miles of potential knee-crushing, ankle-twisting descent if not for the trekking poles) and camped at Monument Creek on night 1. Across the mostly flat or rolling Tonto Trail for 10 miles on day 2 with a camp at Horn Creek. Then more Tonto Trail and up the Bright Angel for another 8 miles.

Here I am met by Camille at the end of that 25-miler at the top of the Bright Angel Trail:

April '05: Another trip to Aravaipa Canyon, this time with Mike & Camille. I realized that just because this hike was pretty flat, it wasn't necessarily easy. The feedback I received included the phrases "death march" and "mom got us lost" (I knew exactly where I was, but was the trail leading out of the stream just a little ways upstream or downstream anyway?) : )

When I'm not in a tent or under the stars, I've often stayed at youth hostels (though "youth" doesn't exactly apply in my case anymore). Tucson has the historic "Congress Hotel" (also a hostel) and is an interesting spot:

In Phoenix, I've stayed at this hostel, not so interesting, but cheap and more interesting than some chain motel:

I've also stayed at the old Weatherford Hotel (a hostel) in Flagstaff.