Words about science and hiking
Some clouds rolled in last night and created a spectacular sunrise It was only the second day of clouds on the entire hike. Every other day the sun has blazed down on me in its unfiltered glory. Or not so much down, as the season is getting later and the sun lower, but *at*me, roasting Read More …
I’m at the last ridge, the last lookout over the desert mountains and valleys of Arizona. The rough ranges receding are beautiful in their way, but also appalling. Any traveler would be dismayed to see how hard a road lies ahead. Wait — I’m a traveler. And I would be appalled if I were continuing on. Especially Read More …
Another hard hike. But just hard, not punishing and brutal. The climbs were 500 and 1000 feet, not 3500. And never more than two of steep, rough, overgrown and shadeless, whereas yesterday was all four nearly all the time. I’m camped under Mazatzal Peak, near the crest of the range. I’ll soon start the long Read More …
Whipped. Beat. Exhausted. Dog-tired. I don’t think I’ve ever done a harder day of hiking. The 3600 foot climb up from the Verde River was hard of course. Hard is fine. What made it brutal was the rough trail, its steepness its roughness its utter shadelessness and its lack of water. Only 15 miles but Read More …
Left Pine this morning feeling homesick. That seems to be what towns do to me. They are enough like home to make me think of home but are far inferior to my actual home. Which is no knock on Pine, as fine a trail town as one could desire. I was greeted with a parade Read More …
Another bitter cold start to the day from my camp in General Springs Canyon. The trail soon reached the Mogollon Rim, and thus the end of my hike in the plateau domain of northern Arizona. It’s been 300 miles of walking in mostly flat (with one Grand exception) terrain, all between 7000 and 9000 feet, Read More …
Another chilly night, with extensive frost, punctuated by coyote howls and yips. For the first time since Flagstaff I encountered relief — topographic relief. There were actual hills and canyons and even an occasional view out of this endless forest. It was a low water day. I grabbed a liter of not-bad water at the first tank Read More …
Not much to report today, just a lot of forest walking. And looking for water sources that are better than vile. A cattle tank in late summer and fall is not a pretty sight. I have been frustrated in my attempts to photograph the forest’s most notable resident, the Kaibab squirrel. One of the drawbacks Read More …
You know it’s chilly when sliding into your sleeping bag is one of the highlights of your day. The wind started picking up about 3 am and by mid morning it was a full-on gale. It was warm enough when the sun was out, but got downright brisk at sunset — which is 6pm. More forest walking, Read More …
Out of Flag via the southbound urban AZT which runs just a mile east of the Grand Canyon Hostel. The hostel itself is an old and rickety but clean building. The manager claims it was a brothel in former times, but that is probably true of most old residential buildings in central Flagstaff. I believe Read More …