Havasu Back Pack Trip Part 2 of 3

OK, this is the day! We all were pretty excited about actually hiking to the falls today. First, a good breakfast.

We walked to the cafe and were there when the door opened at 7am. Remembering last night's fries, I asked about the size of the oatmeal bowl as the price on the board was $4.50. The clerk showed me a normal, 8oz paper bowl. I said OK and asked for 2 scrambled eggs as well. We sat down to wait and soon we noticed other patrons getting their food. The oatmeal was coming out in giant bowls. Soon I got my order, a normal small bowl and the scrambled eggs. Excellent.

Then one of our group got her oatmeal. Yup, giant bowl. Could have served 6 people. She got some smaller bowls and handed out oatmeal to 2 or 3 of our group who thought they could eat a bowlful. Seriously. She had to throw out about half of it. What a waste. So, breakfast done we met back in the courtyard after brushing teeth and picking up our day packs. The first falls, Navajo Falls is only about a mile and a half from the Lodge. It was another beautiful day in Arizona. We watched the sun coming up

and topping the red canyon walls with gold in a clear blue sky. We trudged along the trail, really it's the road that leads through the village, all powder soft sand.

The houses along the road all had yards, some with horses, most all with dogs. A couple had small gardens. The whole canyon smells like a barnyard. The Havasu Creek ran parallel to us on the other side of the canyon. I thought we were hiking south and east but in reality, looking at a map now, we're hiking north and west. Finally the creek and the trail closed together at Navajo Falls. This falls isn't dramatic, it's pretty. There are actually several falls here, starting with a small water fall at the top, then a series of tiny cascades, covering 1/8 to 1/4 mile. We stopped at the first view point to get a group picture.

After that, we stopped at several vantage points to see the falls from different points of view, taking lots of pictures of course. This area is striking because of the

contrast between the dry, red canyon walls and the brilliant green of water plants in the quiet places among the rocks in the creek.

Just half a mile past Navajo Falls is Havasu Falls, now on the trail's right. Previously much wider than it is now (there was a flood here a few years ago that changed the water flow)evidenced by the limestone formations all along the cliff it flows over. The falls makes a fair drop into a wide pool. The creek and the pools are a clear green caused by the mineral lime dissolved in it. The mineral covers everything in the water. Randy stopped to take some pictures while the fall was in morning shadow but the rest of the group moved on. We caught up to them about 1/4 mile on, at the start of the campgrounds. This area is well wooded and very pleasant to walk through. The camp ground had several camping sites, many of them empty this time of year. About halfway through the campsite we came to the Fern Spring. The spring comes out of the bottom face of the cliff and has been built up so that it's easy to get water from. We had known about the spring so we all were carrying just minimal water, a liter or two, because we knew we could refill here on our way back. The spring created another small stream paralleling Havasu Creek and eventually joining it before reaching Mooney Falls. Our hike leader, Lisa, did warn us there would be a bit of a ladder climb down to the bottom of the falls. When we got to the falls, we were at the top. The highest falls of the three, we looked from the top down into the canyon to a good sized shallow pool at the bottom. There were already several people down there.

She'd been here before and led us along a rocky path to an overlook. There, curled up in the shade, in a hollow at the base of the rock wall, was a dog.

View admired, we continued down the path, leading us down the cliff and there was

another dog at the next view point. I guess they just hang out there and go home when they're ready. I was admiring the view from there when I noticed one of our group going into a hole.

"Jerry, what are you doing in a hole?" Turns out this is the way down. You have to go through this tunnel to get to the spot where you climb down the cliff. Already 2 of our group had decided to stay at the top, they had a little trouble with vertigo. Now one of our group was having a bit of trouble with having to go into this tunnel. She overcame it though and came through with us. Lisa was ahead of me, then Arlene. Jerry had gone first and the rest of the group was behind me. There's just barely enough light to see. We have to be careful not to bump our heads and we have to feel the floor for sandy, irregularly spaced steps. Ahead, I can hear Jerry call, "I'm out!" I relayed the message so Sally would know it isn't far. When I come out of the tunnel we're still 3/4 of the way up the cliff face. A woman and her daughter are waiting for her husband to come back up (he'd led his son down just before our group arrived) and lead the daughter (11 or 12 years old) down. I can see why.

Chains are attached to the canyon walls. We're supposed to hold onto the chains and strategically placed rebar and crawl down the face of the cliff. Backwards.

Many in our group are in their 60's and 70's. I'm in my 50's and my heart was beginning to flutter. Lisa and Arlene have already started down. It's my turn. Looking over my right shoulder I start down. Lisa is talking Arlene through where to put hands and feet. I'm paying close attention because some of the steps down are very long. Longer that a 5 foot 2 inch person would like to drop while clinging to a slick (spray from the waterfall) rock and steel chain. Amazingly, we all get down safely.

A big cheer meets each of us as we reach the bottom. We claimed a picnic table and boots started coming off and water shoes went on. We couldn't wait to go wading in that gorgeous pool of clear green water. I don't even want to know how there managed to be two picnic tables down there. We all waded, took pictures and had a snack.

We lounged around there for quite a bit. Finally, we decided to go back. All except for TK and Yvette. They decided they wanted to hike the two miles farther to Beaver Falls. So we put on our boots and waved to them and headed back up the cliff. Randy and I were the last to go up. I find going up scarier than going down. For me it's easier

to hold on and drop than to hold on, pull up and try and find a foothold. So up we go with Randy behind me. Sure enough, we get to a spot where the foot hold is at my mid-thigh. To high for me to step up to. I finally wrapped my arm in the chain, found a fingerhold with the other hand and pulled, getting my knee to the foothold. By now, I'm into the rapid, shallow breathing of the terrified. Just a little panic setting in. So regardless of the places where I needed to change the foot I was standing on to the other so I could make the next step up, I made it. Just before we reached the tunnel, I was struggling up the next step and in front of me was an Indian looking guy in an orange safety vest. He was waiting for us to get up so he could go down. I thought he was a guide as there were two other people up there waiting to get down. I found out later that he was one of the tribe police who goes around helping the lost tourists and stuff. He did me the courtesy of not laughing or offering to help. I was so happy to reach that tunnel. We climbed up the tunnel much easier than we went down and emerged at the look out point, shaking and out of breath. Lisa was there waiting for us. Ambling back up the path we greeted both dogs again and reached the top where some of the group was waiting for us.

Jan and Paul had found a lovely spot back from where the falls goes over the cliff and led us there to rest and get a drink of water. We sat there at more picnic tables in the shade, enjoying the water flowing by and letting our shaking legs recover. Jerry, Sally, John, Lori and Arlene had gone ahead. We had a good time telling Jan and Paul harrowing tales of getting down and up. We sat there a bit then started back to the Lodge. Now going uphill, gently but still up, I went slowly. My legs were still shaky and we had all afternoon to go about 2 miles. There was no reason to rush. We enjoyed the walk and when we got to Fern

Spring, refilled our water bottles. There's nothing better than fresh spring water. At Havasu Falls we climbed down to the pool where several other people were picnicing and playing in the water.

Paul and Randy took a ton of pictures. The rest of us went wading again. The falls lands in a deep pool but in becomes shallow quickly. It flows over a 5 foot drop

into another pool where people were swimming. A very nice spot. It was about 80 degrees and the combination of warm weather, cool water and blue sky made the day perfect.

The mineral laden water is so full of lime that you can actually feel it on your skin. There were a could of tree trunks in the water, both coated in a thick skin of minerals. It was like a spa treatment for our hot, tired feet. Having our fill of fun, we put our boots on and started back up the trail. Still going uphill I continued to go slow. The afternoon sun was beating down and the powdery sand made huge clouds of dust. We were in no hurry so I took my time walking with Randy.

Lisa, Paul and Jan pulled ahead but we caught up to them at Navaho Falls where Paul was taking advantage of the afternoon light to get more pictures of the falls. Randy did the same. We all stayed there awhile then headed back to the Lodge. Again, I was dawdling with Randy so the others went ahead. Just inside the edge of

the village we saw a dapple grey horse to our right. He wasn't tied and didn't seem to be fenced. We passed him by but soon, we heard him coming up behind us. We moved to the side of the road and let him go by. A few houses later, he went into a yard, through a gate and to the back of the house. Shortly after that, we were back at the Lodge. After showers and chit chat in the courtyard, at 4:30pm the others went to the cafe. I stayed behind and made a backpacking meal (I brought 2 just in case). The cafe only had the one thing I could eat and I didn't want it again so I just boiled some water and made my own. It gave me a chance to make notes about the day and let my hair dry. By quarter until 6 the others were back in the courtyard. It was starting to get dark and TK and Yvette still weren't back. I mentioned it to the others and we decided to wait a little while yet before panicking. We all stayed in the courtyard, chatting about the day. By twenty after 6, we were starting to get concerned. After some discussion, and even though we didn't know if TK and Yvette could get a phone signal here in the canyon, we decided to have one of us call them. Just as Jan was dialing the number, TK and Yvette came strolling into the courtyard. We all gave a big cheer. They had gone to the cafe to get supper but were too late, it had closed. Offers of food flowed their way but they had plenty of snacks of their own. Their story: The trial after Mooney Falls becomes difficult with several creek crossings and terrain changes up and down. They got there and took lots of pictures and ran out of water. They had to wait at Mooney Falls as a large group of people were climbing out. One of their group had fallen and broken an ankle. He and his wife were going to be helicoptered out. (Not sure how that would happen as that area was too small for a helicopter to land.) Once up, they missed Fern Spring so had to do the whole hike from Beaver Falls to the Lodge with no water. I took them (a 6 mile hike) 3 hours, including the wait at Mooney Falls. So in the dark of the courtyard we traded stories about our day and our adventures. Tomorrow, the 8 mile hike out, with the dreaded 1 1/2 mile climb back up the canyon walls.