Eastern Arizona

Homovoli State Park desert isolation

Dry one day, flooded the next.

Leaving Sedona we headed east towards New Mexico with a couple of stops planned. The first was a meteor crater just east of Flagstaff. Due to the craters location in low rainfall high desert, this is said to be the best preserved example of a meteor crater on Earth. The meteor hit 50,000 years ago with a speed of 26,000 miles/hr creating a crater 2,4 miles in diameter and 600 ft deep. We thoroughly enjoyed the tour of the crater and visitors centre. We were lucky that there was no wind as the previous day there were no tours of the rim as it was too windy. At times they record wind speeds of 190 kph on the rim. That evening we drove onto the Homovoli State Park to camp with power for $20 and enjoyed the beautiful desert solitude.

Very impressive meteor crater

Trying to take it easy, last photo of Rob's 'Montana Man' jacket
before it was stolen in Breaking Bad country.

The next morning we explored the 14^th century ruins left by the Anasazi people. The first site was next to the Little Colorado River and littered with broken pieces of 600 year old pottery. The next site, Homovoli II contained an estimated 1,200 to 2,000 rooms.  Speaking to the Ranger at the Visitors Centre we realised we should also explore the nearby town of Winslow that we had bypassed the previous day. Little did we know of the hidden gem of popular culture that we missed ‘Standing on a corner in Winslow Arizona and such a fine sight to see. It’s a girl, my lord, in a flatbed Ford slowin’ down to take a look at me. Come on, baby, don’t say maybe I gotta know if your sweet love is gonna save me……’ After some photos and a tour of the local tourist shops, we walked to the highly recommended La Posada Hotel (1930) which was the last of the great Harvey/Santa Fe railway hotels. It was designed by the famous SW architect Mary Jane Colter, who was also responsible for many of buildings at Grand Canyon. Amazing the Hotel, in near ruins, was brought for $130,000 and then restored by the artist Tina Mion and her husband in the 1990’s. We spent an hour wandering around the hotel appreciating the vast amount of Tina’s art on display.

With rain threatening, the next day we headed to the Petrified Forrest National Park. 255 million years ago, at the height of the dinosaur era, this area of land was just 4ᵒ north of the equator and was a tropical rain forest. The trees fell and were washed into adjacent floodplains where a mixture of silt, ash and mud buried the logs. Silica seeped into the logs replacing the original wood tissues with silica and petrifying the logs. There was a good analogy of the Earth’s history at the Visitor Centre. If the life of the Earth was a year, then the dinosaurs appeared about mid-December and disappeared by the morning of Dec 27. Humans did not appear until 11.15pm on December 31 and recorded history represents the last half minute of the entire year. With this in mind our thoughts were that we should keep the predictions of the planet over the next period of time in perspective. We spent the afternoon dodging showers and walking the highlights of the incredible petrified trees. At times the landscape looked like a lumber yard, with logs lying around ready to be hit by a log splitter. Luckily there was some RV camping just south of the park where it cost $10 to plug into power for the night.

 

The next morning the rain had set in further and we drove to the northern end of the park. We passed numerous creeks that the previous day were dry and were now in full flow. There was a quick photo stop at the Tepees, hills showing distinctive colour bands that represent ancient layers of sediment deposited by a Triassic era river system. Next we crossed the modern interstate 40 and stopped at the old Route 66. The area north of the i40 consists of many viewpoints of the Painted Desert. The rain allowed us to see a rare glimpse of water flow in the desert. After a short wet walk it was time to leave and continue our drive towards New Mexico.

Get your kicks, on Route 66

PS. Rob admits to playing with the colour of some photos here.

 

Grand Canyon: The parent’s view

 

Phantom Ranch deep in the valley with the trees.
View from Mather Point

Earlier in the year we had wanted to walk down to the bottom of Grand Canyon and camp at Phantom Ranch, however we didn’t have a tent or enough sleeping bags. The plan was to try and do it in November, and with the cold weather descending it was time to go before the north facing trails iced up. The thought of walking next to cliffs on ice with a backpack was not appealing. Many who walk to the bottom of GC get the required backcountry permit 4 months in advance and some will do some training. We decided to roll up to the Backcountry Office on a Monday morning and request a permit, there are always some held for walk-ins. $40 later the permit was in our hands for the next day.

Into the freezer, South Kaibab

That afternoon we did a 5 mile acclimatisation walk from the campground to Mather Point, onto Yavapai Point and back to base. The views were stunning on a clear and cold afternoon, but there was some focus on the bottom of the canyon 4500 ft down and how far away it looked. Back at base and training complete we stuffed our packs for a two night hike and tried to keep weight to a minimum.

Some of the step-downs that produced that calf pain.

Tuesday morning arrived with a clear sky, with light wind and cold. At the Backcountry Office is was goodbye to the RV and we jumped on the ‘hikers special’ bus to South Kaibab trailhead. With puffer jackets still on it was straight into the Chimney, a steep switch backed section of trail that doesn’t see the sun and really could be called the Freezer. We had done the 2000 ft descent to Skeleton Point before and made good time. It was surprising how quiet the trail was in comparison to when we did the walk in early March. We descended another 1400 ft to below the Tip Off for lunch and rested on a rock in the sun with a sweeping view of the Colorado River. We choose a good spot as shortly after a tour guide stopped for lunch with her group at the same spot. We contemplated our final destination, Phantom Ranch, just another 1300ft below. At this stage it was looking daunting, the South Kaibab Trail has steps on it and what was hurting the most was the calf muscles, specifically the soleus (if you are anatomically knowledgeable) as it decelerated our weight down the hill. Not that this was affecting Symi too much, after lunch she rocketed ahead, gliding down the hill with apparent ease. Fiona on the other had shaking legs and was not really able to stand still and keep her balance.

Finally some sun.

After lunch we descended towards the river moving out of the sedimentary layers of rock and into the Vishnu Schist, the 2.5 billion year old metamorphic rock that forms the base of GC. We were relieved to arrive at the Kaibab Suspension Bridge and enjoyed the close up view of the Colorado. It was then a short walk to the campground. We managed to set up camp and get to Phantom Ranch before 4pm, which is the cut off time to get a cold drink (read beer for the parents). At 4pm we attended a Ranger talk about the animals of GC, we were able to hold some animal skulls and furs which helped maintain some focus for our tired and attention wavering brains. There was a large group of tired looking people and we suspect more than one was thinking, “is 4:30pm too early for bed?”

View at lunch

 We headed back to our tent for dinner. To give you some idea of the cool temperatures, our zip lock bag of bolognaise sauce had not defrosted and had been out the freezer for at least 9 hours. After a quick dinner and a bit of chocolate we were all thinking about getting into our sleeping bags as we were cold and weary. There were a lot of people in the campground but it would be surprising if anyone was still up by 8pm.

Big Horned Monster

Next morning it was a little cloudy and calves were a little sore, especially Fiona’s. We had a pretty slow morning with Symi getting her Junior Ranger Patch for those who reach the bottom. They say 1% of Grand Canyon visitors get to the bottom. Of that 1% we suspect not many are 10 year olds carrying their own packs. After we set off we found out that it is possible to pay about $70 to have 15kgs brought down by mule. That explained all the people who were walking down with daypacks. You can join a tour (carrying your own pack) for $900 for three days or you can do a mule assisted tour for about $1100. To us the mule looked like you were swapping sore calves for a costly sore bottom!

The only way is up.

We were pretty happy with our $40 permit and about $30 of food. We considered buying dinner at Phantom Ranch – this would have cost about $150 for the three of us and you had to pre-order. When we were inquiring about this they said we could come back at 6:30am on the day of our hike and they would see if they had any meals. The weight of the bolognaise sauce was seeming less significant at this point.

Pancaked layers of Tapeats Sandstone below Indian Garden

We finally set off for Indian Garden about 10am. The first part was along the river and undulated, the ups were good but the downs were unpleasant to say the least. Fiona commented that the only reason she could continue walking was that we were going to be going uphill! A big call at the bottom of a 20km, 4200ft ascent with a pack on. Upwards we plodded. We were walking along the Columbine Spring which has its own microclimate and was spectacular. After some gradual ascending we came upon the Devils Corkscrew, a well named series of punishing switchbacks climbing up through the Vishnu Schist providing a contrast to the lush canyon below.

Watching Mule Deer as the afternoon sun lights up the canyon.

It was a relief to reach the top of this and rest while enjoying the view. There were a few people resting here and it was heartening to see that although we were finding the walking challenging we were certainly not working the hardest of those on the trail. After this the ascent was not so steep and we were back next to Bright Angel Creek with its vegetation.

Visitor in our camp.

We arrived at the Indian Garden campsite and had our pick of almost any site. We were interested in the one with the most sun. Rob and Symi found a good one which was not too far from the toilets. We put the tent up and sat in the sun. The sun did not last that long and it was only then that Fiona began to realise the less appealing aspect of the site. The toilets near us were closed for the season. To get to the only other ones required walking down from our campsite and then up a small hill for about 100m. Uphill walking = good, downhill walking = near impossible with calves screaming. This situation provided endless amusement for Rob and Symi. This would continue for days as unfortunately for Fiona the muscle soreness had not yet peaked.

We sat drinking cups of soup, amusing ourselves reading the camp books about the Grand Canyon. After a dinner of mac & cheese and tuna followed by chocolate we were once again in bed very early. There were a few nerves as we had only done 1200 feet of the 4200ft climb – only 3000ft to go.

Getting there!

We set off early the next morning with Fiona praying it was all uphill – a very strange thing! After about 30 minutes it became apparent that Symi was flying up the hill. Rob and Fiona were plodding far behind thinking maybe she needed a bigger share of the weight. This was confirmed when a couple walking down said to us “she needs more weight!” We called for her to stop and Rob gave her about a kg from his pack – he had already taken what he could from Fiona. Symi did not even seem to notice this. She did comment a couple of times that her legs were sore but as soon afterwards she would break into a run or do a small dance on the trail we did not feel this was a big issue.

Looking down at Indian Garden from near the top.

We made great time on the steep climb covering the 8km or so in 3 hours. We were very pleased with ourselves when we reached the top and celebrated with a photo. We caught the shuttle bus back to the RV and ate a large packet of chips for lunch. We felt this was necessary as we kept meeting people who said you had to each chips to keep up your salt levels!

Ugg boots, what else would be as good when walking down
into Grand Canyon?

Grand Canyon - The Unforgettable Adventure - by Symi

Last week Mum, Dad and I were going to walk down the Grand Canyon, but first we had to get a permit. We were willing to go down as soon as they would give us one. We rolled up to the Backcountry Office, we asked if we could have a permit for overnight camping in the canyon at Phantom Ranch and Indian Garden. We were able to get one for the next day, so we were all happy. I was excited to experience the mysterious depths of the canyon. We went from Tuesday to Thursday a long journey down the canyon. I was scared but nervous and excited all at the same time.

Early on Tuesday morning we caught the shuttle bus to the South Kaibab Trailhead.  Standing at the top of the canyon we got someone to take a photo for us before we started down the mighty drop. We headed down the trail with our packs on our backs. After a while we stopped for a break at the first rest house, we had some rice crackers and some M&Ms. After that, we headed on back down the trail. On our way down we saw a mule train.

 

When we came to the next rest house, we walked down the trail a little further to find a nice spot for lunch. We found one overlooking the mighty Colorado River and in the sun. For lunch we had sandwiches and snacks. We met a guide while we were having lunch who started to talk to us. By this stage my legs were aching and the bad part was that there was still downhill to go.

After lunch we met some people coming up and they told us that there was a big horned sheep down the trail. We stopped to take some photos of it. It was splendid, but we did feel like it was giving us the evil eye. We were glad to pass it because it was close to the trail. We could see the suspension bridge a way down, at least it wasn’t a long way down.

When we arrived at Phantom Ranch we set up camp and got all the food out of the packs so the critters could not get them. We put all the food in a box and our packs were hung on a high rack. Next we went to a ranger talk at the ranch. It was all about wildlife, she talked about all the animals in the canyon. The ranger showed us some skins and skulls of animals that died, it was an intriguing talk.

When we went back to the Bright Angel Campground I wanted to go to sleep even thought it was only 5:00pm. My legs where so tired it was hard to walk! Next we had dinner, spaghetti bolognaise which was satisfying after a long walk. After that we went to bed. I felt so tired that I went straight to sleep.

The next morning we had oats for breakfast and headed off to Indian Garden. I was happy because it was up hill and my legs would not hurt as much. Today we did not stop for lunch but we had a couple of snacks. We hiked for about two hours up and 4 and a half miles.

 

When we got to Indian Garden we had some lunch and set up camp. All we had for lunch was a cup of soup and crackers with avocado, salami and cheese. After that we hung our bags up again because of the animals. I lay down in the tent while Mum and Dad chatted.

Later Dad and I went out to Plateau Point, it was mainly flat walking out to the overlook. When we got there it was a stunning view. We could see the Colorado River far below us. Someone told us they thought it was the finest view in Grand Canyon.

On our way back we saw a group of mule deer on the side of the path and with its mother there was a fawn. There were 7 of them and we got a lot of photos. I really liked watching them. The plants that they were eating didn’t look appetising. After that we headed to camp, at this moment the sun was setting and it looked lovely. Who should we meet on the trail but Mum. We all walked back and had macaroni and cheese with tuna for dinner and had a good night’s sleep.

We awoke to a sunny day with no clouds and sun. We had breakfast then started up to the rim. Before I knew it I was in front and speeding up the hill. I knew there was going to be a lot of switchbacks. Before long we were all at the 3 mile rest house and we put more weight in my pack. We had a snack and off I went.

Not long after we arrived at the 1.5 mile rest house and I was so tired that I was lagging behind. A little while later I got Dad to get the M&Ms out. I would eat one, then another, then I got to the point where I finished the bag. Close to the top we saw a frozen waterfall and ice.

Finally we got to the top and I was so appreciative I sat on the ground, but then I had to get back up so I could be in the photo. Just as we got to the shuttle bus station a bus arrived so we were all happy. We got to the RV and drove to the showers. After we had a shower we had chips for lunch, yum. We ate the whole packet.

 

Later that day we went to see Grand Canyon - the hidden secrets, IMAX movie. We did this to reward ourselves for our adventure. We all thought this was an easier way to experience the wonders of the Grand Canyon. When we talked about it we realised we were privileged to have experienced the wonders of the Grand Canyon on foot. It was a marvellous experience and impossible to know how big it is if you stay at the top. 

  

Craters of the Moon Idaho

Lava camping

After sliding out of Teton Canyon we made our way west towards Craters of the Moon (COTM) National Monument. The rain continued and it was also a cold day so we decided to plug in for the night at a town called Arco. The most we can say about Arco is on July 17, 1955 it was the first community in the world to be lit by electricity powered by atomic power. It also had a perfectly comfortable RV park for the night and good wifi.

Grand Teton National Park

Coulter Bay

On a wet Thursday morning we headed south for the short drive to Grand Teton NP. There is a considerable drop in elevation on the drive and to our surprise all of a sudden autumn was in full swing. We pulled into the Colter Bay campground and found a spot, thankfully the campgrounds in Grand Teton rarely fill up, unlike it’s northern NP neighbor That afternoon the rain eased enough to allow a walk around the Lakeshore Trail. We enjoyed the stunning autumn colours and ever changing views of the Teton Range of mountains.

Yellowstone National Park

Our first day in Yellowstone was spent visiting the Old Faithful geyser area. We quickly realised that visiting YNP would involve considerable amounts of driving, particularly as two key roads were closed (a joke in Glacier NP is that there are two seasons, winter and

construction) and many campgrounds were shutting, due to shut or were full. The parking lot at Old Faithful is huge, the day we visited was busy enough, we wondered how busy it is in peak season.

The Cubbyhouse Tree

Symi wrote this a long time ago - just found it in draft - not sure why but better post late than never!

This week my family and I went for a walk to Fern Canyon, through the redwoods in the Redwoods National Park. The coastal redwoods can grow up to 350ft or more. On the walk I found a cubbyhouse tree.

Mum and me climbing into the cubby house tree

Me inside the cubby house tree

Glacier National Park: Part 2

Warning – get your coffee now – this is a long post. We loved Glacier NP. It was extremely hard to narrow down the photos to choose.

On a wet Thursday morning we left Whitefish and drove over the continental divide to the Two medicine area of Glacier National Park. We arrived and easily secured a campsite in the wet conditions. It was also cold, the temperature did not go above 10ᵒC for the next two days! The campsite was next to a beautiful lake and mountains, unfortunately the mountain were to stay behind the clouds. After the usual school work, we set off on a short walk to Appistoki Falls. It was nice to get out of the RV and stretch the legs.

Either get wet or cabin fever!

Next morning the weather had not really changed, but we set off again on a ranger led walk to Aster Falls then onto Aster Park. We shouldn’t have worried no one would turn up, we ended up having a group of over

Bear claw marks on the tree

ten. It’s not just the Wallers’ who walk in the rain!

Glacier National Park



Glacier National Park is large and crosses the border into Canada. The Continental Divide runs through the park, as does the Hudson Bay Divide. You could hike to Triple Divide Peak and throw water on the top and it would flow north, west and south. Those with small vehicles are able to drive over the Continental Divide in the park on the spectacular Going to the Sun Road (GTTSR). Those with 29ft RVs have to go around.

We decided to start on the West Glacier side of the park. As we were a little unsure about being able to get a campsite late in the day we spent the night at Whitefish where we were able to get provisions and charge up our electrical items. We left early in the morning and pulled into the Apgar campground before 8am the next morning to a choice of a few campsites. Our neighbours Pat and Alex, who are retired and have put what they own into storage and are travelling around seeing this great country with a tent, very nicely gave us the more level site out of the two they were considering.

Olympic National Park – a rain lover’s paradise

Heading further north into Oregon we had to make a decision on seeing either Olympic National Park or Mount Rainer.

After some reading and talking to other people we decided on Olympic. Before heading there we had a night in Portland. After crossing Portland from south to north and encountering what was pretty much the only real traffic congestion we have seen in months we settled into an RV Park then showered and cleaned up before heading out to dinner with Bruce Felix (a family friend of Fiona’s family for many years) and his wife Audrey. Also there was Jenna his daughter and her fiancé Mike. We had a fantastic evening with them, enjoying to company, the food and Bruce’s wine which was excellent. It was lovely to spend time with a family (and their lovely dog) and we are grateful for their hospitality.

Northern California Redwoods

Replicas of Indian houses at Patrick's Point

The redwoods on the California coast are taller than their inland cousins but with a smaller diameter. The northern Californian coast is a confusion of National and State Parks that contain 45% of the remaining coastal redwoods, 39 000 acres compared with the more than 2 million that existed in 1850. Summer brings the fog which supplies half the water supply that allows the coastal redwoods to survive, a tall redwood requires 500 gallons of water per day!

Yosemite National Park SAR Presentation

When we were at Yosemite National Park we went to a SAR presentation at the Yosemite Theatre. SAR means Search and Rescue. The talk was very interesting with a few scary stories.

The man talked about swift water and how dangerous it is. People drown every year and it is the most common cause of death. Stay out of swift water.

The scariest thing he talked about is how they have to rescue rock climbers off the cliffs from their injuries. They got them out with stretchers and lifted them in to helicopters. It was scary.

When I got back I made a Lego stretcher for all my toys. Now I play rescue games with all my toys. Some of the stories scared me but I learnt lots.