Backpacking out of Havasupai
Saying goodbye is never easy. We found the experience no different when leaving the campground at Havasupai. We rose early to pack our things and begin backpacking out of the canyon before temperatures rose. I found Kumkuat (the honorary name we had given one of the dogs who live here) sleeping outside our tent where he had apparently been all night. Not enjoying our packing he kept trying to distract me lying on top of the tent as I broken it down trying to get me to pet him. He visited everyone while they packed trying to distract them until as we were finishing up he left.
Not eager to leave but concerned about backpacking in the full heat of the sun we set out by 6:30am for the village. The two miles to the village uphill in full sunlight with the packs weighing us down was not an auspicious start to our journey, even though it was cooler this time. We stopped for a short rest on the trail and one last viewing of Havasu Falls, here we were greeted by four sleepy dogs who had chosen the path way as their bed. They took a liking to Alexis became his companions, following him as far as the village. Before we continued on a mule train passed us along the way heading down to pick up their load.
Our last sighting of the Havasupai falls and cascades along the way was a sad and it felt like a final goodbye. As we left this otherworldly place and headed on we knew more adventures were ahead of us but that what we left behind would be sorely missed.
We all struggled through the first two miles of the hike at different paces. Meeting up again at the same village area where we had checked in. A few of our group had stopped to inquire about having mules carry the bags out, but they require 24 hour notice. The general store had frozen Gatorades, other drinks, snacks, and ice cream so we all grabbed a cold treat and continued our trek.
The rest of our journey was a struggle for most of us. Carrying our heavy packs back up out of the canyon. What is easy to forget with the excitement of the journey to Havasu Falls is how the entire path there is either slightly or significantly down hill, and more often than not involved walking on sand or little stones which makes for challenging footing. Leaving as well as having to hike uphill this time had our spirits down a bit. We often split up all moving at our own paces and stopping frequently.
When we started the final ascent, 1.5 miles uphill with switch backs, at this point in midday sun, despite it all we were relieved to be able to see the finish line. We passed frequent travelers and mule trails on this part of the trail.
After our long hike out of the canyon we grabbed snacks from a woman selling chips, candy, drinks, and hot dogs at the top then began the drive to Las Vegas, NV. Vegas was just a stop in our journey to rent a hotel, shower, and eat some real food. Then we would continue on to Zion National Park in Utah.
A Day at Havasu Falls, Fifty Foot Falls, and New Navajo Falls
For our last full day at the Havasupai Reservation we decided not to plan out our day but let it take us where it would. There are many other trails in the area but we wanted more time to enjoy our stay without rushing to try to see everything. In the morning Rachel, Myle, and I set out to explore the two falls we had seen while hiking into the campground.
First we had breakfast with the group at our campsite. The Havasu Creek ran on both sides of our site and we had beautiful views. A small wooden plank lead us across the Creek on one side and on the other we had a picnic table in the water.
Fifty Foot Falls
Then we hiked up, a bit later than was ideal given the sun and heat, toward the first falls we had seen on our hike in, passing Havasu Falls along the way. In many photos you can see the stunning travertine formations all along Havasu Creek.
A major storm a few years ago changed the waterfalls. Two old waterfalls dried and two new waterfalls were made. This includes Fifty Foot Falls and New Navajo Falls (the first you pass on your way down or last you pass on your way out).
New Navajo Falls
After spending a chunk of time photographing and enjoying Fifty Foot Falls we moved on to New Navajo Falls. These falls appear split in two, the middle doesn’t have any water flowing over the travertine formations any longer.
Here I decided to experiment with a quick conceptual photo. We ended up timing our visit to this falls with a group who was watching their friend propose at the same location. My friend Myle was kind enough to model for me and then I also jumped in a took a few with myself as the model.
Havasu Falls and the Sweat Lodge
On the way back towards the campsite we found the guys hanging out by Havasu Falls. We took a quick group photo but were missing Rachel. She had wandered off by herself towards the village and ended up metting back up with us at Havasu Falls. She had been invited to a spiritual ceremony by one of the locals. We all decided to check it out and headed back up towards the Reservation.
Here Roland Manakaja explained a bit about the reservation and the sweat lodge ceremony to us. They invited us each in groups to sit in the sweat lodge for 10-20 minutes; they don’t keep track of time. During this time you are supposed to sweat out all sickness, they sing healing songs in their native tongue. They only sing four refrains, too many is considered asking too much. They also told stories and explained their stories of coming to this location, being invited by god to kill the first buffalo and how to use it well, loosing the animal tongues, and such. They ended by singing more songs of harvest and the sun and moon. Traditionally they would repeat this experience four days in a row, they now usually do it four times in a row the same day. We all took a turn once, thanked them, and headed back to camp for dinner.
A Day Hiking Mooney Falls and Beaver Falls
On our second day at the Havasupai Reservation we planned to do both Mooney Falls and Beaver Falls. We all woke up at a regular hour and ate breakfast. Some had MRE’s of eggs and bacon using a backpacking stove and pot, others had peanut butter and crackers, trail mix, etc. We were quickly joined in the morning by our new dog friend Dusty and another camp dog we decided to call Kumquat. Kumquat got his name because Josh had carried a bag of the fruit in the canyon with him. We all tried it with various reactions, most considering it a strange fruit to chose to carry choice (except I liked it).
Mooney Falls
When hiking down to the campsite from the reservation you pass Havasu Falls, the campground sites then run along Havasu Creek between Havasu and Mooney Falls. To get to Mooney Falls you follow the campground trails to the end and have your first view of the falls from above. The hike is anywhere from a few hundred feet to 3/4 of a mile depending on where you camped. (Note: there are no bathrooms outside the campground)
To get down to the bottom of the falls involves climbs through some old tunnels and down several ladders with chains to help you. It’s a bit of a challenging descent and the later in the day you go people will be traveling both directions and it takes longer to get there.
The view from below looking up the ladders shows you a bit of this descent. The old ladder on the right shows you how this climb would have been even more rickety in the past.
Mooney Falls is the tallest of the 5 major waterfalls on the Havasupai reservation at a 200 ft drop. You could spend an entire day here swimming or hanging in a hammock.
Hiking Havasu Creek to Beaver Falls
We spent a bit of time here but were eager to see Beaver Falls which is about a 3 mile hike from Mooney. The path began up to the left by where we had descended. Marking for the trails don’t exist, they are obvious paths but at times split leading to view points or other areas which can be confusing. The trail to Beaver Falls follows the Havasu Creek much of the way and crosses it 3 times, water shoes proved very useful for these parts if you had good ones.
The trail itself is so beautiful it’s hard not to stop frequently to take photos, enjoy a quiet moment, or a bite to eat.
We stopped for a group photo when we found this small cave in the canyon walls. Here we found a picnic table and began to wonder how picnic tables had been set up along the trail when the descent from Mooney is the only place to begin. We later found out, when speaking to some tribe members, that during flooding some had been moved from their original locations and others taken down by boat.
Here I also paused to take photos of the cascades which are so numerous along the trail. As the water in Havasu Creek flows it deposits minerals with create the travertine rock formations that are so common here, these formations become visible as floods change the stream bed.
From here we crossed the creek again, but this time by pieces of wood and careful stepping instead of wading through.
At one point you enter a sea of green on the canyon floor, you can’t even see the path from above just little heads of people on the trail.
Sometimes you are traveling directly next to the creek, sometimes above the creek, and yet other times crossing over it on wooden planks or wading through. Experiencing the changing environment from different altitudes was awe inspiring. Information about Havasu online will often feature the waterfalls but the journey between these two falls is like nothing else.
Beaver Falls
When we finally reached Beaver Falls, after climbing up rocks and all kinds of ladders we had to climb down a few more to reach the lowest tier of this cascading waterfall. You can swim in all the tiers and find other cascades and tree and plant life around it as well.
While at Beaver Falls we met a ranger from the reservation who checked group bracelets and made sure everyone left the area by 4:30, because of the 3 miles hike back to Mooney Falls where you then have to climb the ladders they want you back with plenty of time before sunset. He shared one story of an injured self proclaimed avid hiker with us:
There is a trail along the canyon wall called the Mesa trail, to get to this trail or get off this trail at Beaver Falls there is a rope to help you down. This woman, either wishing to jump in the water or tired from her hike had decided to let go of the rope. She fell and badly broke her leg. Due to poor weather the helicopter couldn’t get there and she was forced to wait by the falls with a ranger and one friend until the next day to be airlifted out. Each time they have to use the helicopter to bring someone to the hospital it costs the reservation a minimum of $10,000.
While at Beaver Falls the wile squirrels got into our bags to steal trail mix.
Heading Back to Camp
Heading back to Mooney Falls on the trail we eventually realize we must have missed a creek crossing (possibly the one I mentioned before). This doesn’t turn out to be a problem we are just following a different way back. We cross at different points in the Creek and see different parts of it which is fun. A few parts of this trail were a little more over grown but it was easy to follow. We ended up in what we came to believe was Ghost Canyon right before returning to Mooney.
The trail up from here was climbing up some sand stone which is a bit challenging. If my fitbit was correct though this way back was a bit shorter.
We didn’t stop for long once we reached Mooney Falls but quickly ascended the ladders and cave tunnels. Back at the campsite we all began to get comfortable when someone noticed a snake. Not sure what kind it was we made sure it exited our area before making dinner. Later we found out it was a common Kingsnake that will actually eat rattlesnakes.
8/4: Mount Lafayette
I know I know this post is more than a month after I actually took the photos! I've been a bit slow editing them, since I took 1,000... given the amount I took I'm sure you won't be surprised that this post will be longer than most! I thought about making it more than one post, but it's been so long I just want to share!
Picking up from where I left off last time in Acadia, Wednesday 8/3 Alexis, Rachel, Behr and I left Acadia and drove the 5 hours to our campsite in New Hampshire. We grabbed some groceries for grilling and checked into our campsite. We stayed at Lost River Campground, which allows dogs, and it has a small river running along one side and a brook on the other that meet at the end of the campgrounds. It's a very pretty location and several of the campsites are very private and on the water. We spent the day setting up camp, exploring the camp ground, eating, and hanging out by the fire.
The next morning we got up fairly early, ate, and got ready for the day. We made sure to pack lots of water for us and Behr. We each carried a Camelbak with 70L and water bottles. I had 4 large water bottles in my bag as well! We were headed to a parking lot at Franconia State Park to do the 8.9 mile loop that crosses part of the Appalachian Trail and you summit three peaks including Mount Lafayette, the highest peak outside of the Presidential's in New Hampshire at 5,254 feet. The loop is considered very difficult with rock stair cases the entire way up and down and has an elevation gain of 3,900 feet.
We set out for the parking lot at the base of the Mount Lafayette loup and began our hike around 11 am. There is lots of information to be found online about hiking the 8.9 mile loop. We began from the parking lot, 0.2 miles to Falling Waters Trail 2.9 miles (past 3 small waterfalls on Dry Brook) to the first summit, Little Haystack Mountain on the Franconia Ridge piece of the Appalachian Trail. Then summit Mount Lincoln on the way to Mount Lafayette 1.7 miles later. Descending 1.1 miles down Greenleaf Trail to the AMC hut to stop and take a break and finally 3 miles back on Old Bridle Path to the parking lot. Map shown below.
All of this we knew ahead of time. Despite the warnings that the hike is for experienced hikers we committed ourselves to making the full loop. It was am amazing hike and most defiantly is more suited to those who hike regularly. We are all in decent shape and hike mild and shorter hikes fairly often but could have used a bit more experience for this. Before this trip Behr's longest hike was probably 4 miles and didn't have much elevation gain so we weren't sure how he would do. Surprisingly, while very tired, he made it the whole way on his own! The whole hike took us about 8 hours and I wouldn't recommend starting later than we did unless you are an experienced hiker and know what you're doing. I should probably note I obviously took a lot of photos so that made the hike take longer than it might for someone just hiking. We got lucky and it was a beautiful day, if the weather turns bad when are on the ridge, 1.7 miles of the hike that is above the tree line, you are exposed so I would recommend turning back!
Back to the beginning of our hike and some photos. We began from the parking lot right off 93 and walked the 0.2 miles on Old Bridle path that connected us to Falling Waters Trail. This was the last chance to use a bathroom until you reached the AMC hut 5.7 miles later. We quickly made it to Falling Waters Trail with Dry Brook winding along the path, and the path cross over several times.
The many exposed roots and rock stairs cases along the way added natural beauty to the man made path and make the hike more strenuous. Once we reached the first point the path crossed Dry Brook we played a bit in the brook and climbed some wet rock. If I didn't mention it before I highly recommend taking Falling Waters Trail up and NOT down if you are doing the loop, not only is it beautiful but there are wet rocks along the path and finding your footing on the way down would be more difficult.
Along the path we came across the first waterfall and stopped to take some photos and play on a nearby fallen tree that crosses 10-12 feet above the ground by the path.
The natural beauty along the way made it hard not to stop every second for a photo, okay well maybe I actually did come a bit too close to stopping every few seconds! It also made it difficult not to want to stop and just soak it in, but it's a long difficult trail so we kept moving.
We passed another small piece of the brook that looked a bit like a waterfall. The rocks ran down like staircases in this piece of the brook and it seemed like a small three tiered waterfall.
As usual I couldn't help taking many photos of Alexis and Behr, Behr is just such a happy dog.
The altitude and rock staircases started getting to us and we would pause more often to catch our breath and rest with Behr after the last waterfall, but even before that (as you see above) we were steadily climbing rock stair cases and gaining elevation.
The last waterfall along the path is the largest, Bridal Veil Falls. Here we stopped to eat cliff bars and enjoy the view for a bit, but not too long. And as always to take some photos!
While crossing the brook for what I believe was the lasts time, this mini falls caught my eye. The steps in the grey, yellow, orange, white rock covered in patches of green moss passing sprouts of water down a level until the flow on.
Climbing climbing climbing, on past beautiful rock staircases and exposed tree roots.
We couldn't let the beauty deter us from our destination so I'd stop very quickly, often so quickly my photos weren't always in focus, to try to capture the feeling of being there. The warmth of the day, the happy moss growing on the paths, the fungi on the rocks, lucky clovers even sprouting from moss, and the tree tall and strong.
Getting closer to the top we start to see the tree line and some of the mountains around us.
And we finally reached the first summit, Little Haystack Mountain, where a friendly fellow hiker asked if we wanted a photo. Reaching the first summit felt like a relief at this point, the altitude gain and rock stair cases were pretty steep at the end of the Falling Waters Trail. We took a break here and had another small snack and lots of water.
Before we continued on Behr got to meet this adorable little puppy who was making the loop, half walking and half carried, from the other direction headed back down Falling Waters Trail.
When we began onto Franconia Ridge it was really hard to tell along the way when we hit the second peak, the trail slopes up and down regularly across the mountains. We would hit a new part where it seemed we were at a peak and wonder if that one was close to our final destination. The 1.7 miles from peak to peak seemed to take longer than we expected.
Even along the tops of these mountains there were more rock stairs cases, and beautiful views.
We finally made it to Mount Lafayette but didn't linger, it was getting later in the day and we knew we still have 4.1 miles to go!
This ones funny if you can see it, Behr is making this awfully funny sneezy face and Alexis is looking at him laughing. While Rachel is oblivious and taking photos of the view into the valley below.
We tried to make the 1.1 miles to the AMC hut in record time (for us at least) and we're moving fairly quickly down the rock staircases. Above you can even see Behr being silly and trying to more more quickly. At one point I yelled out a warning about a slippery rock. Ironically enough pretty close to that spot Alexis ended up slipping and spraining his ankle. He had to talk the rest of way down with it sprained, irritating it more.
We stopped for a bathroom break and water refills (not that we really needed them at this point, we had enough water still) and sat for a bit outside the AMC lodge as they began their dinner.
Old Bridle Path on the way down was full of exposed rock staircases, rock stair cases and exposed roots, with a path that ran in and out of covered woods.
Once we were back at the car we all lay down on the ground feeling accomplished and very tired. We grabbed some ice cream afterwards and hung out back at camp. Because of Alexis's injury we headed straight home the next day. We'll head back up into the White Mountains this month to check out a few more areas!