rhihn
New member
Several parties came through that day, and we appeared to have the premium spot. The cliffs surrounding the site were magnificent (somewhat reminiscent of an “Indiana Jones: Temple of Doom setting!). For entertainment, we were visited by numerous lizards (I’m guessing they were of the “spiney lizard” variety). The lizards made short work of the biting ants in the area, and I’d swear they showed off for Joanne’s camera by doing push-ups! Shade was plentiful under the ledge until about 1:00 PM, when we had to move to the “bathtub” or to various dappled shadings of small trees until the sun set. That evening we were visited by “Zoltan,” a Hungarian engineer living in North Carolina, who was hiking solo. His English was quite good, and we had a lively conversation that ranged from canyon trails to Russian occupation, hiking gear, creationism, museums, opera, Bartok, food dehydration, and politics.
Jan, always pushing himself, wanted to check out Hermit Creek Rapids in the middle of the next day. Jack joined him, not wanting Jan to go alone. After considerable discussion, our (Joanne’s, Lani’s, and Dick’s) plan was to leave at 4:00 PM, take the Tonto Trail over to Hermit Trail, up the Cathedral Stairs, camp at Breezy Point, and reach the rim the next day. Jan and Jack arrived back at the site just as we were preparing to leave – wiped out from his dayhike. Their plan was to have dinner, and “catch up” to us at the Hermit Trail junction, have all of us spend the night there, and head out. The reality was that we proceeded as our trio had planned, and Jan and Jack spent the night and a lazy morning at the junction, and we did not meet up again until up on the rim.
The hike up the “Cathedral Stairs” was a stiff one indeed, but we took our time and enjoyed it. At the top of the “stairs” it was another half mile or so to Breezy Point. Our night on the side of the cliff was a glorious one! Breezy was the operative word, but a gentle one, and the site offered one of the widest vistas of the entire trip, complete with sunset, followed by “in-your-face” constellations. Far from static and dull, the changing colors of the canyon throughout each day are truly kaleidoscopic.
We arose at 4:00 the next morning, in anticipation of a long hike out, trying to beat the sun. We had a few head-scratching moments here and there, as we made our way through a few of the boulder fields, but by and large it was a straightforward hike. Our first “goal” was Santa Maria Springs for a water and rest stop. It is essentially a lean-to with a bench and rocking chair, enclosed by a “natural” barrier of growing tree branches for shade. The “spring” is a small pipe that drips water into a metal trough, about 2 ft. x 4 ft., which is filled with green slime. We filtered (the water was delish), and chatted with a couple that had been camped at Hermit CG near us. Two and a half miles to go (remember that Lani was hiking on a broken toe). I don’t know where they all came from, but it seemed that everyone in the canyon was passing us on the way up! The switchbacks seemed to be more numerous and steeper than they were on the way down. We took our time, yet were mindful of the sun and decreasing shade, not wanting to have a repeat of the first day. We finally made it to the top, and waited a good two hours for Jan and Jack to arrive. Nothing to do but to shower, dress, and wend our way homeward, with a lifetime of memories (too many to have related in this tale), and, we hope, more wiser for the experience.
Dick
Jan, always pushing himself, wanted to check out Hermit Creek Rapids in the middle of the next day. Jack joined him, not wanting Jan to go alone. After considerable discussion, our (Joanne’s, Lani’s, and Dick’s) plan was to leave at 4:00 PM, take the Tonto Trail over to Hermit Trail, up the Cathedral Stairs, camp at Breezy Point, and reach the rim the next day. Jan and Jack arrived back at the site just as we were preparing to leave – wiped out from his dayhike. Their plan was to have dinner, and “catch up” to us at the Hermit Trail junction, have all of us spend the night there, and head out. The reality was that we proceeded as our trio had planned, and Jan and Jack spent the night and a lazy morning at the junction, and we did not meet up again until up on the rim.
The hike up the “Cathedral Stairs” was a stiff one indeed, but we took our time and enjoyed it. At the top of the “stairs” it was another half mile or so to Breezy Point. Our night on the side of the cliff was a glorious one! Breezy was the operative word, but a gentle one, and the site offered one of the widest vistas of the entire trip, complete with sunset, followed by “in-your-face” constellations. Far from static and dull, the changing colors of the canyon throughout each day are truly kaleidoscopic.
We arose at 4:00 the next morning, in anticipation of a long hike out, trying to beat the sun. We had a few head-scratching moments here and there, as we made our way through a few of the boulder fields, but by and large it was a straightforward hike. Our first “goal” was Santa Maria Springs for a water and rest stop. It is essentially a lean-to with a bench and rocking chair, enclosed by a “natural” barrier of growing tree branches for shade. The “spring” is a small pipe that drips water into a metal trough, about 2 ft. x 4 ft., which is filled with green slime. We filtered (the water was delish), and chatted with a couple that had been camped at Hermit CG near us. Two and a half miles to go (remember that Lani was hiking on a broken toe). I don’t know where they all came from, but it seemed that everyone in the canyon was passing us on the way up! The switchbacks seemed to be more numerous and steeper than they were on the way down. We took our time, yet were mindful of the sun and decreasing shade, not wanting to have a repeat of the first day. We finally made it to the top, and waited a good two hours for Jan and Jack to arrive. Nothing to do but to shower, dress, and wend our way homeward, with a lifetime of memories (too many to have related in this tale), and, we hope, more wiser for the experience.
Dick
, that must of been very scary. Did you all figure out it was perhaps dehydration/heat related? 
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