Tuesday, April 8, 2014

Apr 8 – Hidden Canyon Trail

Yesterday was a shopping day.

Today we did another trail rated “strenuous”. The Hidden Canyon Trail was about a 5 km round trip and around 800 foot vertical. It was also the scariest trail we have ever done.

You start out on the East Rim Trail which eventually climbs 2100 feet to the rim. Part way up you branch off towards Hidden Canyon.

IMG_1010191h

The East rim trail climbs through the notch center left and continues on up..

IMG_1010188H

Hidden canyon is in the notch above, center right.

Off we go up the steep switchbacks from the valley floor. The first section was actually the steepest but nice and wide.

IMG_1009747

IMG_1009785h

Once we branched off we had to climb up a saddle on the steep short switchbacks.

IMG_1009812

IMG_1009827

IMG_1010188Hp

This puts us at the arrow, above. This is the spot we came back to to have lunch later.

IMG_1010119h

IMG_1010143h

From now on the trail gets “interesting”.

IMG_1009867

IMG_1009879

Hang on to the chains.

IMG_1009882h

Some places there were no chains but the trail sort of sloped inwards. It was a long way down.

IMG_1009888h

IMG_1009894h

The view below is from our lunch spot. We are climbing up that slash on the far wall.

IMG_1010077h

IMG_1010098

You go around the end and down a bit into the canyon entrance.

IMG_1010083

IMG_1009903

The entrance looked a bit rough. We thought we would be climbing over trees and boulders.

IMG_1009909h

But it changed into a nice flat, very narrow and tall slot canyon.

IMG_1009933

IMG_1009936h

Some interesting swirls on the wall far above.

IMG_1009939

There were a few rocks to climb over. They were all covered in fine sand so they were quite slippery.

IMG_5065

IMG_1009924

Lots of great erosion to stare at.

IMG_5057

IMG_5054

IMG_5058

We continued until we came to this small arch.

IMG_5070

IMG_1009975

IMG_1009954

Just after the arch it got very tangled so we turned back.

IMG_1009984h

IMG_1010020h

IMG_1010026h

IMG_5067

The sun was shining right down into the canyon so we went back until we found some shade in a place Jennie felt comfortable sitting. First we had to back down the chains.

IMG_1010062h

Our lunch spot, from above in the slash.

IMG_1010071p

We found this nice cool spot with some flat rocks. Jennie people watched.

IMG_1010146h

This was one brave couple. Each one had a baby on their back and holding the hand of another young one.

IMG_5094

I took some picture across the valley from our viewpoint.

IMG_1010125h

IMG_1010161H

Some landmarks from our climb the other day.

IMG_1010161Hp

I just sat on a rock and stared out in the valley for a long time. I was tough to tear myself away.

Down we go.

IMG_1010143h

Once we were down, we again were tired but not completely worn out. A good but very scary day for Jennie.

1 comment:

  1. That's quite the hike! You must be getting super fit with these daily hikes! We're just 7 hours south of you right now - wish we could join you!! :-)

    ReplyDelete