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Havasupai
Havasupai is one of the more unique places I have ever been to. In the bottom of the Grand Canyon lies the Supai indian village along side these magnificent waterfalls and the most gorgeous blue/green waters. I was a virgin going on this trip with two of my best girlfriends Katy and Bessie and Katy’s brother Randy who is an avid hiker! This is an intense hike! We arrived at the “Hilltop” around 11:30pm the night before hiking into the canyon where we unloaded our condensed packs and made beds in the car to get some sleep before waking up at sunrise (about 5am) to start our 10mile hike. Yes 10miles! 2miles of reverse switch backs to get to the bottom and then hike about 6miles to the Supai village where you then have another 2mile hike to the actual campgrounds. The Supai village is the only zone where there is a tiny bit of cell service (I have Verizon)and wifi, a pony express post office, a little grocery market, a restaurant, and a lodge. Once getting a cold water and post cards to write while camping you continue on to the campsites. You finally come upon Havasupai falls! This huge waterfall is such a sight for sore eyes or should I say feet, when you see it you know you’ve made it and you finally get to witness the magic of this powerful waterfall in front of you. It really is breathtaking. I stood there and stared, took 800 pictures, and took a deep breath just happy to have made it there.
After walking around the campsites up and down the river trying to find a camp area large enough for our 25person group we finally found our zone. By this time it was going on 11AM and we knew we still had a few hours give or take until are bags, tent, and other goodies got down the canyon on the pack mules. Which once the mules get there you have to go fetch your bags with a wheel-barrel, sorry to break it to ya that they don't deliver to you at your campsite, this is a trip that requires putting in some work. Once you get your bags its all about setting up camp and getting the lay out right so the positive zen keeps flowing the whole time you're down there camping, sleeping on the ground, bathing in the river, eating dehydrated food, and hiking your ass off everyday. As much as that does not sound appealing it is! It is awesome and makes you feel like you can go on an episode of “Naked and Afraid” although it also makes you realize what you do and do not love about nature. For me I LOVE nature but I don’t necessarily love everything that comes along with nature such has alligator lizards, misquotes, certain types of dirt, fish in a river or lake while I'm swimming in it, blisters from hiking, and allergies. But my list of things I love about nature far out weigh my dislikes so I make the sacrifices pretty often.
Through out my time at Havasupai I hiked about 56miles all together over a 4 day period. I think thats pretty good! Hiking down Mooney Falls was mind blowing! When I say down I mean you are climbing down the side of a cliff through tunnels with chain railings that they have drove into the rock for you to hold on to while you shimmy down the 100 or so feet to the bottom, theres a couple funky homemade wood ladders to help you also. Its also slipper as shit because the huge waterfall you are next to has insane off spray. No big deal! I’m usually the friend talking my other girl friends into doing something a little more adventurous or risky but sense I was the virgin on this trip I could not have been more thankful Katy and Bessie were there to sandwich me with support and guidance going down because I for sure had my panties in a bunch climbing down. Its silly situations like that where you know you can do something but you second guess yourself and then have friends there with you to reassure you that you are capable that makes you appreciate certain people you surround yourself with and makes you remember thats why you have them in your life. Traveling with friends is always a test. I judge people in my life off of traveling with them. So shout out to my babes Katy and Bessie for taking me on this trip Ryan for organizing it and being so positive and my babes for supporting me! Love you! Once you are at the bottom and you look up at how bitchin Mooney is you realize just how worth it it is to always face your fears no matter how big or small.
So once you get down Mooney you hike a little over 3miles to Beaver Falls. O and thats the only way up or down Mooney PS! The hike to Beaver feels like you are hiking through what I imagine is Vietnam jungles, its really cool! Once you get to Beaver you just cant wait to jump off! Beaver is 2 smaller waterfalls with pools you can swim in and theres a cave under one of the falls you can swim into! The water is the clearest ever.
Some of our group continued on hiking to another big waterfall and then to the Colorado River and then myself and some others went back to camp. I’m a little bummed I didn't go all the way to the Colorado because who knows when I will go back but the blisters I received from the first day of hiking was stupid and I was terrified to hike back out the following day to go home. Yes hike back out. During the time I was there it was so freaking hot the Supai indians “park ranger” was handing out heat warning flyers telling people that if they were leaving the next day that they needed to start at 4AM so they could bet the heat out aka beat the sun.
Our last night everyone made every single dehydrated bag of food we had and shared it all it was a feast and so delicious! tried to get some rest before it was time to pack up camp in the middle of the night, thank God for whoever invented headlamps, and start hiking out. It was actually really interesting to see everyone hiking out in the dark with their headlamps showing how much damn dust was being stirred up, the dirt is like silt which sucks, it was kind of like watching the beginning of a movie where you don't know if its a horror, mystery, or adventure.
Through out my hike out I hiked with Katy, I hiked with some strangers, and I hiked alone. Hiking alone not knowing how far I’ve gone or how far I have to go is a mind game. The talks I had with myself were special and goofy for my soul. I went through ups and downs, the struggle of “cool this is it, I’m lost, I’m not going to make it, I'm tiered, someone will find me if I just lay here they’ll realize I didn't make it sooner or later and send the search team.” and then the over baring sense of positivity “I’ve got this, ya right I would never be the chick on the trip who needed search and rescue, I’ve gotta be almost there I know it, I remember this rock, I cant wait to get pizza once I’m back in the real world, I have to go fast I cant let anyone pass me.” Somewhere in the middle of my banter with myself I hear my name. Its Bessie and Randy! Jolly as can be! It was fabulous to see them and have people to hike with again! They told me when they first saw me and called my name I was looking around like a lost dog who hadn't heard their name before. Thats kinda how I felt. Last 2 miles! The switch backs. This whole time the hike back out has been bearable it had been a gradual slight incline. This is now up hill! For some reason I would rather kill it and hike up hill in a more strenuous state in a shorter amount of time than drag it out on flat miles so I loved this part! Not to mention the cheering squad at the top waiting for you! Once at the top its refreshing to know you made it! Made it through a trip that tests you on all levels and makes you appreciate so many things about our normal day to day life. I’m so happy I went on this trip!
Till I make it down the rabbit hole to Havasupai again I'll just be dreaming of your magic water.
xo
Ty