Jen and I recently completed our 3rd hike together at the Grand Canyon. It was the Bright Angel Trail that we only hiked down 1.75 miles, and 1,000 feet descent via switchbacks. After 3.5 miles, with 2,000 feet in elevation loss/gain, we were gassed. Literally, not conditioned for that.
Reminded me of our first hike together.
Horton [Hears A Who!] Creek Trail
August 18, 2024 – After dropping of the Camp Wilde Staff at oh-dark-thirty, we planned to watch the sunrise at the Horton Creek Trailhead before we hike it. We anticipated the triple digit weather to get the best of us. So we loaded up with water, hiking gear, and oh, more water.
Since Geocaching is “hiking with intent”, I suggested I could grab, or we could find nearby geocaches while on the trail. Jen was receptive to this idea, as long as we were together. [Cue the awww here] The sunrise happened behind some mountainous clouds, which was disappointing. The TH was down the road a grip, so I suggested we find the geocache near to the parking lot and in the opposite direction …
Cache Guardian
Geocachers generally joke if there’s a cache guardian; an object, animal, plant or insect, by the geocache. Jen was amped, so she started off down the trail. I was reviewing the online information about the cache in my phone. She’s about 20 feet or so in front of me, but I noticed (more like smelled) a ginormous feces pie adjacent to the trail.
I thought, “That’s odd. Maybe there’s free range cows in these mountains.”
Jen stopped abruptly. I approach, and stopped too. Over her shoulder, I see the REASON why she stopped. A sleeping orange and white BULL! We muttered, “What the fawk” as we backed up slowly. Then the bull stirred, turned it’s head, and placed one hoof down to brace itself.
SHIT. WE OUT!
I maneuvered Jen in front of me, so now I’m between the bull and her. We hurried out to the parking lot. At least we can seek shelter behind other vehicles or the Millennium Subaru. She joked, “Was that on your August 2024 Bingo Card?” Um, no. HELL NO.
Time to take a hike …
We hiked, and did that trail talk that we all do. I asked Jen to stop an embarrassingly amount of times. We found a couple of geocaches along the way. We manage to lumber up to the Horton Creek Falls. And there was the farthest geocache to be found around here. Besides, it was heating up to 100 plus, and we were running out of water.
(By the time we returned, the bull wasn’t there anymore, we didn’t have photos or video, and no one saw it either after we asked about it)
Tonto Natural Bridge
September 7, 2024 – Jen was visiting once again, so she was up for another hike with me. The suggestion from my manager at Costco, and my House Boss was: Tonto Natural Bridge in Pine, AZ.
Of course, I earmarked two Geocaches to chase down while we were there at the Tonto Natural Bridge State Park! Both were containerless, and online questions needed to be answered to receive “find credit” (I usually submit a selfie to prove I was there, doing the work): A Virtual, and an EarthCache.
The Virtual was at the Gowan Trailhead (TH) so we decided to start there, hike down to the Observation Deck, and re-evaluate from there. We loved it! We saw our options to return: Anna Mae, Pine Creek, or simply turn around.
We chose Pine Creek Trail to eventually pop up to the Waterfall TH to continue our hiking fun. The temperature forecast was 100 plus degrees Fahrenheit, so we wanted to start early, and be done by 10 am.
We had plenty of water for the .4 mile rock scramble. Our pace was slow due to the boulders, and having to figure out if we were still on the “trail”, per se. Hours later we arrived at the end of the Pine Creek Trail, which led us to the Waterfall Trail that we saw from below in the canyon.
After some obligatory photos, we wandered into the Gift Shop.
Pine, Arizona didn’t have much of food offerings, but the restaurant we picked just didn’t satisfy our hunger but our beer thirst was.
Another successful hiking trip, though!
Bright-Eyed, And Bushy Tailed
December 28, 2024 – We journeyed north to the Grand Canyon area, and overnighted in Williams, AZ. I explained that there are several containerless Geocaches to be found: Virtual, and EarthCaches at the Grand Canyon.
One additional type that works in conjunction with Geocaching, Adventure Lab Caches.
Since it’s the Grand Canyon National Park, no physical containers are permitted to be hidden. On the first “day” (only had hours), we chased down the multi-staged EarthCache and regrettably forgot about the Adventure Lab Cache was that parallel to it!
Afterwards, we watched the sunset despite the whipping cold wind. We retreated to our Williams, AZ hotel for the night. The purchased pass duration is 7-days, but we wanted an early morning start for our hiking.
I asked Super Jen, “Aiight, there’s an Adventure Lab Cache at the Grand Canyon Village which is mostly level, or the Virtual that’s about a 1,000 foot descent into the Grand Canyon.”
A trail guide overheard our conversation, and my snarky remarks, so he laughed. Super JW decided on the hike to/from then if we had the energy, the AL. Our intended stopping point was a 1.75 mile one-way, 1,000 foot elevation change was an hour through the foot traffic, and switchbacks on the Bright Angel Trail.
We took the necessary photos at the Mile-And-A-Half Resthouse and Bathroom Facilities. The return trip kicked my ass. Super Jen was practically a mountain goat for her ability to clamor out of the canyon at her pace. I was embarrassingly slow, taking as many rest stops as necessary (in my mind) I seem to have a sensitivity to altitude sickness.
Altitude sickness, also known as mountain sickness, is a temporary condition that occurs when a person ascends to a high altitude too quickly. It is caused by the body’s inability to adapt to the reduced oxygen levels at higher altitudes.
~ Google Search
I managed to hike myself outta there, though. After we raided the local shop for sustenance, we had just enough energy to walk through the Adventure Lab Cache. When we were driving out of the park, there was a 3-mile long back up to enter at 1 pm!
I dunno what Arizonian hikes call to us in 2025 but I bet there’s a few in our future.
los, Fil-Am Renaissance Man 