Hiking Hints (Learned the Hard Way)

*Always tell someone where you will be hiking, in case you don't come back!
*Always carry a cell phone. Most areas get cell coverage because many trails go along mountain tops.
*Always have a trail map of the hiking area. Many trails are very poorly marked.
*Don't wander off the trail. There is likely to be poison oak in the brush. Learn to recognize it, but remember it is still active in the winter when all it is a stick.
*Use a walking stick for steep trails. It saves strain on the knees and can double as a weapon if you encounter mountain lions or wild boar. (Which you most likely won't)
*Always take water with you.
*Use sunblock or you will end up looking like a piece of rawhide.
*Keep granola bars or other non-perishable snacks in your pocket or backpack.
*Have a jacket with you that can be tied around your waist in case of chilly weather.
*Ibuprofen is an essential item for your pocket also.
*In cold weather kleenex comes in handy for your nose. It's an essential for women too on long hikes with small bladders.
*A pedometer is a fun item to use so you can brag to your friends about how far you walked!
*Leave enough time so that you will not be caught with the sun setting and you're still out on the trail.
*Avoid walking through tall grass. Ticks love to wait on a stalk of grass and jump on your leg as you pass. Ticks infected with Lyme disease have been found in the Santa Cruz Mountains and other areas of California. Learn to recognize the signs and symptoms of Lyme disease. (A tick remover is a handy device for your backpack.)
*If you do encounter a Mountain Lion, calmly repeat "nice kitty, kitty" while backing away slowly.
*Be careful where you sit and put your hands, especially around sunny rocks. Rattlesnakes like to sunbathe there and will resent your intrusion. (A snake bite kit is another handy item to carry.) By the way, you probably won't die if you get bit by a rattlesnake.
*One of the most important items to carry is Chapstick. Huffing and puffing uphill can really dry out your lips.
*Sucking on hard candy can help with a dry mouth from all that huffing and puffing too.

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Antelope Canyon Walk

Antelope Canyon is a few miles outside of Page, Arizona which is where Lake Powell is. The Canyon is on Navajo property so they manage the area and the canyon can only be seen by going on one of their tours. We drove out on one of their open air trucks and the trip includes a couple of miles on a dirt road. There are no services there--no Visitor's Center, no restrooms and no gift shops, just this canyon. All these pictures were taken with natural light and have not been photo-enhanced. It is one of the most amazing places we've seen.


This is the first thing you see upon entering the canyon. It is a sandstone mountain and this "slot canyon" was cut by flash floods. There is no water anywhere near here except during flash floods. The floor is sand and is exceptionally clean.

Here someone threw some sand up on the ledge and it floated down like a waterfall.

This was taken outside the back end of the canyon. It's 1/4 mile up and 1/4 mile back.


Dan



Cheryl

The back entrance of the canyon


In most of these pictures the light is at the top and they were taken looking upwards.





Just a narrow slit at the top














The front entrance to the canyon

On the vehicle which brought us to the canyon.

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2 comments:

Gail said...

wow!!!! that is incredible. Okay, this is going on my 100 places to see before I do, list.

October 23, 2008 at 10:31 PM
Steve said...

Great shots! We just did this place last week and I can't get enough of it. It was a bigger thrill for us than going to the Grand Canyon, definitely a bucket list type of place to see.

November 2, 2008 at 1:51 PM

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