Sunday, September 11, 2011

September 2011 - Havasupai Trip

Our trip to Havasupai was amazing!

 We started our trek down into the canyon at 5am. 
 The first 1.5 miles is switch backs - easy going down.  It took us about an hour to hike down the switch backs.  Then another 3 hours to hike the 6.5 miles to Supai Village.  The hike is relatively easy and winds through the canyon.  The pictures below don't show just how colorful and beautiful the canyon is. 
 Matthew and Shannon.


 Stopping to take a break under a tree. 




 The water was an aqua blue. 

 These flowers are everywhere in the canyon. 
 


 Goofing around.


 This is the trail into the Supai Village.   There are two churches, a school, fire house, cafe, and a general store.  The people who live there are friendly and helpful.  We saw lots of dogs and horses running loose around the village. We made it to Supai in under 4 hours from the hilltop.  We stopped at the cafe for breakfast and got settled into our room at the lodge. 
 In the afternoon we went to Havasupai Falls.  Havasupai Falls is a little over 2 miles from the village.  There isn't any shade so the hike can get hot and tiring. 

 Havasupa Falls.
 
 Matthew and Shannon playing in the falls.


 
 

  Brigham took a tumble over the falls pictured below and was scraped up. 






 This is a picture from our room at the lodge.  We were surrounded by canyon walls. 


We thought this rock formation looked like a cowboy sitting on a horse.

 On the second day we headed to Mooney Falls. We passed New Navajo Falls on the way. Probably about 50' tall. People were jumping off it on our way back up.
 
 


 Mooney Falls is one mile from the campground - 3 miles from the village.  The falls are 200 ft high.


 

 We had to climb down 200 ft to the falls. 

 This sign is comforting.
We made it!



 Playing in the falls.



 This is a cave above where Matthew and Shannon were camping. 
 Clean spring drinking water at the campground.
We left the village at 3am on Monday morning.  There were six dogs sitting on our doorstep at the lodge when we left.  They followed us all the way up to the hilltop (a total of 8 miles).  They were very friendly. Brigham named each one.

 We made it to the bottom of the switch backs.
 This sign is at the bottom of the switch backs.  We didn't see it until we were leaving. 
 Resting before our hike up the switch backs.



 Brigham and one of the dogs.  So cute!

 



 
 
The switch backs weren't bad at all.  We made it to the hilltop in about 4.5 hours.  I think hiking in the dark made a big difference.  We were tired and had a few blisters but so glad we made the trip.