Cool, Spoke!

Thanks for the report! I love to read about hiking adventures!

I was in Arizona last month and hiked Mt. Humphrey's one day and Hermit Trail (in the Canyon) the next day. Our plan was to hike this trail and connect with Bright Angel and hike out that way (I think it would have been around 28 miles) but after 5 hours of slogging in the cold and rain, we turned back. Oh well, at least we got in a good 8 hours of hiking and plenty of adventure. In some spots the trail crosses fields of boulders and you have to follow the cairns and somehow we got off several times and one time we ended up very far below the actual trail and way to close to a drop off for my comfort. I am also afraid of heights and now I can add slippery rocks and muddy slopes to that list!

This was the first time on this trail. I usually hike rim-to-rim (sleep on the North Rim) and rim-to-rim back the next day with friends from Phoenix. We are going again in May. I have never tried backpacking, but I'm sure that would be great too.

You are very fortunate to be living in Flagg. When I lived in Scottsdale we would hike up and around Camelback several times on the weekends to prepare for the Canyon. Now I have no hills to climb and spend way too much time on the moving stairs for preperation, but it can't prepare the body for the steep descents!