Hiking information, maps and tips for the gorge and confluence
New Infographic Every known way to reach the Confluence on foot. There are six. Two are suicidal. Two would require resupply or making at least 1-2 multiday supply cache runs just to be survivable. The remaining two (Salt, Horse) I have tried. It’s inhospitable territory. Helps if you have some local friends to shuttle vehicles. … Read moreEvery Overland Route to the Confluence
[tg_youtube width=”1903″ height=”775″ video_id=”qb_gHhV-_co”] I’ve been thinking a lot about past canyon explorations recently and have been talking with a few of my trip veterans. I wouldn’t say we’re making plans, at this point, but there’s definitely chatter. One of those conversations prompted me to look for an old, obscure trip report I remembered seeing … Read moreCustom Google Earth Flyovers
Hike Details Friday, September 1st, 2017 I came across this trail while studying Hikernut’s Canyon Lands Companion on the flight down to Phoenix. The book was a “shelf-warming” gift for our friends who recently purchased a getaway home in Sedona. The author of the book describes 60+ hikes in the book, but only twelve are … Read moreWest Fork Trail Hike – Oak Creek
Monday Honestly, I cannot remember much of what I did last week in great detail. I know the main focuses were work, preparing the condo for the arrival of Lauren’s mother, and packing for our trip. I finally cancelled our subscription to Sun Basket, and sent the newly-arrived draft of our wedding video out to … Read moreWeekly Recap – Final Cleanup, Sedona Trip
Thoughts It was magical. Totality may have only lasted two minutes, but Lauren and I agreed — it was one of the most exciting, unique and interesting things we’ve ever seen. Seeing the eclipse at 99% was marvelous. Witnessing it at 100% was unfathomable. Humans caught in the path of these things before the advent … Read moreWe Saw the Eclipse!
Heading to Bull of the Woods instead of the Three Pyramids area — I agonized all day over it but the nearby Whitewater fire had an uptick in activity and smoke volume yesterday. I don’t want to get hazed out, so rolling the dice on something a bit closer to the fire, but upwind of … Read moreChange of Plans
The plan to view and photograph the 2017 total eclipse has shifted considerably over the past few weeks, but my general outline is to get up around 2:00-3:00am on Monday, take the bike down to the Three Pyramids Trailhead, hike in, hopefully reaching one of the pyramid summits an hour or two before things really … Read moreEclipse Plans
75 miles from the nearest town and notoriously difficult to find lies a faint route into Little Colorado Canyon known only as “Horse Trail.” We’ve been there a few times, and even the local Navajo are surprised to hear such a trail exists. It’s not well-traveled, but it’s the easiest way into the Little Colorado … Read moreHorse Trail