Anyone interested in Hiking Havasu Falls?

[vw_outfitted]

Is anyone interested in Hiking to Havasu Falls area? It's my first trip there and I heard once it's one of the most beautiful places. Also, any feedback on this hike is appreciated. I enjoy semi-long trips and I scouted a potential route of 34 miles which I anticipate could be covered over 2.5 days comfortably.

The dates I plan are from March 13 through early March 15, 2008. There's the helecopter flight out option of $85 on Friday, however, it doesn't run on Saturday.

Potential itinerary: 1) hike to the campground just outside of Supai Village (10 mi.), 2) - hike to/from the Colorado "river" (appox. 14 mi. r/t), 3) Hike out Hilltop trail head and parking (10 mi.). Should be great fun and exercise too! Any takers? The more the merrier! - vince

[azbackpackr]

Vince, most folks here have already done this trip a few times. It is fun, and I would do it again, but can't this time, thanks. I would, however, recommend very much if you are going to hike to the Colorado River that you add one night to your itinerary. So, the first day you would hike to the campground, set up camp and explore a little (if you started early enough.)

The second day you can hike to the Colorado River. You need to start hiking at about 7 a.m. or earlier. It will take all day. When you get down to a place where there is a date palm and a rope to climb up you must climb up that rope or you will not get to the river, at least, not that day! If you are a good scrambler it's not difficult. This rope will be on the right side. If when you are hiking to the river you see a cairn that shows you should go up and walk along a ledge, then you need to go up there! Don't try to follow the creekbed the entire way. The cairns will mark the places to go up. For some people though, just getting down the ladders at Mooney Falls stops them! Mooney Falls is at the end of the campground area. I find these ladders to be quite easy, but then, I am not very afraid of heights. Anyway, you need to be aware that below Mooney Falls the trail is just a rough route, not a real trail. So watching for cairns as you go is important, but keep in mind that some people build cairns in places they shouldn't, or to mark the routes to Beaver Falls or side canyons. Usually though, there will be a cairn, and you'll see a rough trail up to a ledge above. You go up there, you'll usually find a beaten path. You follow that, eventually there will be another cairn, you need to go back down to the creek level again.

You will be crossing Havasu Creek 24 times during the round-trip hike from campground to Colorado River. It will be from knee to thigh deep, and in March it will be a tad chilly. You will need to bring some sort of shoes just for this part of your hike. I wear Teva sandals with heavy wool socks and wrap my toes with adhesive tape to prevent sand chafing. Others do it in sandals without socks but I think most people wear either old sneakers or trail shoes. Whatever you wear, bring some coach's tape or duct tape to tape your feet if sand starts getting in there and chafing. Something like duct tape works well because it will continue to stick even under those conditions. I find that the heavy wool socks help as well, although they get very squishy. I see most people are wearing socks who wear sneakers, too.

Anyway, then your third day you can swim everywhere. You can swim in the chain of pools below Mooney Falls, and explore the side canyons there. There usually is a rope tied to a tree along the creek below Mooney, where there are a lot of pools. You can swim at Havasu Falls and Navajo Falls, also. Navajo Falls doesn't get many swimmers, but it's a pretty neat big pool. The water temperature doesn't change a lot during the year, but in March, as I said, it will be a bit chilly, but still swimmable.

Then you can hike out early on your last morning. If you are too tired to hike out, keep in mind that the helicopter does not run every day. I don't know what kind of training you can do in Florida for this hike. Stair climbers at the gym? Miles and miles of running? What kinds of training are you doing right now? If you are already a super-fit cyclist or runner, then I'd just add using the stair climber at the gym or running stairs in a building, but you'd have to do it every day.

[vw_outfitted]

azbackpackr, thanks for the detailed description - the feedback will be considered thoroughly while planning the trip. i've gotten a lot feedback on this hike but none as descriptive and although i'm committed i realize the importance of preparation in overcoming the challenge - it would be great to recruit others who have done this on my first attempt but i'm pretty resourceful too. Too bad you couldn't make it though you're definitely knowledgable on the hike.

It's pretty aggressive and i gauged the time allocations and distances on a recent (late Dec.) hike i did in the smokeys (loop trail through la conte lodge) elevation gain of approx 3,500 ft. - the first half was cold (28 degrees) and wet. I run and plan on adding stairs (we flatlanders here in fl sometimes have to rely on the buildings for training - i've got access to the gym too but your response gave me a reality check and i'll need to step this up). also, your advice on following cairns is appreciated as I can see how one might have a tendency to follow the creek at points of uncertainty. The expaination on creek crossings and preparation techniques was also well received.

also, and i'm not deterred by this, i heard various reports on assaults and theft by locals there and an equal set of comments rebutting it. My opinion on that is that risks are taken simply just walking out of your front door and I'm confident I'll handle whatever's presented.

thanks again, vince

[azbackpackr]

Trouble can happen with tribal members, but most of us have not had any problems. Do not take their photos without their permission. Some of them are pretty nice and friendly, others very sullen. There will be other visitors around, so if you do feel uncomfortable then by all means ask another group if they mind if you hike along with them.

You might want to have a meal at the restaurant in Supai Village (Indian tacos big enough for two to share) and observe the very interesting village life while sitting out on the large porch. Feed leftovers to the dogs! I don't recommend walking outside the main part of the village, except on the trail that leads to Havasu Falls and campground. Going on the side streets is NOT recommended, unless you are invited. And you won't be invited, so not to worry. You can go inside of the very interesting Quonset hut church--we were made to feel welcome there when we went exploring one time. Also there is a Mormon church, but it is a newer building, so not as interesting or historic. You can also go into the two stores, hotel and restaurant--that is about it. The very first store you get to, on the left--the people who run that store have always been the friendliest I've encountered in the village.

Also bear in mind this is not a pristine wilderness setting. It is a bit more akin to visiting a Third World country! You will see trash, graffiti, drunks, sometimes sick-looking dogs, skinny horses with bad feet loaded with huge packsaddles and other unpleasant things. However, usually the villagers don't go to the campground. I have heard of very occasional thefts at the campground recently, but never knew if they were by other campers or villagers. The campground is very large. You can find places where there is a little bridge across the creek and go over there, slightly more private. You can camp all the way down to the head of Mooney Falls, so by all means you'll want to walk on down a ways once you have arrived at the campground. The restrooms stink, so don't camp too close. The drinking water is in only one place, at the springhouse. Water coming directly out of the building is over-treated with chlorine, and stinks like a swimming pool. Better to take water coming directly out of a pipe in the cliff behind the springhouse--you can treat or filter this if you want to, and it tastes very good. I have drunk it directly many times, but would not advise someone else to do the same. (I'm a tough old bird.)

So what you do is, you try to get there by 3 p.m. or so, you set up your camp, you go get your water supply, (take a collapsible container along, this helps). Then after you are all set up, you change into your Tevas and go exploring. You have already passed by Havasu Falls on your way to the campground, so take a walk down to Mooney Falls at the lower end of the campground. You can stand on the cliff and look down first, and then see if you are brave enough for those ladders. Please FACE the CLIFF when climbing down the rebar ladders! Thanks. I just about get a heart attack every time I see people trying to go down them with their backs to the cliff!