Willow Valley-West Clear Creek Thru Hike

[berkforbes]

After doing the Royal Arch Route i feel like i should be doing much bigger, better trips and hikes to satisfy my hunger for adventure. That being said i have always wanted to do a west clear creek thru hike. i found a good write up on herehttp://hikearizona.com/decoder.php?ZTN=938 and i want to bang this out this summer, sometime in june i think would be best. Only problem is im not even going to think about doing this alone. Its at least a 6-7 day trip averaging about 6-8 miles per day and requires some serious canyon/outdoor know-how to accomplish. Not to mention those 6-8 miles per day will be some of the hardest fought miles you can conjure up. If anyone is also willing to subject themselves to this trip sometime in mid-late june let me know and we can start to plan the specifics out. Serious takers only, i would strongly recommend reading the write up from the link i posted as well as the epic triplog attached to it. Hopefully we can get maybe 2-4 people who want to join and explore some of the most remote and rugged country in Arizona.

[nonot]

@ Joe,
@Berkforbes, I think I already sent you a PM

[sarichter]

might be up for part of it myself

[hikeaz]

The trip report is very thorough and well-written.

As a 3x veteran of this hike I'd suggest a few things... (some are also in the T.R.)
1) a rubber boundary bag for all your gear on about a 12' tether with biners at either end for quick connect/disconnect- use the tether as a leash on all of the swims and when you'll be 'walking the dog' as we called it, pulling your pack along behind you in the shallow sections.
2) keep a fleece and warm hat handy on the top of your pack - you WILL get hypothermic from time-to-time from the swims - use these at any rest stops.
3) As your body will constantly be cranking out the BTU's, I'd suggest at least 30% more food than you'd take on a 'regular' backpack - (for corroboration ask Pete Fredricks, who I came across eating coffee creamer as a last resort on our Tonto Creek forray )
4) below the power lines the potential camps are pretty small and few-and-far-between - hammocks will work in most areas, but I'd recommend against a tent for the weight/space issues.
5) A hiking stick (again, with a biner) can be helpful for balance.

Going lightweight will be critical to your enjoyment of this hike. It's a wonderful hike - enjoy & be safe.

[berkforbes]

Nonot, i dont think we could come close to finishing this in that short of time, at least not in an enjoyable manner..
Stefan, ill pm you more info as it come..
Kurt, thanks for the advice and tips, much appreciated!


Looks like more people would rather just do sections of the hike with me.. Maybe i will just plan it around that and set up meet up places and times to do so.. My only concern is being injured alone at the bottom of the canyon and noone expecting me for several more days after, if i met up with a different person or groups along the way id feel a lot better about this, as would my family im sure! if i dont make it to a meetup point you will know something is seriously wrong..

[PLC92084]

I've crossed the biggest hurdle/obstacle to actually going on this trip... The Wife

The dates you've outlined are fine; don't anticipate any problems with time-off from work. Assuming no other barriers, I'm up for the entire route. PM with any questions or plans...

[nonot]

I think you're overestimating the difficulty, there is fairly good trail through 50% of the canyon

[PLC92084]

Nonot, you sound like a man of experience with regards to this hike... We'd sure like your company if you can make it.

[berkforbes]

I always make things seem harder in my head before i take them on, seems to lessen the pain once im there, id also like to spend as much time as possible in the canyon, im in no rush to finish this trip.

[PLC92084]

im in no rush to finish this trip

I'll remind you of that when we're feeling like drowned rats...

[berkforbes]

Ill take that feeling over how i feel sitting in this cubicle anyday..

[nonot]

I may join part of it, though I probably can't get more than a few days off in a row.

[berkforbes]

Dates have been updated. Enter the 25th, exit the 3rd. Anyone want to meet us somewhere between bullpen and the turnaround spot on the 3rd and drive us back to Phoenix?

[FreespiritAZ]

Well Crud. I can't do it now that the dates have changed. Too bad, I just bought my very first backpack, and have my sleeping pad and bag in order. Still shopping for my hammock. Ah well, another trip I suppose...I will be headed to Sunny San Diego for the 4th of July while you guys are still out on the trail

[dabreeze]

i'd read up on everything you can about this particular hike. I've been researching a much shorter version of the thru hike for a number of years & i've spent quite a bit of time in West Clear Creek via most of the access trails.

this is one hike that is consistantly underestimated for its difficulty and arduous nature. scott parrish & azoutdoorsman and some others have posted on here & you might try searching for those threads. you might think about scaling down your plans to a more doable 4-5 miles per day and maybe cut some of the top part out and access via 142 below tramway or even at maxwell or cash tank.

i've never heard anyone come out of this one saying it wasn't the toughest ever, scratched, bleeding, tired but astounded at the beauty and isolation.

proper equipment will make a huge difference. don't just guess at water shoes; get good ones and get 'em worked in. 5/10 makes great shoes (the canyoneer or the savant) and you'd be advised to follow the threads as to the advisability of having some sort of flotation aid & waterproof packs (seal boundary packs have been bullet-proof & i carry very expensive camera gear in them so they have to work). you'll experience dozens of wall-to-wall swimmers, some up to hundreds of yards in length.

also, have a very good idea of where your bailout points are and have your peeps well aware of when you're due at bull pen. at least 10 miles of this hike is totally isolated, with no bailouts whatsoever. plus, june/july is prime rattlesnake season and you'll be sure to see a few in the supai sandstone section (from the red boxes down to bull pen). i've seen at least one on every day hike in the summer. just something to think about. bugs too, can be a major pain.

not trying to be an alarmist here. just remember that forewarned is forearmed and you're always better safe than sorry. that said, you guys are young bucks, just don't get in over your head. good luck, it's one beautiful place . . .

[joebartels]

@dabreeze Derek if you keep posting every five years you're going to wear that keyboard out!

Berk is pretty hard core (as long as he gets his beauty sleep ;) )

If I can scrounge up a hammock and boundary bag I hope to make the trip

[hikeaz]

If I can scrounge up a hammock and boundary bag I hope to make the trip

Joe,
I'll call 1/2 your bluff & loan you a boundary bag for the trip. (It's even a 2x veteran of this trip, almost better than a GPS - the BAG knows the way) ;)

[joebartels]

Nice, I'll treat it like a baby! Hopefully you've never seen the face of my GPS, my bent Leki's or my torn up shoes

I'm only a hammock away

[hikeaz]

To whet your whistle........

[berkforbes]

Joe, i might be able to come up with a hammock for ya.. You would round this trip out nicely, for sure.. Ill let ya know.

[PLC92084]

Oh, sure, Berk! You didn't offer me a hammock... Must be cuz you know I'm tough and can sleep anywhere?

BTW... I will find a way around that little problem we were discussing...