HikeArizona.COM

So, I am sure this may be posted somewhere else but I couldn't find it. If you had to hike somewhere for the rest of your life OR you had 4 more hours to spend hiking in your life. (I know I am a nerd....) WHERE IS THE BEST PLACE TO HIKE IS ARIZONA?!
-JANELLE :A1:
*Note added: I have always been to shy to post a topic, however that night I had a little too much wine and decided to go for it. I REALLY thought I had deleted it but apparently not. I was glad to see the responses and I added my favorite place too!

The OP said "the rest of your life OR 4 hours. That's why I said Elves Chasm.

azbackpackr wrote:Yeah, this fanaticism some "hikers" have with doing R-R-R over and over again does make me wonder why they are out there. Is it for pure athleticism and competition? . . . When I ask them what other trails have they hiked in the Canyon they look sort of puzzled. They often don't seem to know much about the other trails' existence!

When I hear them talking, I like to tell them that I can hike R-R-R in 20 minutes at a leisurely stroll and I've "double-doubled" it. It's all about knowing the Canyon and hiking smart. I ask them what other Canyon trail they have hiked and if they don't know any, I don't tell them how I do it. I know that PageRob knows the secret. ;) It's all about choosing the right trail and hiking smart.

I would like some day to hike a Rim-to-Rim down the North Bass & up South Bass, but I'll need to arrange some logistics with a rafting expedition to cross the River.

PageRob wrote:

azbackpackr wrote:Competitiveness is thrust upon us in our public schools and drummed into our heads from kindergarten through retirement age. We are, as a society, totally brainwashed with this idea that to be competitive is somehow important.

It is in our genes; if we weren't competitive and didn't want to go out and hunt/gather, we and our families would starve. I don't think it is a societal construct.

Not just hunting/gathering ... mating too. (Different from hunting cougars in Scottsdale). Its a very natural thing for animals of all types to compete for the best mate. Both males and females go through impressive rituals to determine the mate which will have the best chance at success. Reproduction of your genetic line and the species as a whole is a totally natural process, and they don't teach it to elk and rabbits in public schools.

I personally like to test my own limits. Testing myself against others is irrelevant because there are far too many variables for it to be meaningful. However, I also have seen that trend of people trying to do R2R faster and harder. It's in all of the books and on all of the "right" blogs, etc. It seems like that segment of the hiking community with the mindset to do so have latched on to that particular challenge and are using it as a meter stick. It reminds me of triathletes. If you haven't done "X" then you are lower than dung, etc. The best thing to do is let those people pass and laugh at them and hope that you won't have to rescue them later... ;)

chumley wrote:

PageRob wrote:

azbackpackr wrote:Competitiveness is thrust upon us in our public schools and drummed into our heads from kindergarten through retirement age. We are, as a society, totally brainwashed with this idea that to be competitive is somehow important.

It is in our genes; if we weren't competitive and didn't want to go out and hunt/gather, we and our families would starve. I don't think it is a societal construct.

Not just hunting/gathering ... mating too. (Different from hunting cougars in Scottsdale). Its a very natural thing for animals of all types to compete for the best mate. Both males and females go through impressive rituals to determine the mate which will have the best chance at success. Reproduction of your genetic line and the species as a whole is a totally natural process, and they don't teach it to elk and rabbits in public schools.

I think any female in her right mind that encountered me after a long hike, impressive though it might have been, would be completely disgusted with my appearance, demeanor, and smell!

Jeff MacE wrote:I think any female in her right mind that encountered me after a long hike, impressive though it might have been, would be completely disgusted with my appearance, demeanor, and smell!

ROFL... Same here, I try to get home and clean up with as few females as possible seeing me. Though some days I just don't care and just be one with the dirtiness.

Jeff MacE wrote:I think any female in her right mind that encountered me after a long hike, impressive though it might have been, would be completely disgusted with my appearance, demeanor, and smell!

i can vouch for him folks....he gets pretty rank. problem is, i think i get worse.

You know it's bad when you can't stand the smell of yourself.

Hmmm...remember my comments awhile back about BATHING daily while backpacking? It really is possible! ;)

Someone mentioned Lower Fish Creek. I have to admit, I don't know where YOUR Lower Fish Creek is.

But, near Hannagan Meadow, Lower Fish Creek Trail to the Black River is a great bp trip, and if you see anyone else, it will just be a fluke. Finding the trailhead is very tricky. I will let you figure that out. Another way to do it is to start at Wildcat Crossing and walk upstream along the Black River. After about 6 crossings you get to the confluence with Fish Creek. One more crossing, and a little past Centerfire Creek, and you just might find one of those hidden swimming holes on the river that I've been talking about. It's a long drive, even for me, to go to Wildcat Crossing.

Nick and I turn hikes that should be backpacks into dayhikes

yeah, then we go on the disabled list for months on end... actually i mean....

coincidence, or synchronicity

Jeff MacE wrote:I think any female in her right mind

that, fine sir, is an oxymoron

te-wa wrote:

Jeff MacE wrote:I think any female in her right mind

that, fine sir, is an oxymoron

Oh no, we're in for it, now!!

dysfunction wrote:coincidence, or synchronicity

truth be told, most of my inuries have been on moderate difficulty hikes. none have occurred on a "blow out" hike. that's what makes me mad.

ahhhh the ultimate irony. Yea, I always seem to really hurt myself doing something stupid, things I anticipate might actually be dangerous I'm more careful about.

exactly

This last one happened on Blackett's

Jeff MacE wrote:Nick and I turn hikes that should be backpacks into dayhikes

I tend to do the opposite! I like to camp out there, so even if I only hike in 3 or 4 miles, I would rather stay out there than have to go back to the car!

unfortunately i don't have the time to camp at this point in my life. hence the long dayhikes, but no matter the preference as long as you/we get out there, then life is good.