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| Hiking | 4.60 Miles |
815 AEG |
| | Hiking | 4.60 Miles | 2 Hrs 29 Mns | | 1.99 mph |
| 815 ft AEG | 10 Mns Break | 7 LBS Pack | | |
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| partners | | We planned on doing this short hike the last day of our trip in May but after a week of 12-mile hikes we were too tired and said, oh well, next time. Well, it's the last day again, only this time we had broken up our week mixing it with long hikes, short hikes and mountain biking so it was time to git 'er done!
Only one problem... last trip we had the Cherokee which would easily have gotten us to the rim trail-head, but due to a bad oil leak at the last moment we took the Honda Fit. So... let's see how far along Cigarette Springs Road we could get with the Fit, a vehicle low enough to knock over a standing pack of cigarettes.
Well, nothing to do but give it a shot and see. Thankfully due to the government shutdown the road hadn't been traveled much since it was graded after the last heavy rains so we were able to drive the 6.2 miles to the spur road. For the most part it was smooth silty sand except for a few very rocky spots where we had pick our path carefully, crawling past them. When we reached the spur road it was quite obvious we weren't going any farther so parked the Fit there.
Since we're starting at the spur road we'll have an extra 1.6 miles round-trip so we kept a fast pace along the very rough road. At the trail-head we weren't sure exactly where to begin. Although there are two trails, one down to Seven Kivas and one along the rim to The Citadel, there were no signs for either trail. With a number of folks camping nearby, there were footprints going in all directions and who knows which lead to the trail. I'd drawn a very rough route on the GPS so just started walking in the general direction of the rim. Within moments we found some cairns leading downward and so we began the descent. Some parts were obstructed by either boulders or brush and it wasn't very obvious where we were going next. And of course there were a number of creative trails which ended at dead-ends so we had to be vigilant. But of course all we had to do is descend to the canyon floor so whichever way one took, you'd eventually get there.
Once on the canyon floor we turned right and followed the winding canyon to the ruins. This part was quite easy, even with a few pools of water to skirt around. At just under 1.5 miles as you approach a wide curve to the right, look straight ahead and up slightly and there are the ruins. At first glance it seems like the ruins are completely ruined. Of course being kivas they don't stick up above the ground so you had to look closer.
While two of the kivas are more-or-less intact, from photos I'd seen in the past I felt a bit of a let-down. I must have been spoiled by the number of the extensive, more intact ruin sites we've visited in the last year. Ok, take the photos... we started late, added the extra 1.6 miles, it's time to head back and hit the road home.
Although it is a steep climb, it felt much easier on the ascent, partly because we had already come this way and since it was dry, we took the optional route up the slick-rock in a few spots, saving time and effort. About halfway up we encountered a Dad with a girl and boy, maybe 7 & 9 years old. They seemed to be having a tough time... Dad wasn't in best shape and was helping the girl over the obstacles. He asked us is this the Citadel Trail? to which we replied it was not, but rather the Seven Kivas Trail. At that, the boy got pretty irate. He wanted to see the Citadel! At that point we parted ways and continued climbing while they kept going down. Good luck!
A few minutes later we looked back down and saw the three well of the trail and near a dead-end drop off a boulder. Oh well, it's not our job to save everyone from themselves.
On the last part of the climb we saw the back of a pickup sticking out over the rim, which gave us the idea to aim directly for it and cut off about a tenth of a mile the way we came. It worked great and we were back on the spur to the car.
Upon driving from our parking spot the 100 feet back toward Cigarette Springs Road I managed to get the Fit hung up on a rock that appeared flat as I approached but had a 4" drop on the other side. Tracey was not happy her Fit was being hung out to dry. Hey, no big deal, all I had to do was get out, place a few rocks under the front tires, back up and take another path. Now with more than a bit of trepidation Tracey is making doubly sure I'm not going to repeat that little escapade. I wanted to keep mind occupied on something less troubling so told her to shoot a video of our trip along the road. Be forewarned, the video isn't pretty... 
Four-wheeling a Honda Fit video: http://changephoenix.com/jpserver/web/public/file.php?id=623
I posted all but a few photos here on HAZ but the balance are here:
http://changephoenix.com/jpserver/web/public/file.php?id=620 |
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