| | -
| 2 labels |  |
|
|
-
| 2 labels |  |
|
|
-
| 2 labels |  |
|
|
-
| 1 label |  |
|
|
-
-
| 1 label |  |
|
|
|
| | |
|
| Hiking | 4.04 Miles |
1,010 AEG |
| | Hiking | 4.04 Miles | | | |
| 1,010 ft AEG | | | | |
|
|
| |
| Linked |
|
none
[ show ]
| no linked trail guides |
| Partners |
|
none
[ show ]
| no partners | | This was a hike to the high point of Balakai Mesa (elevation of 7,454 feet and prominence of 1,062 feet), which is on the Navajo Nation in Apache County. The high point is in the southern part of the mesa, near Balakai Point. Three years ago I hiked to what was then deemed to be the high point of Balakai Mesa, which is on the northern part of the mesa some 13 miles away. However, a few months ago Lidar data deemed the northern high point to be 7 feet lower, so I went back up there to make it to this revised high point on the south end of the mesa.
Balakai (Navajo for "place with reeds on it") Mesa spans Navajo and Apache counties within the Navajo Nation. Per grokipedia, Balakai Mesa holds importance to the Navajo people for the Blessingway Ceremony, which is a ritual focused on blessings for good health, luck, and prosperity.
As for geology, Balakai Mesa is capped with the bidahochi formation. I encountered beach sand while ascending, which gives credibility to the notion that the mesa was once in Lake Bidahochi. Lake Bidahochi, which was the size of Lake Michigan, was fed by the Colorado River, and one theory says that overflow from the lake went across the Kaibab Plateau and cut what we now call the Grand Canyon.
Before heading out here I picked up a Navajo Nation backcountry permit, so I had the red tape taken care of.
I did this hike from the east. I drove in about 8 miles from pavement on a decent dirt road. I hiked most of the way on an old road bed/pack trail that I noticed on route cloud. The trail got me to within about 300 vertical feet of the summit. Once leaving the trail I had to navigate through some cliff bands that took a bit of trial-and-error to do safely. Once on the mesa, I hiked over to the area that is supposed to be the high point. It was flat up there and the summit is covered with p&j, so there weren't any views. I did stop by the east part of the mesa to check out the unobstructed views to the east across the high plains.
I enjoyed this short hike on a nice cool morning! |
| _____________________
| Civilization is a nice place to visit but I wouldn't want to live there |
| | |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Route Editor
Route Scout
