|
| | | |
| |
|
| Hiking | 8.70 Miles |
1,325 AEG |
| | Hiking | 8.70 Miles | | | |
| 1,325 ft AEG | | | | |
|
|
| |
| Partners |
|
[ show ]
| partners | | This has been on my list for years. Doing it solo would be a real bitch of a hitch though, and I'm not a fan of Out n Backs, nor doing that hill climb twice in one trip.  Soooo, I thought I'd see if someone else wanted to share in that miserable, but scenic hill and assist with a second car. A few folks that are my speed came to mind and the invite went out. I knew it would be a fun day when the invitation was accepted.
The Meet was set for Canyon Lake an hour after Sunrise. I decided to show up early and catch the Sunrise and maybe see if anything was flying around. I arrived and watched the sky and lake turn pink and then the cliffs began to glow. The Birds opted to stay in the shade most of the time, so I didn't get anything great. Again, maxing out the ISO causes me to curse my Camera later and get spasms in my delete finger. But it's always fun to try.
The rest of the Group showed up a few minutes early and we all piled in with Ambika and drove to First Water. We arrived to some nice sunshine and I opted to peel off my fleece hoodie and stow it in the pack. Starting out on a Hike in January in short sleeves. I hope it's not a trend for the rest of "winter".
We get started and were making pretty good time to Garden Valley. Lots of pools of water still, but nothing running up to that point. Ambika, tibber and I top out and Ambika and I head for the Junction. Tibber is videoing the SloFolks coming up the last hill and suddenly we hear tibber say there's a problem and she disappears back down the Trail. We follow and find Cathy sitting on a rock. She was complaining about being dizzy and apparently she fainted. How she didn't face plant on the rocks is a miracle. Then the questions started, trying to determine the problem. Not enough food, not enough water, low blood sugar? We were ticking them off and trying to find a solution. She was sweating pretty heavily, and had a long sleeved hoodie wrapped around her waist. Ambika told her to take it off. I helped her with it and it was soaking wet. The Light Bulbs started to go off. And then Greg mentioned that under the long sleeved shirt that she was still wearing, was a long sleeved THERMAL shirt. We had our answer. The top shirt comes off and surprise! We're not down to the thermal yet! She had a short sleeved shirt between the two long sleeved shirts. I think at that point, Minnesota was mentioned.  Not sure, but it's probably the first time I've made someone strip down to almost nothing, in broad daylight, in the wilderness. Cathy had resolved to not get hypothermia on this Hike. Instead, at a sunny 68 Degrees, hiking uphill in the desert, she had Heat Exhaustion. 3 Layers on and one wrapped around her waist! Mr. SloFolk is going to have to start checking the weather and watching his wife dress.  I'm actually amazed she made it as far as she did. If I had worn that much with my hot flashes to boot, forget the fainting, I would have dropped dead by the Second Water/Dutchman Junction.
She didn't feel like she could continue with the Hike and Ambika was kind enough to accompany her back to her car at the TH. I had a feeling Cathy would recover and they would have a nice time awaiting us at Canyon Lake. Tibber and I really wanted Greg to see this Hike, so we decided to continue on. In all seriousness here, we were super glad that it wasn't something more serious and with Ambika taking her back, we knew she was in the best hands.
I went into detail on this and I hope I didn't embarrass Cathy with it. You think about Heat Stress when the Temperature is higher. Certainly not in January. Except maybe for Linda. But under the right circumstances, it can happen when it's colder, and to Cathy, it did. It was a wake up call for all of us. I'm glad we figured it out or it could have gotten worse on her hike back. She's also very lucky she didn't injure herself when she fainted. Just an experience to store in your Toolbox year round. Because you never know, when you're out there hiking and something starts to go wrong, it can be something you wouldn't think of.
The Trek continued and it was beautiful weather. Tibber already mentioned it, but having someone along that's new to this area of the Supes, is always a treat. I think Greg enjoyed it, even if he was missing Cathy. We get to the Boulder Canyon Junction and I had a first. I hung a left. As many times as I've come down Second Water, I had always gone to the right. I have never seen the Boulder Canyon Trail between Second Water and LaBarge Creek. I was in new Territory right alongside Greg, at least for a mile or so. We rested and snacked by the running water of Boulder Creek and then continued up to the Mine. Just below the Mine, we encounter 4 Horseman and it was a double treat for me. I love horses and am always looking for an excuse to visit with them. I just regret not having a treat for them. It seemed fitting that I was petting a Paint while visiting Indian Paint Mine for the first time.
Not long after the Mine, Greg gets to see the Hill. I've done it several times now, but I could tell from the increased sweating on his face, that Greg was thinking way too hard about it. But we had a plan and we started on up. It was warm and it didn't take me long to unzip the legs and let that white skin get some sun. Should have done it way earlier in the Hike. I have to tell you all that I found it incredibly difficult to slow the SloFolk down. I taught him the Rest Step, but he wasn't resting.  I finally got in front of him so he would quit racing up the hill. I certainly wasn't sprinting by any means. I kept promising him that he was going up the last hill, but he quit believing me. So much for promises. But he made it! And I wasn't going to have to drag him down the other side, so we were good. Tibber stayed on the Trail after the last Hill, but Greg wanted the shortest route. I told him it would be steeper, but he didn't care. So we took the "alternate" route down to finish it.
Met up with Ambika and Cathy, who looked way better. We all had an early dinner at the diner watching the golden hour descend on the lake. Great way to end the day. Thanks to all for accepting my invitation. It was nice to see everyone again! I wish Cathy could have seen this Hike, but I have a feeling that she will someday. I'm just glad she was ok. Funny how we all got chilly eating dinner. I almost asked Cathy to let me borrow one of her layers... |
|
Wildflowers Observation Isolated
Things are liking this warm weather and trying to start. |
|
| _____________________
| Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty & well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, totally worn out & proclaiming, "Wow What a Ride!" |
| | |
|
|
|
Route Editor
Route Scout
We accepted and tibber and desertgirl were soon added to the mix. For those of you paying attention you'll see that I just inherited a Harem! Yep...stole a page right out of Terry's 
Route 
Pam invited us to do this trip. It is one of my favorite hikes and forgetting about the Hill, I had other plans but changed them. I invited a few other folks and Ambika also decided to join us. This would be Cathy's first exposure to hiking in the Supes and considering she is a native, it's about time. However, this time would only be a short but memorable time. Hopefully her next foray into the Supes will be much more rewarding.
](https://hikearizona.com/dex2/images/smilies/eusa_wall.gif "Brick wall"){kind=small}
