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| Hiking | 11.00 Miles |
2,822 AEG |
| | Hiking | 11.00 Miles | | | |
| 2,822 ft AEG | | | | |
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| no partners | | West Clear Creek Trail 17 provides the only marked and maintained access into the lower reaches of West Clear Creek Canyon Wilderness. From its upper terminus, at Bald Hill, the route drops 1,800 feet down a steep, talus-strewn slope from a high plateau of pinyon-juniper forests to the canyon floor. It's a chore just going down.
Once at West Clear Creek, one has a choice of proceeding either direction. Upstream, the drainage leads into the deep, narrow gorge which the medium-sized creek has cut into the southern edge of the Colorado Plateau. It's a canyoneer's paradise, often described as one of the most remote & rugged canyons in all the southwest! I can say without reservation, it's one of the most isolated hiking experience I've ever had.
Imagine, just minutes after running thru various emergency procedures should something happen (i.e. a rattlesnake bite), coming within 3' of a large, previously warming himself but now very aggressive mojave green rattler in a patch of early morning sun in the middle of the trail!!
Before ever seeing it, I instinctively jumped 4' off the trail in response to its warning rattle. Thank God my directional hearing is still pretty good, as I was safely distant when I finally spied all 4' & six rattles of the critter coiled on the trail ready to strike!! Needless to say we were both a bit shook and took great care from then on to carefully scan the trail for any signs of aggressive pit vipers!!
The creek itself is tremendously arduous hiking, either wading over treacherous, slippery & moss-covered rocks & boulders or swimming long stretches of icy cold water (in mid-april when we did this hike) up to twelve feet deep. In either direction from where Trail 17 meets the creek are found numerous clear, secluded pools, slickrock water slides, and tree-shaded riparian areas tucked between red rock canyon walls composed of the Supai sandstone for which red rock country is famous.
Finally, after too little time in the drainage itself taking pix, my hiking partner Herman & I began climbing the steep trail back to the truck. We both experienced great difficulty getting up the 2,000' ascent and agreed this trail ranks as one of the tougher (and more beautiful) hikes we've ever experienced.
for more pix, go to http://www.pbase.com/sedonamemories and check the west clear creek gallery . . . |
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