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| Backpack | 11.00 Miles |
200 AEG |
| | Backpack | 11.00 Miles | 2 Days | | |
| 200 ft AEG | | | | |
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| no partners | | Six friends and I embarked on a one-night stay in Aravaipa Canyon. It was my maiden backpack journey (finally!) - and as promised by my friend/organizer, it was the perfect first backpack.
There was several days of fairly heavy rain in the days immediately preceding our trip and we weren't sure conditions would be safe enough for us to go. However, our appointed day arrived with crystal clear skies - and A LOT of heat. I had recently returned to southern Arizona after time in Louisiana and California, and the heat really got to me and my companions (most of whom had extensive backpacking experience).
The muddy water was a relief, both because it cooled us off and was a water source for our shared filters. Two in our group were carrying Katadyns, which we heavily relied upon. By the second day, both filters were running significantly slower/harder - we assumed because of the large amounts of sediment in the water (thanks to the recent rain).
Shoes were a topic of conversation in our group. Most of us opted to trek in with hiking shoes/boots. Though several of us, including me, sometimes switched these out for water sandals. My old hiking shoes, which are extremely breathable and well worn, worked very well, but possibly only because I was wearing good quality socks that did not slip at all. I would have liked to have more grip on the bottom - which was one of the main benefits I found with the water sandals. However, those sandals kept allowing smalls pebbles under my arch (so painful) and because they are new and not well worn in, rubbed parts of my feet raw. Next time I'll bring the sandals, but ensure I wear my hiking shoes when actively hiking - the sandals would be good in camp.
We found a camp site about 2 miles in (it was hot and we were ready to stop) and spent the rest of the first day exploring up the canyon, particularly Horse Camp Canyon. Though it took a bit of scrambling to get into it (made more difficult because I had camera and water bottle in hand), it was well worth it. Simply outstanding.
Though the night was a bit uncomfortable because of the heat (we ended up letting our camp fire burn out after about an hour because it was just too hot), the spectacular starry sky, peacefulness of the canyon, and gentle breeze made it a fantastic experience.
I look forward to my next trip to Aravaipa (with a much better camera in hand) and Backpack Voyage II. |
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Route Editor
Route Scout
