sunset

This from the top of what we call the 40th Street summit trail (evening of 6 March 2019).

Not taken for granted.

Flagstaff (Lockett's Meadow) (September 27-30, 2018)

Flagstaff remains perhaps our single favorite destination - PJ and I much enjoy just wandering around - we always stay at the same hotel, wander the same streets, find interesting meals, often including a lovely hike.

As I've written elsewhere - we've been hiking Lockett's Meadow since 1989 - it remains as lovely as ever (even if we arrived a week or two before peak color). 

We had great luck dining at Tinderbox and Brix.  Not to mention the customary pre-hike blowout breakfast at Martanne's.   And plenty of other treats along the way.

Criollo!

We know who did this (a few years back)

Phantom Ranch 2018

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Well, we did it again - a group-of-20 had an amazing time hiking down to Phantom Ranch on 5 May for a two-night stay (preceding night at South Rim with our usual sundown reception).  Prior trips:  1997, 2004, 2007, 2014.  As always: countless fine memories.  This was a particularly good group.  Will post more later.

19 of 20 hikers - immediately prior to heading up the Bright Angel Trail (5:49a 7 May). 
(Just missing our photographer, Nicole.) (With photo of our fax-savant, Patrick S.)

OK, this time all 20.

How it looked on the way down South Kaibab; some of our
group are those tiny figures in center.

some April - May - June wanderings

PJ and I had some fine wanderings recently.

To Flagstaff in late April for a Gregory Alan Isakov concert.  Stopped in Sedona on the way up to try out a new trail (a loop on the "Hogs" trails) - lovely as always in Sedona though this particular route won't go top of our list.  PJ and I had a great dinner at Brix in Flagstaff.  CPG, PJr and Pat Herrera joined for concert - fun day - including some phone time as CPG and Dharma wheel and deal on house purchase.  Dark Sky Brewery impresses.  But Isakov has lost his way, at least in our view.  Hiked on Mt. Elden as well.

McMillan's (Flagstaff)

Not much photography, here's a Sedona trail look:


via GIPHY

Dark Sky Brewery was a success; better-than-expected dinner at some new Italian place (Flagstaff).

Cooperative weather allowed us another trip up to Spur Cross on May 7 - and this time we did the full Elephant Mountain loop.  A favorite place.  Cloudy/cool conditions.  Epic brunch follows at Richardson's - green chili pork eggs benedict, yes!  Pairs well with Sculpin-on-tap.

Elephant Mountain - Spur Cross Nature Conservancy

We get out to the Superstitions on May 16 and hike the Peralta Trail for the first time in several years.  Supremely cooperative weather.  We agreed that this trail is even nicer than we recalled it.  Mid-week hiking kept the crowds down and simplified parking.  Amazing place.  Followed by lunch at another amazing place - Arizona Wilderness brewery.  My little designated driver was quite helpful (not to mention a fine hiking companion).  Here's Weaver's Needle:


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Superstitions + AZ Wilderness = strong combination.

Unusually fine atmospheric conditions in the Superstitions.  We need to get out there more regularly.

Celebrated wedding anniversary #37 with a road trip to our favorite Laguna Beach hotel - three nights, great weather, we walk the town relentlessly but offsetting calorie intake not a problem for me.  Meals at our usual favorite spots.  Shopping trip at the outlet malls on the way home.  Another delightful trip.


via GIPHY

So many meals at Nick's . . . 

A short staycation at FoundRe hotel in downtown Phoenix over 10 June weekend.  The usual:  wandering, eating; weather warm but manageable.  Much enjoyed our walk (and visit) to the Phoenix Art Museum, then light rail to Arrogant Butcher for a surprisingly good lunch.  Our favorite dinner was at Breadfruit.  Had a tour of the Cafiso's construction site - pretty fine location (and basically next door to our hotel).  Fun getaway.

Top - Match restaurant (in the hotel).  Bottom - life on the rails.

Spur Cross 2017

PJ and I took a short hike up in the Spur Cross area in the late afternoon/early evening of March 10 - this is one of our very favorite places.  We took the Metate Trail - which pretty much travels along Cave Creek - our round trip was a little over four miles.

Lots of rain recently so the creek was busy, and plenty of green.  The only challenge:  fading light not optimal for photography-by-mobile-phone.  But trust us, it was quite lovely.

PJ on a creek crossing that did not involve a rock scramble.  (She skitters well where necessary.)

Why it's named the Metate Trail.

Early in the hike  . . . 

Hikes-with-water are so rare in this part of Arizona.

Moonrise . . . tried to catch reflection in the water.

Some amazing saguaros along the trail . . . getting a bit darker now.

Lockett Meadow 2016

PJ and I repeated a favorite trip - visiting Flagstaff, including hiking the Inner Basin trail starting from Lockett Meadow (October 7-9).

We've made the trip many times; some background (including first trip in 1989) summarized here.  We don't think we've ever had better conditions.  The new trail (resulting from a re-route opened in 2012 following a fire) is better than the original  Weather perfect; color very near peak.

We always enjoy wandering around Flagstaff.  Finally tried "Cottage Place" restaurant (not recommended); Brix a standout, again.  Also:  Martanne's.

Have posted photos of all this quite often, so including just a few; also testing an embedded GIF created in the "new" switchback zone:


via GIPHY

Wupatki, Lockett Meadow, Flagstaff

Wupatki main building (taken from behind the "ball court")

PJ and I took a little trip over the weekend of October 3-5.  Five years having somehow passed since this hiking trip, it was now the 25th anniversary of our first visit to Lockett Meadow (initial visit with five kids in tow ranging from two to eight years old).  Hiked on Saturday (after carb-loading, or whatever you call it, at Martanne's); the hike is just as delightful as ever (though we were a bit surprised that a decent percentage of the aspens still were fairly green).  The hike via the revised route is about 5.5 miles, we climb about 1200 feet to the 9800 foot level.  Gorgeous, again.

PJ tours Wupatki ball court.

On Friday we had stopped at Wupatki National Monument for the first time since July 1990.  We would happily return, and in less than 24 years.  There are six places to stop-and-wander; we selected the right three.  Started with the visitors center at eponymous pueblo remains - this was our only stop in 1990.  The buildings, ball court, etc. - dating back to 1100 AD or so (or is it CE now) - are remarkably well-maintained.  Made obligatory visit to the blow-hole:  the earth was sucking in air (opposite of our 1990 experience).  Then we visited the Doney Mountain overlook - yes, these were fine views (360 degrees).  Final stop was at the Lomaki ruins - probably the most interesting of all.

NOC, CPG, EPG loving Wupatki (July 22, 1990).  (NOC holding one of our pre-internet
travel reference books - AZ Highways published something about the "back roads" of Arizona)

We find this kind of landscape entirely compelling.  Though we wonder why these old-timey farmers - and that's what they were - selected such an un-promising area for settlement.

Blowhole:  it's science.

Other than that:  the usual relentless wandering around and fine eating and refreshments in downtown Flagstaff.  Typically we have pretty good luck with weather up there, but it was absolutely ideal for this trip - rain a couple days earlier had really cleared out the atmosphere.

 Delightful weekend . . .

PJ heading back down the Doney Mountain path; glorious views all around; 
here we are looking NE toward the Painted Desert.  These "mountains" are volcano-remnants,
which makes for an unusual, interesting hiking surface.

Lomaki ruins; built along arroyo; San Francisco Peaks in background.  Great setting.
One can (sort of) imagine old things looking at this kind of place . . .

On the Inner Basin Trail ascending from Lockett Meadow.

Entering the "Inner Basin" - amidst highest of St. Francisco Peaks.

Me, musing at ~10,000 feet.  Mt. Humphreys in background, I think.

Lockett Meadow (as we start to drive back to Flagstaff).

Somebody needed a cat shirt.

Grand Canyon - Phantom Ranch -- some photos (May 5, 2014) (last of a set)

This is final post of a set of four (here is post #1; here is post #2; here is post #3).

This final post includes photos of our hike up and out of the Grand Canyon via the Bright Angel Trail on May 5, 2014.  We enjoyed spectacular weather - significantly cooler than on our hikes up this trail in 2004 and 2007.

Breakfast was served at 5:00a.  Though we were up earlier to pack, take duffels to the mule loading area, etc.

All made it up the trail in good order - a fine finish to our little adventure.

[Repeating:  click-to-enlarge photos - you'll lose access to the captions - but it's worth it.]

[Repeating:  immediately following the last photo is a video picking up the day's photos taken on the Narrative Clip camera ("wearable technology" that was clipped to my shirt during the trip and automatically snapping pictures every 30 seconds).  Those photos are running along in the video at a pace of about two per second.  Photo quality naturally suffers on this device, especially in comparison to the other photos - but the Clip does somewhat succeed in providing an alternative viewpoint of the day's proceedings.]

Finishing 5a breakfast in the canteen (still pretty dark outside).  Check out those canned peaches
in CPG's future!  Looks like (almost) all hikers are awake and ready to hit the trail.

All 20 of us - the only time we were all assembled for a group photo.  Locked and
loaded for commencement of the up-hike.  Phantom Ranch.  5:45a.  Pretty
much the last time any of us saw Jon, who skedaddled up the trail.

Another wonderful Jim-shot of "small person set in mighty nature"  (as in similar photo in post #3, Carol is the 
subject here).  Here she is walking along Bright Angel Creek (thus all the trees) at beginning stage 
of the up-hike.  The path ahead looks beautiful - with a hint of the ominous.  Great picture.  

Pat, PJr, Alex approaching the silver bridge, with Colorado River in background.

A great look back at the silver bridge as we start moving along the "river trail" portion
of the up-hike.  I love this portion along the Colorado River.

Sisters.  River Trail.  Along the legendary Colorado River.  Bottom of Grand Canyon.  Nice.

Hikers have now left the "river trail" and are just beginning to head up the 
main section of the Bright Angel Trail.  Luis, K, N, Charlie, Nick.

First rest stop for this group.  Very little elevation gain to this point.  All (especially one
certain hiker) seem to be in good spirits.  

Now we're climbing steadily.  This gives a sense of the switchbacks in this phase.

I love this section of the trail.  Climbing rapidly here, with great views 
of the trail behind, and of dramatic rock formations everywhere.  

See what I mean by "great views of the trail behind?"  What fun to pass through 
this section.  Steep, spectacular climb.

One of the vantage points for photos like the preceding one.  Pausing here provided
a welcome break from climbing  - plus spectacular views. 

How great is this photo (thanks again, Theresa)?  Our crew continues upward toward 
Indian Gardens.  A bit less steep here.  A bit more moisture available (as the plants indicate).

K leads a group across a small watercourse.  We're now coming up
into what we call the "notch.."  (By the way, N's taped-up shoes somehow 
survived the entire hike.)

I like Nick's photo here - we took a rest break here at beginning of the "notch."
It was a great spot.

Ascending through the "notch" toward Indian Gardens.  Water running below the trail; we
are still mostly in shade at this stage.  This is a great picture of an excellent trail segment.
(By the way, note the contrast to South Kaibab Trail (photos in post #2) - that trail does 
not have any segments with running water, trees, shade.)

Maeve, K and N look great in this shot as we near Indian Gardens.  
Even so, Luis "makes" the photo - what an awesome pose.

Only photo in this set of posts to come via the "Narrative Clip" camera.
PJR, CPG, Pat H etc. taking main rest stop of the hike at shady Indian Gardens.

I love this shot of our hiker group ascending past Indian Gardens.  

In fact, I love the preceding shot so much that I'm 
here including another version of essentially the same thing.
Except that I (obsessed with "small persons in mighty nature" 
photos) think this one is even more dramatic.

Luis, Charlie, Alex, PJr, CPG, Nick; me kneeling.

We've made quite a bit of progress by this time.  

The group takes a short break at "one and a half mile" rest house.  Well up the trail now,
I was starting to get a little sad that we were almost finished.

K looking good, keeping up her pace.  (About the only good photo that I took myself.)  

EPG keeping at it, Jim stalking behind.

I really like this look-back - it shows so much of the trail we've completed ("three mile" rest house
perched at right; Indian Gardens is in the concentrated "green" area in the center of the middle
distance; a bit farther back is the "notch" from where the trail drops out of sight).  Nice!

Mike 'n me.  We've almost made it to the top.

Pausing very near the top.  L-R Luis, N, CPG, Alex, Pat, Maeve, Mike, EPG, 
Charlie, PJr, me, Carol, Nick, Theresa, Jim.

Dave and Marlene - with PJ, the early finishers waiting for the rest of us to emerge (not counting Jon, who
was on his own (rapid) pace).  Those three flew up the trail; these two evidently not any the worse for wear.

We made such good time up the trail that we had to wait for the duffels coming up
via mule train.  But at least we had a fine place to wait!

Trip detritus.