Hualapai Hilltop to Supai, Grand Canyon Arizona
Oct. 16 - 18 1998
Thursday April 15: This trip had been planned from the outset as a "couples" trip. We chose a hike we knew would be relatively easy (by Grand Canyon standards) and would have amenities at the bottom such as a town(!) restrooms, drinking water, picnic tables, and a beautiful stream in which to play. Then we invited 4 other couples to join Tom and I and our wives. Unfortunately, neither of our wives ended up going for various reasons and Tom and I ended up tenting together anyway. And while that was rotten luck, the rest of the trip went very well.
Hualapai Hilltop is approximately 6.5 hours northwest of Tucson and the plan was that everyone would just rendezvous at the trailhead by 7am on Friday morning the 16th of October. Besides Tom and I, the hikers included Dan and Shelly, Jeff and Kim, Bob and Edie, and Weldon and Karen. Most rolled up to the hilltop in the wee hours of the morning, except for one couple (who will remain anonymous) who decided a hotel in Seligman would be a nice comfort before the rigors of canyon hiking.
Friday, Oct 16: It was easy to find everyone the next morning and while doing our final packing, eating breakfast and warming up with something hot to drink, we shared details of the animals we had seen on the remote stretch of Route xxx, which runs from I40 to the hilltop parking lot. We had seen a few very large elk, and Weldon and Karen had seen a mountain lion. We were on our way down the trail by about 7:30 am.
The trail down from the parking lot starts with the normal steep switchbacks as it winds through the Kaibab, Toroweap, and Coconino formations. However, in less than an hour, the trail begins to level out on the plateau and from that point on the hiking is flat. The trail eventually enters the side canyon in which it stays until Supai is reached. Beautiful sandstone overhangs and majestic, sheer walls mark this section of the hike. Listen carefully for the sound of approaching horses. The Supai natives gallop through this area on their horses, and we found ourselves scrambling off the trail a number of times to give a wide berth. Eventually this canyon intersects with another coming from the north and the water that makes Havasupai famous first appears. It feeds a riparian area rich in cottonwoods which the trail meanders through until reaching the village. It is 8 miles from the rim to the village.
The village of Supai has always been intriguing to those of us moving in the fast paced world above the rim. Other than one motorized ATV which we think may have been the village doctor heading to a crisis at the campgrounds, the village seems to be free of vehicles. Villagers either walk or ride their horses to where they want to go. The quiet in the village is broken up by the helicopter which lands and takes off in a field between the visitor center and the cafe. The helicopter shuttles food and people between the village and the rim. Young Supai children (and a good number of adults) watch its comings and goings from the village center, a simple dirt plaza bordered by the cafe, a grocery store/post office, and the school. Taking advantage of such amenities, I had not packed a lunch for that first day. While the rest of the group continued the two miles further to the campsite, I had an indian fry bread smothered with chili and cheese and Shelly and Dan had the fry bread with honey.
The trail continues through the village, passing the school, the church, more homes and then the lodge. The effects of the flood of 1993(?) are evident beginning at this point. Areas are fenced off and huge dirt stream banks look like at any time they can tumble into the clear waters below. Upper and lower Navaho falls come into view on the left and the trail continues down over a few wide wooden bridges which criss-cross the stream. The water was crystal clear, with very little algae or anything else for that matter growing in it. It continues straight ahead over Havasu Falls and the trail goes down to the left of the falls.
The initial view is spectacular. Crystal clear blue-green water thundering about 150 feet down into a beautiful pool surrounded by lush growth fed by the continuous mist of the falls.
Looking down amongst the trees, we saw the rest of the group sitting and enjoying the amazing site. Shelly, Dan and I went ahead . We wanted to find a good campsite before it started filling up. We were stopped at the ranger station and the ranger informed us we could camp wherever we wished. We didn't go far before we spotted a large area with three picnic tables all in a row and a number of tent sites which afforded privacy but were still closeby. One aspect of the site which made us hesitate was the proximity to the outhouses, probably 50 yards away. We decided to chance it, knowing that if the wind changed, we might be in store for some unpleasant aromas.
The distance from the village to the campsites is about 2 miles.
The camping area was well populated, but there were lots of empty camp sites down stream closer to Mooney Falls. Here again the devastation from the flood was evident. Picnic tables were smashed and broken and laying in the middle of the stream. Trees which had been uprooted during the flood now lay across the stream, which I'm sure had also changed its course considerably. Large sections of the travertine deposits which created the cascading pools of Havasu were completely washed away. Despite the changes, Havasu Creek is not less beautiful and awesome, it is simply different.
Saturday Oct 17: This was a day of leisure and rest for all of us except Kim and Jeff, who got up at the crack of dawn and were heading back to the rim. After breakfast we all decided to explore Mooney Falls and below. Legend has it that Mooney Falls was named after a white man who lost his life when his rope was too short to reach the bottom of the falls. The roar of the falls made his crys for help inaudible to his helpers above and he fell to his death. To this day there is no easy way down Mooney Falls. Chains have been set in place to guide you through the more treacherous parts of the travertine deposits, and tunnels have been dug through solid rock in a few areas to help with the descent. The last 50 feet or so is especially tricky, as the mist from the falls has made everything very slick. Be careful! Be comforted by the fact that the trip back up is much easier than the trip down! It's possible to follow the creek all the way to the Colorado and we met a middle aged couple who had done just that, though most opt to go down to Beaver Falls before heading back. The trail crosses the creek a number of times as it heads downstream so plan on getting wet if you are going to explore this area. The creek is simply awesome and there is a side canyon on the left which is worth exploring. Also on the left is a metal ladder which climbs straight up a rock wall about 200 ft, changes into a wooden ladder which then goes diagonal across the face of the cliff and into a cave, which can only be a mine. Why anyone would risk their lives to go up that thing is beyond me, unless it was some insatiable desire for gold.
Images of Mooney Falls and environs
Further downstream from Mooney Falls.
We were back at the campsite by early afternoon and all went separate ways. The water was cold and refreshing as some of us went to the base of Havasu Falls for some sun bathing and cleaning up. There were many people on the rocks and in the water enjoying themselves.
That evening we had dinner and helpd Dan celebrate his birthday. Then, flashlights in hand, we headed up to Havasu Falls, to see the stars and the falls at night. I had a glow stick in my backpack and someone suggested we throw it off the top of the falls and watch it come over the top. Tom actually volunteered to go up and throw it off! We all waited expectantly at the bottom with our lights completely off, staring at the falls. Suddenly, the lime glow of the stick appeared at the top of the falls and we watched as it tumbled to the pool below. It really looked great! The glow stick floated over to the side of the pool and we picked it out. When Tom returned Karen and Weldon took the stick to the top and threw it off so we could see it again. Shelly made the comment "Going camping with you guys is no different than going camping with my eight year old son." Personally, I took that as a compliment! Never planning to litter or pollute, we once more fished the stick out and stumbled back to our tents.
Sunday, Oct 18: We were heading out by 9am on Sunday, with everyone proceeding at his/her own pace. Dan, Shelly, and I headed out together, figuring the rest would catch up soon enough. Little did I know that Shelly would only stop once, and that was for a quick lunch. Other than that she never even pulled up to catch her breath. We covered the 10 miles in a little more than 4 hours and were at the car by 1:15pm. I think in a former life she was a sherpa.