The Last Hike
If you weren't with us on the last hike, you really missed it! Check out the happy faces in this fantastic group photo. Eleven strong, a new record! Woohoo! :-D
Upcoming Dayhikes
Hike at Secret Pass, Sunday the 16th of November, at 12 noon
The next hike will be at fabled Secret Pass, a slot canyon known for its extreme depth compared to its width. The biggest problem in the pass is neck strain caused by constantly looking up at all that overhanging rock mass, oy.
This hike requires 4-wheel drive vehicles to get close enough to hike. Usually for premier hikes like this there's a few people with such vehicles willing to carpool into the rough sections, but if that doesn't happen we can still do a hike in the same area without 4-wheel drive. That backup hike would be to a local hidden arch that spans well over 100 feet, with about 4 miles total distance, mostly on very flat terrain.
The Meet
Those around Kingman should gather at noon on Sunday the 16th of November, at the Gas n' Grub station on Hualapai Mountain Road, one half-mile east of its junction with Andy Devine Ave (Route 66).
We'll head out west along Route 68 toward Laughlin, to Egar Road (16 miles from Kingman). If you prefer you may go directly to the junction of Egar Road and Route 68 where the carpoolers from Kingman will arrive at 12:30pm.
After we all meet there, we'll drive down Egar a couple of miles to Bolsa Drive at the big water tanks, and then a few more miles on the local dirt roads to the hiking zone. This last bit requires the 4-wheel drive vehicles. Usually there's enough room in the more capable vehicles for those who want to park and ride at the tanks.
The Hike
With the cooler temps I thought it might be nice to do an afternoon hike for a change. This moderate/semi-difficult hike will be between 3 and 6 miles, depending on the group's desires and abilities. Reaching the pass requires a road walk of more than a mile with moderate elevation change, but it probably won't be enough to satisfy, what with all the excellent terrain to explore in the pass area.
In the pass we could climb out on one side and amble around interesting rock domes with a view of the Colorado River basin, or even head up a side canyon for some really great extra-credit hiking I know about. The whole area is lousy with hiking potential, rest assured.
It's a good idea to bring hiking poles and leather gloves to counteract the rough rocks, cactus, and sometimes slippery dirt slopes, but agile people can get by without them. Unless the temps soar way above normal you won't need more than one liter of water, but be sure to bring your camera!
See you there! :-)
