Showing posts with label river hike. Show all posts
Showing posts with label river hike. Show all posts
West Fork of Oak Creek. Sedona Arizona
 |
| West Fork of Oak Creek in Sedona Arizona |
The West Fork Oak Creek is one of the best hikes in Sedona. In fact, I'd say that its one of the best hikes that I've ever done. The hike starts in the parking lot just north of the Cave Spring campground on route 89a between flagstaff and Sedona. The trail takes you deep into Oak Creek Canyon though a forest worthy of children's book. In the fall, the leaves actually change here. You can expect to see a ton of photographer's in the canyon lugging around expensive gear. The trail will cross over Oak Creek at least 9 times in both directions. There are several swimming holes, but I couldn't handle the cold water for more than a few minutes. As you hike deeper into the canyon, the walls are several hundred feet tall and only about 50 feet wide. Two miles into the canyon, the trail abruptly stops at natural tunnel similar to the narrows in Zion National Park. From this point, you can continue to hike upstream through the water, or just turn around and head back. Like I said, the water in the creek is brutally cold and proper cold water gear is probably necessary.
There are numerous campground located along route 89a between Flagstaff and Sedona. They were all closed on our trip this year because of the government shutdown. I had originally planned on camping for a night at the Cave Spring Campground, but I had to find a hotel in Sedona instead. In the end, it turned out to be a huge bonus because most of the campgrounds in Oak Creek are located right against the highway. I would have been pissed with all of the road noise at night. I highly recommend staying a night in Sedona. Its easily one of the most beautiful cities in America. We ate a restaurant in town called the Cowboy Club and I had the best cornbread I've ever eaten in my life. The guy at the table next to us ordered the 35$ Elk Chops and the dish was so beautiful that I would have felt bad eating it. My girlfriend's Margarita was so good it was worthy of a ballad.
Directions: From route 40 Flagstaff, take route 89a south for approximately 15 miles. Pass the Cave Spring Campground and look for the West Fork Oak Creek parking area on the immediate right. There are several signs at the trail head with maps and descriptions of the trail. Most people hike int the canyon until the trail runs out at the narrow tunnel making this hike 5 miles round-trip.
 |
| West Fork Oak Creek Trail Map |
 |
| West Fork Oak Creek Trail |
 |
| West Fork Oak Creek Swimming Hole |
An Allergic Reaction on Old Rag Mountain
 |
| On top of Old Rag Mountain |
In 2009, I was 4 miles into a hike up the infamous Old Rag
Mountain in Virginia when my throat started closing up and my eyes swelled
shut. I have extreme food allergies to all
nuts, beans, peas and especially soybean. I had eaten a sandwich from an unfamiliar restaurant
at lunch that day, something I rarely do for obvious reasons, and I had put
myself into a very dangerous situation. My food allergies cause anaphylaxis,
which is essentially a series of symptoms like severe itching, eyes swelling
up, throat closure and severe stomach pains usually followed by explosive
unholy diarrhea. So there I was,
incapacitated on the side of a mountain, propped up against a rock, rummaging
through my backpack for my medicine. Most people with severe allergies carry a
shot of epinephrine, but I’ve always preferred liquid Benadryl. All I had in my backpack was Benadryl in pill
form which takes longer to kick in than the liquid. I popped 3 pills and sat
quietly for a half hour while my reaction ran its course.
My food allergies are exercise induced. If I eat something
I’m allergic to and chill out on the couch, I almost never have a reaction. I try
to stay as still and as calm as possible to minimize the effects of the
reaction. A cold bath seems to help me
too. If there had been a stream on the mountain, I probably would have sat in
it to lower my body temperature. This particular reaction turned out to be relatively mild. My hives were mostly confined to my hands and head, my breathing was never overly constricted, and I could see out of both eyes. After a half hour, I drank a liter of water in
one sip, slung my pack over shoulders, stood up, and headed for the summit. 75mg of Benadryl has the unfortunate side effect of sapping all the strength from your body. When I reached the summit, I took a 90 minute nap in a shady spot behind a big-ass rock. After my nap,
Bridge to Nowhere: Azusa California
 |
| Bridge to Nowhere, Azusa California |
The Bridge to Nowhere is a mandatory Southern California
hike that follows the east fork of the San Gabriel River to a lonely bridge
that leads nowhere. The hike is relatively easy when the water levels
are low, but it can quite treacherous in the spring. When it’s running chest high, a lot of hikers
give up at the first crossing. The trail
is approximately 9 miles round trip and parallels the river for the most of the
distance until heading up the east bank for the last mile or so to the bridge. To avoid getting lost, stay to the right on the
river for most of the hike. My favorite time to hike to the bridge is in the
late spring when the river is unruly and the crowds are thin. I usually end up
dumping water out of my boots a half dozen times, but the solitude is worth it. This hike is insanely popular in the summer.
In the summer, you can actually bungee jump from the bridge.
Reservations can be made here
Trailhead: From the 210 in Azusa, exit on Azusa Ave
and head North towards the mountains. After about ten miles, turn right on East
Fork Road and continue for 8 more miles to the East Fork Station. East Fork Road turns into Camp Bonita Road
which dead-ends at the parking lot.
