Northern Arizona

When most people think of Arizona, the first thought which comes to their mind is cactus, desertland and dry hot weather. Unfortunately, these people have never made a trip to Northern Arizona, because it is in stark contrast to this common mis-conception. The first time I visited this area, it received 10 inches of snow over the weekend, and needless to say the temperatures were well below freezing. On my current trip six months later, the lows were still close to freezing and despite it being the last few days of May, I could still see some traces of snow on the San Francisco peaks (~ 11,000 ft high) near Flagstaff.

Within 40 mile of drive up north from the city of Phoenix, one observes a change of terrain. You kiss the cactiland good-bye as you make your car work over the gradients leading to Flagstaff. Somewhere in between lies the beautiful artistic town of Sedona. Situated in a valley filled with monstrous red rock structures, this town has been a visitors mecca for a long time. On my first visit, I could see snow on many of the structures and clouds suspended on top of the rocks like a hat, adding lot of scenic beauty. Things appeared a little different in summer, and undoubtedly this place looks much more pretty in winter. The town is filled with small artistic shops, and is a great place for an art afficiando to collect metal and rock collectibles. It is also a great place to go rock-climbing, off-roading and hiking.

But the best part of driving to Sedona, is the drive from Sedona to Flagstaff vis US 89 A. Here you gain an elevation of about 3,000 ft to the city of Flagstaff over a 30 mile drive lined with steep gradients and beautiful forest views. The hairpin bends and switchbacks are always a thrill to ride when there is no traffic and you let your adrenalin loose. Flagstaff is a small city situated on a high plateua and serves as the gateway to Grand Canyon for many. En-route to Grand Canyon you pass snow bowl Arizona ski resorts, the twin peaks of San Francisco, and for most part drive on the elevate plateau towards the South Rim.

This was my second time to Grand Canyon, and although I spent considerable amount of time exploring and hiking the canyon this time, I am still not in awe of this place. It is no doubt one of the wonders of the world, and an amazing sight to behold when you arrive for the first time. But to me, it tends to be monotonous after a while as the same terrain is repeated over the entire land. Temperatures tend to be extreme in this part of the world. On the first day we camped at the top of the rim where the overnight low was 35F (1C), while on the same day as we hiked down the canyon, we experienced 100F (37C) at the bottom.

The hike down was via a 6.5 Kaibab trail, which is hard on your knees and toes due to the steep descent. The dry weather dehydrates you without your knowledge and it is advisable to keep drinking water even when you are not thirsty. At most times you scrounge for shade in this hot weather, and relief comes along Bright Angel creek at the Phantom Ranch at the bottom of the canyon. The hike up the canyon is definitely the most strenuous I have done to date. It took us 7 1/2 hrs to gain 4,400 ft via a 9.5 mile hike. The gradient towards the end, combined with a 25 lbs backpack and high temperatures made it an arduous task.

But during my 2 day trip I saw great stories in the form of 70 year olds hiking from North rim - South rim, a total distance of 20 miles in 2 days, whereas some 40 years olds doing the same in a day. I saw old ladies carving their way up with sheer determination and kids walking the unknown. I met people who religiously have been backpacking the canyon every year for 15 years, and some who did it more than once a year. They served enough inspiration for me for hike up and for similar feats in future. There is something about man and the mountain, and his conquest to reach the top will almost always result in great stories of mental strength !