Sunday, August 12, 2012
Juan De Fuca Marine Trail Mini Guide
The Juan de Fuca Marine Trail on Vancouver Island begins at the other end of the town of Port Renfrew from the West Coast Trail, effectively continuing it for another 47 kilometers, going from Botanical Beach to China Beach. The Juan de Fuca trail is directly across the Juan de Fuca Strait from the Olympic Mountains in the U.S. state of Washington. It is not as long as the West Coast Trail, but does have its own challenges. And of course, the terrain and climate are a bit different, giving the trail its own unique character. Access, the crowd hiking the trail, communication, travel difficulty, length, and the sights along the way are some of the main considerations for deciding to hike this trail.
ACCESS
The trail is accessible from either end and from several locations along the way. Highway 14 runs along the coast just above the trail, sometimes within a few hundred meters. The proximity of the highway makes this a very versatile hiking destination. Two main mid-locations are Sombrio Beach and Parkinson Creek. Sombrio Beach is a favorite surfing location for Victorians and others living in the southern part of Vancouver Island. They can often be seen arriving after 4:00 pm for an evening of surfing. There is also access from the highway connected to most campsites along the eastern end, although there is no specific parking available. Hikers are now paying $10 a night to camp at walk-in sites, and $3 per day to park in the lots.
THE CROWD
Many locals hike the trails regularly because they enjoy the park. Because it is so accessible, it is frequently used. Sombrio Beach and Bear Beach have regular surfers, with Sombrio getting quite crowded at times. The crowds are not just surfers and hikers. Sombrio especially attracts young people looking for a place to run amok. Long weekends are not the best time to go because of these crowds. Recent years have seen Sobrio crowds of over 500 people on long weekends. Unfortunately, the easy access creates the crowded, rowdy atmosphere that BC Parks is trying to reduce. Even the further afield sites can be quite crowded on long weekends, even though access is more difficult. Mostly, the more difficult access brings people who are more interested in the experience of nature than anything else. Many locals clean up Sombrio after the long weekends. These people are true heroes.
COMMUNICATION
Related to access, communication is a big issue in the wilderness. Cell phones work along the way, but usually only for emergencies. Some network access is possible from the eastern end, but usually through U.S. networks, which have a nice roaming charge attached. The town of Jordan River and Port Renfrew are at either end of the trail, or near, so phone access is relatively easy. Satellite phone access is easy from the beaches, but may be problematic in denser forested areas. VHF marine radio is also a possibility, although technically, for use on the water.
TRAVEL DIFFICULTY
When compared to the West Coast Trail, this trail is generally easier, although sections can be just as challenging as the most difficult sections of the West Coast Trail. The most difficult sections run from the China Beach Trailhead to Sombrio Beach. The 11 to 12 kilometers from Bear Beach (depending on your campsite) to Chin Beach are the most strenuous because of having to travel up and down over small stream outlet valleys. The trail is quite good, with little blow down and travel over large root system. The last kilometer approaching Sombrio Beach from the east is also quite strenuous because of the mud and terrain. West of Sombrio, the terrain is relatively flat and the hiking is fast, although there can be a lot of mud, depending on the time of year. Beyond its own beauty, the Juan de Fuca Trail can be a good training ground for doing the West Coast Trail or North Coast Trail.
LENGTH
One of the great features of the Juan de Fuca Trail is its versatility. Really good day hikes are possible here, as well as a committed, 5-day backpacking trip. Everything in between is also possible. A one or two night traverse can be made by leaving a car at one of the access points and taking a second car to a trail head, then hiking the trail between, for example, hiking from China Beach to Bear Beach, or Bear Beach to Chin Beach. The ability to hike out quickly to the highway makes this trail unique because hikers can get a good traverse hike in with minimal logistics. The access point also allow the trail to be broken up into several different sections and hiked separately.
SIGHTS
The climate and terrain of the Juan de Fuca Trail is different from the West or North Coast Trails. Along the Juan de Fuca, you get to commune with the eagles, river otters, and martens. There are often bears along the trail as well, but they should be avoided. The beaches are a mix of cobblestone and sand. Sea stacks, sea caves along the cliffs, rock shelves with tide pools at low tides, and stands of cedar and spruce are common. Cruise ships ply the waters of the Juan de Fuca Strait, with their lights passing in the night. The snow-capped, giants of the Olympic Mountains are visible to the east and south. The seclusion of the non-trailhead beaches gives a great wilderness experience while still being just a short hop away from a main highway.
The Juan de Fuca Marine Trail is one of the major coastal hikes in BC. It is a traverse that compares to its sister trails, the West Coast Trail and the North Coast Trail, but with its own unique character. It is one of the most accessible trails on Vancouver Island, with many access points along its length, giving it tremendous versatility. With this versatility, the length can be tailored to fit one's needs and time frame. Hiking the Juan de Fuca Trail can be done in sections or all at one go as a good 5 day backpacking trip. All told, this is a great trail that should not be missed.
Gary Ward has been leading trips and teaching in wilderness areas for 20 years. Having traveled from desert to sea, he spends most of his time now in coastal areas, exploring the boundary between land and sea, land and sky, and sea and sky.
He can be found leading tours on the Juan de Fuca Trail, teaching, and writing for his business, Coastal Bliss Adventures.
The Benefits of a Women's History Trail - Fun AND Profit!
A True Story
My favorite example of the economic impact of a women's history trail happened during the summer of 2009 in Salem, Massachusetts. As the creator of the Salem Women's Heritage Trail, I was hired for the day to lead a tour group of women who were members of the Worcester (MA) Women's History Project. They rented a bus, paid me for my time, visited three ticketed attractions, had lunch, and shopped along the way.
By the time they were ready to leave, they knew they had only scratched the surface. Their bus happened to be parked in front of a Salem hotel and I said, "You'll have to come back next year, stay at the hotel, and see more sites!" And I'm sure they will.
The economic impact of a women's history trail on a community is real, and all kinds of organizations stand to benefit. Historic sites and museums sell tickets, attract members, and enjoy incremental business in their shops. Retail stores and restaurants welcome new customers. Bus companies, tour guides, parking accommodations, and modes of public transportation make money.
People who walk history trails also visit local attractions, eat, shop, and might even stay overnight at one of your local hotels. I've seen it - and not just in Salem, but in Boston where I served as the executive director of the Boston Women's Heritage Trail, on the South Shore of Massachusetts where I helped to develop a driving trail, and in Cambridge, Massachusetts where the Women's History Project website prompted guided tours and programs.
Markets
In my experience leading women's history tours, the majority of my audiences are women who range in age from 40 to 65. They are:
• well educated
• intellectually curious
• financially comfortable
Some work, some are retired.
Some of these female "cultural tourists" are residents, their friends, family, and guests, or those who work in town (local tourists). But more of them are part of the "drive market," visitors who travel to a destination for the day from a not-very-distant location.
Others are "frequent independent travelers," people who visit from other countries for two or more weeks at a time. These visitors are usually drawn to an area for a reason other than women's history, but they are itching to find new and interesting things to do during their lengthy stay - and women by far make the majority of travel decisions. Since exchange rates tend to work in their favor, these women are also prepared to spend money!
Women's History and Tourism
Tourism is such an important part of the U.S. economy that in 2008 President-elect Obama instructed his transition team to look hard at tourism in the United States, bring traditionally segmented parts of the industry together, and make recommendations to improve that would "help fuel America's economy."
In the National Travel Association's December 16, 2008 report, they offered the following statistics:
• For the U.S. economy, travel and tourism annually generate $1.7 trillion in revenue and approximately 17 million jobs.
• Spanning every state and congressional district, the economic benefits of travel and tourism generated more than $115 billion in tax revenue in 2007.
• Tourism is either the first, second or third largest employer in 29 states.
• International travel is America's fastest-growing travel segment, due to favorable exchange rates. Travel and tourism exports accounted for 7.5 percent of all U.S. exports of goods and services and 25 percent of service exports in 2007. That includes international passenger fares and international traveler spending in the U.S.
• Adding 10 million additional international visitors every year boosts the U.S. economy $12 billion per year. That is 151,000 new jobs and $2 billion in federal, state, and local tax revenues.
• An increase of just 1 percent in international travel market share would produce $13.5 billion in additional revenue for the U.S. economy.
Given these impressive figures, it's more important than ever for women's history - and women's history trails - to become a more visible part of the national tourism picture.
But let's look at specifics. During the process of creating a women's history trail, when and where can you notice its economic impact?
Planning Phase and Early Marketing
Women's history trails are developed in different ways. Sometimes, a nonprofit organization is formed to create and promote a trail - like the Boston Women's Heritage Trail. Other times, leaders of historical, educational, and business organizations come together under one participant's "umbrella," which is what happened in Salem and Cambridge, Massachusetts. On the South Shore of Massachusetts, I worked with an enterprising newspaper reporter who created a driving trail because the historic sites were so spread out. It was published as a special supplement in her newspaper.
However you plan to develop a trail for your community, know that from the very beginning you are in the business of marketing. People need to know your trail is there! No one will derive any economic benefit unless you promote the trail throughout the development process and well after. And it will serve you well to budget for marketing from the project's inception.
Rule #1 in marketing is "know thy audience" and in the planning phase your primary audience is residents, especially adult women (including those with school-aged daughters). They can:
• give you information for the trail
• attend your fundraising events
• go on tours with you when the trail is complete
• recommend your trail to tourists
During the planning phase, you will want to hold well-publicized public meetings to present your ideas for the trail, solicit new information, and introduce the members of your planning committee who should represent your cultural and business communities, town, schools, and local college or university.
Right away, you are in a position to promote these committee members and the organizations and businesses they represent - meaning, your trail project is benefiting them economically from the start! You can encourage the people who attend your meetings to patronize your committee members' companies, and if they are smart, your committee members will use their involvement with the trail to self-promote, offer incentives, free passes, and so on.
You also want to involve your local Chamber of Commerce from the beginning. If you have a Main Streets program, engage them as well, or perhaps your community development office - wherever the intersection between business and tourism/marketing happens in your town. These business organizations understand that people who walk also shop and dine. If local businesses don't understand how your trail can benefit them, your Chamber of Commerce can help them "get it."
In Salem, Massachusetts, the Chamber believed so strongly in the economic benefit of having a women's heritage trail they hosted fundraisers, promoted the trail to their members, and helped plan the kick-off event.
Development Phase and More Marketing
While the trail is being developed, publicize your progress. Send press releases and email blasts, use the "social media" of Facebook and Twitter - and be sure you are always promoting the participating historic sites and businesses. By doing this, you will send customers their way AND build momentum for your grand opening.
You will also need to raise money for your "product," whatever it might be - a brochure, book, or website. Hold fundraisers at your hotel, historic site, or a local business. You will be providing a perfect opportunity for participating sites and businesses to promote themselves. You can set up information tables where they can display products and interact with new customers.
You might also want to call special attention to woman-owned businesses! An exciting (and potentially lasting) byproduct of the development phase is collaboration and networking between nonprofits and for-profits. In Salem, one of my greatest joys was introducing historic site representatives and local business people to each other during fundraising events. More often than not, they had never met. Store owners picked up new customers and promised to make a greater effort to direct visitors to their new friend's historic site. Frequently, these new business relationships led to future win-win collaborations.
In Salem, we held an evening fundraiser at The House of the Seven Gables while the museum was closed. I overheard many residents admit they had never been to The Gables before. Seizing the opportunity, the director provided free passes for daytime visits and easily secured new customers and new members - and the gratitude of the community.
Opening Phase and Even More Marketing
When the trail is complete and you're ready to "open," all kinds of opportunities await! In Salem, we rented two trolleys and gave "driving tours." Later, we offered walking tours. We invited reporters to go along, and they wrote terrific stories that inspired people to visit Salem for a new reason.
Businesses along the route hung our posters and sold our book. Some offered refreshments, others gave a flower to each woman customer. Historic sites offered new women's history-focused tours and created special displays from their collections.
All of these places - for-profit and nonprofit - made money!
Once your trail exists make sure it's featured in your community's visitor information, including materials distributed by your Chamber of Commerce, Main Streets program, local and state tourism offices. You do NOT need to handle all of the marketing yourself at this point, nor should you. That is what tourism professionals do, and why they are valuable partners. Meet with them, provide information, and follow their recommendations.
Having said that, you probably know more about women's history than most tourism people do so you should do some of your own research. Which women's history websites do potential visitors to your community peruse? Which publications? Where should your trail be listed or linked? A good example is the National Collaborative for Women's History Sites website and book. There is a section on walking trails in the book, and an online section with links to trails and historic sites all over the U.S.
Another example is Discover New England, the tourism marketing organization that promotes New England as a destination for international travelers. In 2010, they are launching a new page on women's history trails and historic sites!
Think about offering special tours for affinity groups (Girl Scouts, women's clubs or organizations, women's studies students at your local college) and for local students. If you reach the students, you reach the parents, and they are the ones with the money to spend. And plan your walks to include time for food and shopping!
Assuming you created a PowerPoint presentation for your fundraising events, you can now present an updated version to local groups (Rotary, senior center). Some people will never walk the trail, but they will visit specific sites and shops. Again, steer them toward your collaborators!
Moving Forward
In the years after your trail is open, the biggest challenge will be to sustain its visibility. Some communities are able to paint a line or install plaques, but most cannot. You do need to keep your brochure or book in print, your website updated, and send out messages from time to time via email blasts, an online newsletter, or Facebook to keep the buzz going.
History isn't static. Even after your trail is complete, people will find new information about historical women in your community. Today's women will open new businesses. Through your trail, you can "own" your local women's history. Make announcements, report news, and celebrate achievements.
In Salem, to perpetuate the link between business and history, I recently transformed the trail website into the Salem Women's History and Business Community. Through the website and social media, I promote women business owners in Salem and make announcements about historical and contemporary women.
The month of March, National Women's History Month, provides an annual opportunity to promote your trail. For several years in Salem, the "trail" hosted a series of talks in March on historical women and women's history sites people could visit. As a virtual organization, the "trail" partnered with the Salem Maritime National Historic Site (National Park Service), which hosted the events.
You can continue to lead tours as well. For the Boston Women's Heritage Trail (BWHT), I always combined a walking tour with a visit to the host historic site and lunch at a neighborhood restaurant. Like Salem's trail, BWHT had no official office. Every program had to involve collaborating with a historic site - and they benefited!
Men Can Become an Important Audience as Well
I have given plenty of tours that included men - husbands who reluctantly attended with their wives who told me afterward, "I had no idea I would actually enjoy this!" and fathers who brought their daughters because they wanted them to be inspired by women's achievements. These kinds of men are a very important audience, and they can become some of your fiercest allies!
Final Thoughts
The story I told at the beginning of this article is just one example of how a women's history trail can benefit a community economically. Imagine adding more and more women's history trails to walkable downtowns or to driveable regions in states all across the country.
Imagine if the National Travel Association gave special acknowledgment to women's history trails (and women's history in general!) as the fastest-growing tourism segment in an upcoming report?
If you think about it, historic sites are already "there." No one will be adding sites to Boston's Freedom Trail, for example, any time soon. Those places are, literally, set in stone.
Women's history trails, on the other hand, are a new history "product" that can be created and marketed to generate income for hundreds of nonprofits and local businesses. That's heady stuff to contemplate, and you can make it happen!
You can create a women's history trail for your community!
Helpful Links
• Salem Women's History and Business Community
• Boston Women's Heritage Trail
Acknowledgments
Many thanks to the Salem Chamber of Commerce for their support of the Salem Women's Heritage Trail, specifically, former executive director Ellen DiGeronimo and former president Joseph Correnti. I am also grateful to the Boston Women's Heritage Trail, especially Mary Howland Smoyer and Polly Welts Kaufman, for encouraging me to be creative with women's history in Boston many years ago.
Bonnie Hurd Smith is an unusual combination of historian and marketer. Her work as a historian has focused largely on women's history, especially the eighteenth-century essayist Judith Sargent Murray and women's history trails, but she has also managed a historical society, served as the president of a historic house museum, and planned and implemented dozens of history-based events and projects through her business, History Smiths (formerly Hurd Smith Communications). On the business side, Bonnie has not only planned highly successful large- and small-scale community events, she excels in public relations, marketing, fundraising, project management, writing and graphic design. She is a popular speaker, tour guide, and writer on historical subjects. Her passion is to boost the visibility of women's history throughout the United States as a source of inspiration for girls and boys, women and men, and to tell a more balanced story of American history.
The Top 5 Bike Trails North and Northwest of Chicago
The Chicagoland area is known for great bike trails and you've just found a summary of the best bike trails in the Chicagoland area (north and northwest).
With so many great bike trails to choose from, there will, of course, be different opinions, depending on your personal riding style and preferences and what is most important to you. The top 5 bike trails selected have quite a bit to offer to a wide variety of riders.
Our top 5 bike trails choices include nicely paved trails as well as crushed stone trails and trails with access to more rugged mountain biking areas. Most of our top 5 trails connect other trails which will allow you to vary or extend your rides as you choose. You can select the best sections of the trails for short or medium distance rides or extend your rides to 100 miles or more on a some of these trails!
The Top 5 Bike Trails - Chicago North and Northwest
Fox River Bike Trail - The Fox River Trail (FRT) is the nicest paved bike trail in the Chicagoland area. The FRT has beautiful wooded areas along the river, cool winding paths through the woods and scenic views from the trail and from the many bridges that the FRT crosses.
The FRT starts in Aurora, Illinois on its southern end and runs north to Algonquin where it connects to the McHenry County Prairie Trail. Although the Prairie Trail can be taken all the way to the Wisconsin border, it becomes crushed stone and more rugged as you go north. You can also connect to the Illinois Prairie Path (IPP) (also crushed stone in many sections) at three different locations, for some very nice rides that branch out east on the beautiful IPP.
You can easily ride over 100 miles on the FRT and it's connecting trails or you can select your favorite areas along the Fox River and enjoy a relaxing ride in the wooded areas along the riverside. This bike trail does get a little crowded on hot summer weekends and on holidays so if you prefer less people, I would suggest a weekday or off time.
Des Plaines River Trail - The Des Plaines River Trail (DPRT) is a nice crushed stone trail with some wooded and shaded areas mixed with sunny prairie sections. Traffic on the trail is a little lighter than many of the other bike trails in this area (probably due to the crushed stone surface). Most of the highway intersections are bridge underpasses so you can do quite a distance, non stop without having to deal with highway crossings.
The northern section of the DPRT is the nicest crushed stone bike trail in the area. The northern part of the DPRT starts in Lincolnshire (Half Day) and can be taken all the way to the Wisconsin border. One of the nicest features of this trail is that most of it is well shaded on hot summer days. You may want to avoid this trail in extremely wet weather. The underpasses can be closed when the river is high and when there has been flooding.
Green Bay Bike Trail - The Green Bay Trail (GBT) is a crushed stone path that winds it's way through the wooded north shore suburbs not far from the shores of Lake Michigan. The main 18 mile stretch of the GBT avoids most of the north shore business areas but there are many nice places that are easily accessible for an interesting break from the trail. Some parts of the GBT actually lead you through some residential streets of the affluent north shore suburbs and you can also visit Ravina Music Festival and some of the beautiful beaches on Lake Michigan.
The GBT starts in Wilmette, Illinois at the southern end and goes north to Lake Bluff when it turns into the Robert McClory Bike Path. There is some disputes regarding the exact path names but for this article I am referring to the GBT between Wilmette and Lake Bluff. The GBT does get a little crowded at peak times so if you prefer more solitude, I would suggest planning your ride around the potential busy times.
Great Western Bike Trail -The Great Western Trail (GWT) is one of the many Rails to Trails bike trails and rolls through the Illinois prairies and countryside from St. Charles, Illinois to Sycamore. The trail is crushed stone, has a few easy rolling hills and very light bike traffic. What I really like is the rural atmosphere, prairies and open farmland.
The eastern end of the GWT is mostly shaded while the tree cover on the western part of the trail opens up and it can be quite sunny. The trail ends in a quite community park in Sycamore. I'd suggest this trail if you would like to get away from the rush of the city and enjoy a quiet rural bike ride where you can hear your own thoughts.
Busse Woods Bike Trail - The Busse Woods Trail (BWT) is a paved bike trail that loops through the Busse Woods Forest Preserve in Elk Grove, Illinois. There's quite a variety of scenery in this 12 mile bike trail. At the northeastern part of the trail there is an actual Elk heard (in a large fenced off area). Once you head south from the elk herd you'll ride past a number of forest preserve entrances with lots of activity on busy summer days and weekends. You will pass over the Salt Creek and some small lakes and will ride through some scenic wooded areas.
There are also plenty of other side attractions such as lots of boaters, fishers, major kite flyers and a Remote Controlled airplane field in one of the groves. It can be a lot of fun to watch the flyers do their aerobatics... The one drawback to this trail is that it can get quite crowded on busy weekends and at peak times. If you don't want to deal with the crowds you will want to visit this trail at an off time.
Please keep in mind that there have been quite a few "runner ups" for this top 5 bike trail category, and there are many more great bike trails out there in the Chicagoland area. There may also be some changes in this top 5 listing as time goes on, but for now, this should give you some real good opportunities to get out and enjoy the ride!
If you would like more information on the top 5 bike trails listed here, or detailed description and photos of other great Chicago area bike trails, check out the About-Bicycles Bike Trails pages.
Rob Chapman, http://www.about-bicycles.com.
Adventures in Peru - The Trail To Nevado Firura
I was planning on starting my second exploratory hike looking for the trail to Nevado Firura on a Friday morning, but this time decided to take the combi to Alca instead of driving there. The combis are supposed to leave the plaza every hour on the hour but there wasn't any combi in sight when I was up there at 8:00 am to buy bread. I was hoping to catch the 9:00 combi but I wasn't ready to leave my house until 9:10. This was no problem as the combi has to pass by my house on the way to Alca and it hadn't done that yet. My only concern was that by the time it reached my house it would be full. Rather than sit and wait for it, I decided to start walking and flag down the first vehicle that came by. At 9:30 the combi finally came, there was plenty of room; I got on and we reached Alca at 10:25, a slower than normal trip due to the road construction.
On my previous attempt, I had started at Alca and went up through Ayahuasi, following directions from various people who told me that was the correct way. I reached the high plain but was a long ways from Nevado Firura. This time I was going up a different quebrada, or canyon, which according to the map and my friend Max, was a better route. There are many smaller canyons branching off from the Cotahuasi Canyon, making about five potential routes. If I were walking the whole way, they would all be about the same distance from Cotahuasi, but by taking a combi part way at the start, it is possible to save some walking time. There are no roads and no combis up on the high plain in the area of Firura.
This time I went up through Cahuana, a small village on the other side of the canyon from Ayahuasi. Both are steep climbs up, but the trail to Cahuana is in better condition, recently rebuilt with stone steps that the Incas would be proud of. In 40 minutes I was up on the plain on which Cahuana is located at 9698 feet, 676 feet above Alca. From there I took a small shortcut trail through some fields and a few houses up to the main trail between Cahuana and Ayahuasi, at 10,450 feet, arriving there at 1:00 pm. Here the trail crossed the river on the first of three bridges, and then was supposed to follow the river the rest of the way up. I had quite a surprise on the last steep climb when I had stepped to the side of the trail for a bathroom break and noticed that there was no ground there, it was just bushes hanging over the edge of the canyon with a drop of at least 500 feet! I was also surprised to see a large wheeled construction air compressor, on a point way up above me. I found out later that they were working on a canal, digging a tunnel through rock with jack hammers, and had pulled and pushed it up there by hand.
The sign at the entrance to Cahuana showed a hot springs somewhere above the village, and when I asked about it, I was told that it was on the same trail I was going up. I arrived there at 2:15 (10,755') and spent an hour and a half alternating soaking in the 107° water, and cooling off in the very cold river, right alongside of the pool. I talked with a man who was working in the fields near there and when he found out where I was going, he told me that there was a house about two and a half hours up the trail where I could sleep. I set that as my goal, even though I had my tent with me and had planned on sleeping in that. He also confirmed that there was one more bridge upstream that I had to cross, and that from the house it would be a short hike up to Firura.
About five minutes above the hot springs I saw a third bridge, a very rustic one of three logs covered with branches and rocks. I followed the trail to the other side of the river and from there it became harder to follow as it was going through a wide rocky wash. I reached a rock wall and there was no sign of the trail on the other side of the wall, only what looked like an animal trail going up the hill to the left on my side of the wall. The field on the other side had recently been dug up for planting and there were no tracks visible in it, so I followed the trail up the hill, which looked like it would go up and around a cliff. It didn't seem right, but I kept going hoping that I would soon get high enough to see if I was on the right trail, and if not, to see where the correct trail was. I finally reached a ridge where I could see up canyon and I could see a trail way down below me, along the river. It was obvious that I was not on that trail, so I went back down to look for it.
I bushwhacked along the river and through fields and finally reached the trail but was still puzzled because I had been told that there was a "good" trail all the way up. In just a few minutes I found the reason for my confusion. I reached a fourth bridge and from there the trail got much better. I don't know if the third bridge was a new one or what, but I had crossed the river too soon, and in the process wasted over an hour on the wrong trail. This wouldn't have been a big problem but now it was 5:10 and it would be dark by 6:30, maybe earlier in the canyon, and I knew that I wouldn't reach the house by that time. By now the trail was steeper as well so I was going slower. To make matters worse, the ground was rough and rocky and the trail was not always easy to follow, so I decided to find a good campsite before dark and sleep in my tent.
By 6:15 it was dark enough that it was hard to follow the trail and I still hadn't found a campsite. I turned on my headlamp and kept going, praying that I would be able to stay on the trail and find a site soon. For the next hour I stumbled along in the dark, sometimes on the trail but often losing it and just bushwhacking up along the river. There were many crisscrossing animal trails, rocky gullies, cactus and low hanging tree branches, making for a very difficult time. Sometimes I couldn't follow close to the river because of steep cliffs, but always could hear it off to my right. I knew as long as I was near the river I was at least going in the right direction.
Having done a lot of hiking in the U.S., including from Mexico to Canada on the Pacific Crest Trail, I was used to an occasional trail sign to help stay on the correct trail. Some trails are "blazed", with marks on the trees to show the trail. Here in Peru I had never seen a blazed trail, and in four years of hiking, could probably count the trail signs on the fingers of one hand. The locals know where the trails go and don't see any need for signs. One of the few signs that was marking the trail to a local tourist attraction, was torn down by vandals. However, I had noticed a few yellow blazes on the rocks on this trail after the fourth bridge, not many but just enough to reassure you once in a while. To my great delight as I was following a trail in the dark, my light shone on a yellow blaze on a rock! At least for a few minutes I knew I was on the right trail.
At about 7:20 the trail crossed a small stream, and as I looked around, there was a grassy area between that and the main river. There was one flat dry spot, just a few feet from the very noisy river, between a large rock and a wet low area. Thanking God for the answer to my prayers, I set up my tent and had my dinner, and then a good night's sleep. It was 35° in my tent when I went to sleep, and as I was at 12,900 feet, I knew it would be below freezing in the morning. After I woke up, I lazily dozed in the tent until the sun came up and it quickly warmed up. Once outside I could see that I was on the only flat dry spot I had seen in a couple of hours, and the small stream was flowing from a spring just 100 feet from my tent. That was very welcome as the whole area is used for grazing and there was lots of cow manure, and I needed water.
I left there at 9:15 am, and the trail was much easier to follow in the daylight, but I didn't arrive at the house until 11:05, which was at 14,006 feet. I was so thankful that I didn't have to go that far to find a place to sleep. I could see the source of the river up above; there was one large waterfall off to the right and four more straight ahead. These four were cascading over a high cliff, three of them were frozen and one was flowing, but lots of ice where it hit. There was another cliff above them but no water there, I later found out that there were springs in the flat area between the two cliffs. The river was still running fast and deep, but not too wide, I found a couple of large rocks to cross on and went to check out the house on the other side. Actually there were two of them, one with a corrugated roof; the other had a thatched roof. They were both in poor condition, with the wind blowing through holes in the roofs and walls, and were very dirty inside as the cattle were able to enter due to open doorways.
From here there wasn't any one good trail but the obvious route was up a long ridge that went most of the way up to the high plain, over 2,000 feet above me. This was again crisscrossed with various animal trails, as well as a trail that went over the ridge to a bowl on the other side. At 1:15 I reached the crest of the ridge, where I had seen three tall "ducks" from down below, which were at 15,350 feet, and stopped for lunch. From here the trail went down into the bowl, which was the source of the other waterfall, but I couldn't see if it turned and went up to the high plain. The ridge went up to the base of the cliff but it looked like the best route was to go up diagonally off to the right where a boulder and scree slope led to the high plain.
I knew it would be hard climbing, and that I wouldn't have time to attempt to climb Nevado Firura and get back to Cotahuasi the next day (as I had promised my friends), so I decided to leave my pack and make a quick trip up the rim and see how far away it still was to the base of the mountain. It was a miserable climb up with no solid trail to follow, but in 55 minutes I had reached the rim at 16,207 feet, thankful that I had left my pack behind. However I was puzzled and disappointed that I couldn't see Firura. I also could not see Nevado Coropuna, but could see Solimana. After checking my hand traced map (my topos are all on my walls), I realized that I was looking at Firura, just from a different angle than I had seen it before, and there was no snow on it now. I hiked up to a slightly higher point and could see the lakes near the base of Firura, and reluctantly turned around at 3:00 pm to head back to my pack, arriving there in 45 minutes.
I got back to my previous night's campsite at 5:15 and decided to stop there again, rather than risking another hike in the dark trying to find a suitable campsite.
After a good, long night's sleep, I was back on the trail at 8:15 in the morning. Fifteen minutes later I saw the thatched roofs of what looked like some old houses on the other side of the river. Crossing another small log bridge I went over to investigate them. Two of them looked liked they were used occasionally, probably by those coming up to tend to their livestock. An hour and a half later I was again at the hot springs, easily following the trail after crossing the 3rd bridge and being on the correct side of the river.
I spent a couple of hours at the hot springs, talking some with a few girls who were about Jr. high age, who had hiked up from Cahuana to wash clothes, as well as enjoy the hot springs. The cost of this privilege for them was a 2½-hour round trip hike. I was back down at Alca in just under two hours, and immediately was able to catch a combi going back to Cotahuasi.
Now I know what looks like the best route up to Nevado Firura. Next time I will either have to get earlier starts in the mornings to make it in three days, or take four days to make it a leisurely hike. However with the rainy season starting before I have the opportunity to do it again, it could be five or six months before my next attempt.
Vic Hanson is the founder of Adventure Cotahuasi Tours, which offers pre-planned and custom adventure travel tours in Cotahuasi Canyon and other areas of Peru.
If you are interested in your own adventure in Peru, check us out! [http://www.adventurecotahuasi.com]
Grand Canyon: Bright Angel Trail Versus South Kaibab Trail
Wy wife Wendy and I have been hiking in the Grand Canyon for close to 25 years. We have hiked both the Bright Angel and the South Kaibab Trails hundreds of times each. At the writing of this article we have completed just under (40) Rim 2 Rim 2 Rim's. We presently reside in the Grand Canyon Village on the South Rim and hike below the Rim 3-4 times a week. Quite often, we are asked "Which is the better trail to hike?" This is a difficult question to answer without personal knowledge of the hiker. Therefore, here is an outline of the trail characteristics so that you may choose for yourself.
PERMITS
You do not need a permit to "day hike" on any trail in the Grand Canyon. You also do not need a permit if you have a reservation and are a guest at Phantom Ranch. However, you will need a backcountry permit if you plan on camping below the rim. The Backcountry Information Center's phone number is: 928-638-7875.
TRAIL ACCESS
The Bright Angel Trail has the better access as it is located in the Grand Canyon Village. You may walk west along the mezzanine from Bright Angel Lodge past Kolb Studio, veer towards the Rim and you're on the BA Trail. You may also access the trail from behind the mule corral above the Hermit's Rest shuttle station.
You cannot park at the South Kaibab Trail, it is accessed by the shuttle bus system or by parking at one of the view parking areas on Highway 64 or by a small parking lot just east of the turnoff to Yaki Point, (approx 1/2 mile walk). Parking at the South Kaibab Trail parking area will result in a fine as the Park Rangers patrol the parking lot daily. However, the shuttle bus does arrive every fifteen minutes and is a pleasant stress free method of commuting out to the South Kaibab Trail. Shuttle bus's depart early morning and into the evening hours, there is even a Kaibab Express shuttle that departs from several lodges. Check The Guide (GCNP newspaper) for seasonal departure times.
Many day hikers, backpackers and Rim 2 Rimmers choose to start their hike on the South Kaibab and finish on the Bright Angel. In that manner they do not have to wait for a shuttle bus after they're finished hiking on the South Kaibab. As the Bright Angel Trail has the easiest access, it is naturally more crowded. However, the BA Trail does offer convenience for a hiker that simply wants to walk a few hundred yards below the Rim.
TRAIL AMENITIES
The Bright Angel Trail has numerous shelters, water stations and rest rooms along it's corridor. This is due to the fact the that Grand Canyon Water Pipeline meanders back and forth along the trail. (The water for the South Rim is actually piped from Roaring Springs near the North Rim). There is shelter, water and restrooms (no flush) at the 1.5 mile, 3 mile and Indian Gardens along with restroom only (no flush) at Pipe Creek Beach, with a shelter a couple hundred yards up the trail. In addition, Pipe Creek itself offers opportunities for water, but it is NOT recommended and it must be filtered as mules pass through the creek daily. The BA Trail also offers more opportunities for shade from the searing Arizona sun. The trail itself follows the lower portion of Pipe Creek into Indian Gardens with shade coming naturally from the steep canyon walls and Cottonwood trees.
The South Kaibab Trail does not have any water stations or shelters on the trail. There is a water station located at the trail head on the South Rim, so make sure you carry a full ration of water with you on departure. There are restrooms (no flush) located at Cedar Ridge and near the junction of the Tonto Trail at "The Tipoff". Shade on the South Kaibab Trail is a commodity - there are no shade trees along the trail. Occasionally you will find shade along the numerous switchbacks, but be prepared for full sun any time of year.
TRAIL CONDITIONS
By far the South Kaibab is in much better shape than Bright Angel. As of the writing of this article (Fall 2011), the GCNP and several volunteer groups have spent countless hours grooming the trail. The main two causes of trail degradation is weather, (from monsoon washouts and snow) and mule traffic. Mules carrying guests and supplies back and forth to Phantom Ranch cause extensive damage to the trail. Generally, the result is large scooped "buckets" where the mules step over "water bars" (diversions running perpendicular to the trail). The result for the hiker is stepping to the side or over these "buckets", which are frequently filled with mule urine. It is in a word - disgusting. The Bright Angel Trail has hundreds of these "buckets" which make negotiating the trail awkward. The fact that a few hundred mule riders each month cause most of the damage to the trail system is a subject of debate for folks that frequently hike the Bright Angel or South Kaibab corridor trails. Recently, the GCNP has cancelled mule day rides to Plateau Point on BA trail to reduce the degradation.
STEEPNESS
Either trail requires a hiker to be in good physical condition in order to hike these trails. Too often hikers are lulled into a sense of security while descending and then discovering their limitations while ascending. Rescue calls during the late spring, summer and early fall months on either trail is common. This is a high altitude desert environment with steep trails. The combination can be fatal, usually resulting in heat stroke or a cardiac event for those that overestimate their abilities, are improperly clothed or have not carried enough water. The common phrase is "Hydrate or Die".
The Bright Angel Trail is 7.6 miles to the Colorado River. This trail is less steep at the bottom and gets steeper near the Rim. From the river, one meanders along Pipe Creek, negotiates a handful of switchbacks and enters the Devil's Corkscrew, a beautiful moderately steep section of the trail which resembles a huge 3/4 mile spiral staircase. Once clear of the Devil's Corkscrew it is a light uphill riparian hike with several creek crossings to Indian Gardens. Most hikers take a break at Indian Gardens before the one mile slightly uphill hike to Jacob's Ladder. This is where the strenuous hiking begins. It is approximately 3.5 miles from the start of Jacob's Ladder to the South Rim. There are very few flat sections on the trail, it is relentless. Many hikers breeze from the Colorado River to Indian Gardens in a couple of hours, only to find their pace slowed to less than 1 mile an hour from Jacob's Ladder to the Rim. When hiking the BA trail from the River up, remember to conserve your energy for the final 3.5 miles!!
The South Kaibab Trail is approximately 6 miles to the Colorado River. This trail is much steeper at the bottom than at the top. Given the fact that the South Kaibab Trail is shorter, means that the trail is steeper overall. It is also approximately 200' higher at the Rim than the BA Trail. Remember - there is no water stations or running water along the South Kaibab Trail, you must carry ample water. After emerging from the Black Bridge Tunnel at the Colorado River the hiker immediately engages a series of steep switchbacks which during the summer months can be devastating. There is a nice break with a fairly uphill hike after The Tipoff and then once again there is another set of extremely steep switchbacks that are usually in full sun to Skeleton Point. Skeleton Point is approximately halfway to the South Rim. The trail is moderately uphill, but still full sun to Cedar Ridge. The trail becomes steep again to Ooo-Aaah Point, levels off and the final climb out through the Chimney is short, but steep. Basically the South Kaibab Trail has three steep sections with moderate to easy breaks in between. Given that it is shorter than the BA Trail, it is a common choice for Park Rangers, Phantom Ranch employees and locals when the temperatures are moderate.
SEASONS
The Grand Canyon has four seasons and they frequently happen all in one day!! Advanced knowledge of the temperature, amount of snow and position of the sun will aid the hiker greatly in trail choices and outerwear. As a general rule of thumb, whatever the high temperature in Phoenix for the day will likely, within a few degrees, be the high temperature at the bottom of the Grand Canyon. Sometimes during winter storms, this is not the case, but generally this guideline is pretty accurate. During the summer one can expect temperatures in excess of 130 degrees in full sun at the Colorado River/Phantom Ranch. The temperatures may only be in the 80's on the South Rim. (A dry and quite comfortable environment.) Conversely, during the winter months you may leave the South Rim at 10 degrees, only to find yourself in shorts and a short sleeve shirt just a few hours later basking in 60/70 degree temps. At any time of the year, on either the Bright Angel or South Kaibab Trails the hiker must be cognizant of the extreme change in temperatures, carry the appropriate amount of water and during the winter be ready to "layer" up or down with outerwear.
Even though the South Rim of the Grand Canyon appears to be a high desert, we still get snow. A snow covered Rim is an exceptional sight and the hiker should not be discouraged by reports of 8-18" of snow along the South Rim. During snowy conditions it is best to descend on the Bright Angel Trail after 8AM in the morning. The reasoning is simple, the mule riders leave the South Rim on the BA Trail usually around 8AM...allow them to break the trail for you. The hiker must be extremely cautious on the descent, the snow usually covers 2-3" of solid ice on the trail. It is a NECESSITY to have Yak-Traks and a pair of hiking poles with snow baskets. Once the day moves forward, the mule riders will ascend the South Kaibab Trail from Phantom Ranch usually after 12 noon. A reasonable decent of the South Kaibab will now be considerably easier along with Yak-Tracks and poles. Typically, if there is little or no snow on the trail, (ice is almost always present during winter months), the South Kaibab is the best choice since it receives more direct sun higher toward the South Rim during the winter.
One of the most important considerations when hiking in the Grand Canyon on either the Bright Angel or South Kaibab is the time of year and how it relates to the angle of the sun in the sky. Keep in mind the 22nd or 23rd of June is the summer solstice when the sun is at it's highest point. Obviously the sun and it's reflective capabilities against the rock walls of the Canyon is at it's strongest during this time. For example, hiking in mid-May is considerably hotter than hiking in mid-October. The further in the year beyond the summer solstice, the lower the sun is in the sky from the South. This will cast deep shadows into the Canyon from the South Rim itself. Both trails are effected by this phenomenon, however the Bright Angel Trail is effected more so since it runs it's course up the very southern edge of the BA Canyon. You can expect most of the steep part of Bright Angel Trail to be in the shadows and covered with ice during the winter. During the summer, Bright Angel also offers more shade, especially after 3pm in the afternoon. Therefore, the best choice for winter hiking is the South Kaibab Trail, you will likely have warm sun throughout the day. During the summer, the South Kaibab Trail is akin to an oven. We generally rarely hike the South Kaibab Trail beyond Cedar Ridge during June, July and August.
This article is meant to provide the South Rim hiker with a general idea of the characteristics between the Bright Angel and South Kaibab Trails. Anytime a hiker enters the Canyon for more than a 1.5 miles, (1.5 mile Resthouse on BA or Cedar Ridge on SK), they should check with Grand Canyon National Park personnel for daily trail conditions.
Eric Krueger
Grand Canyon, Arizona
http://www.AlpineNutriosoRealEstate.com