Day 2 Hell Hike and Raft 2015 — Day 1 of Backpacking
It was another early get up. My alarm clock went off and I reluctantly rolled out of bed. I was going to spend the next 6 days sleeping on a thin sleeping mat in a tent. I truly love it but it makes you miss a comfortable bed. I finished packing and made sure I was not leaving everything behind. Tossed my bags into the rental and set my pack outside. Coffee was ordered and keys turned in.
The guides arrived and we loaded up the van. The crew jumped into the van and off we went. It was a several hour drive up into the mountains from the hotel. Most of the drive was on narrow dirt forest service type roads. We arrived at the Windy Saddle trailhead parking lot in good spirits and ready for the adventure to begin.
Jen, Jana, Thom, Kovas, Pablo and Dean listening to the guides give a safety talk and getting ready!
One major difference from last years Hell Hike and Raft trip was the cloud cover. Thankfully it stuck around for most of the morning. This years trip happened in August which was almost a full month earlier than the 2014 trip. The weather was also expected to be much warmer than the previous year. We used the restrooms talked to the guides and got our things together. A group photo was taken to commemorate the moment and off we went.
Photo Credit: Scott Gauvin Hikingforward.com
Pablo, Jana, Thom, and Guide Woody heading down the first part of the trail.
The trail starts off very easy with a nice hike down a road for a few hundred yards. This then leads you to a steep trail that is the beginning of Goat’s Pass. Goat’s pass is not a heavily traveled trail and you will not find it on many maps. We choose to take this route last year when creating the trip because of its views and the hike truly unique. There is another trail that would take us into Sheep Lake but the distance is much longer and less scenic.
Thom, Jana, and Dean climbing up the beginnings of Goat’s Pass.
We took our time climbing up to Windy Saddle. The trail was steep which led to lots of breaks and time to catch our breath. The day would present us with several large elevations changes so we were not in any hurry. The cloud cover kept the temps low and our spirits high.
At times many of us were finding ourselves hiking to a corner of a switchback and resting. For many us us the elevation is a big challenge. Living in low elevation and starting the hike and nearly three to six times the elevation of where many of the crew live makes catching and keeping your breath. Also keeping your heart rates in check is also made more difficult by the elevation.
Adam standing in front of Mirror lake and the tower of Babel.
Everyone did a great job and we made it to the top of Windy Saddle and had our first look of the Tower of Babel and He Devil as well as the beautiful mountain lakes we would be hiking past later in the day. The reward of hiking up such a difficult trail is very much worth the effort and time taken to get there. This would be one of the higher points of the day elevation wise.
The rest of the trail was as diverse as each and everyone of the crew members hiking it. We saw narrow sketchy dirt trails, boulder fields, scree fields, lakes and meadows. Each section has its challenges but they make for great photos, wonderful stories and experiences.
If you would like to see more photos from today please visit the Day 2 Photo Gallery.
Dean, Scott, Pablo, and Jen taking a quick break on part of the back side of the Goat’s Pass.
Jen taking it all in!
Looking down on the trail ahead as it becomes a scree field.
After making it down the mountain and through the scree field we came into a big grassy meadow with a lake that made me think that I was walking through a Lord of the Rings movie set. Compared to the rocks the grass was incredibly green and the colors can only be described as extremely vibrant. We would be stopping for lunch at the next lake a little bit further up the trail.
Our lunch break offered up a fantastic place to fill up on food and water. Some of the crew even took a swim. A trend that would be continued in the days to come. The sun was starting to burn off the clouds and the temps were warming up. Thankfully the rest of our day was mostly covered or shaded from the sun. There was one section that was in the direct sun but was brief but hard with lots of switchbacks and more elevation gained from our elevation loss at lunch.
If you would like to see more photos from today please visit the Day 2 Photo Gallery.
Thom, Scott, Kovas, Pablo, and Jen playing in the water and enjoying the swing.
After several more hours we made it to camp. We had only hiked around four miles, but the elevation changes and the difficulty of the trail makes the distance seem much longer. Camp was set up and we all gathered around the campfire to relax and enjoy ourselves and the beauty of Sheep Lake. Pablo, Thom, and our guide Woody decided to attempt a summit of He Devil.
John made sure that we would not miss our turn into camp!
Camp Set up! My tent is the little grey / green one bottom right.
Enjoying a deep discussion deep within the Seven Devils at Sheep Lake.
Thom, Pablo and Woody returned to camp. They had gotten close to the summit of He Devil but were forced to turn around due to weather and time. A small storm had rolled through shortly before we had arrived at camp and sprinkled on us.
The rest of the night was spent enjoying a fantastic spaghetti feast cooked by our guides Rick, Hines, and John. John had gotten to camp a few hours before we had wandered in. He was in charge of the horses and making sure our camp kitchen and food supplies are well taken care of. John is a great addition to the crew and it was fun seeing him and catching up. The crew was also introduced to Tubbs. Tubbs is Johns dog who has a never ending addiction to chasing after sticks. The night ended shortly after the sun went down and we all settled in for a warm but good night’s sleep.
To view photos, videos, gear reviews, meet the crew, and follow the rest of the adventure please make sure to visit my Hell Hike and Raft 2015 page.
Adam Nutting relishes being an avid backpacker, hiker, and all-around adventure junkie. While he currently spends his time hiking in the backcountry of southern Arizona, he grew up in Missouri, where he was naturally inclined to spend as much time as he could outdoors. Adam’s passion for the outdoors grew as he climbed the ranks of the Cub Scouts and the Boy Scouts, eventually attaining the rank of Eagle Scout.
Originally published at www.hikingthetrail.com.
