Supai Journal & Pics

[HikerBlatt]

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Supai Journal – November 16 – 19, 2011

Hike in Chopper Ride Out: Jim, Sue & Joan

11-16-11, 5:00 PM, Hualapai Lodge, Peach Springs, AZ

Sue and I left Palm Springs at 8:40 this morning and made it here to Peach Springs, AZ about 3:00 PM with a stop for gas and some not-very-good food in Kingman, AZ.
The drive was uneventful and easy and pretty with a few minor delays for road construction. Hualapai Lodge is much better than I was expecting after reading reviews on the internet. I am pleasantly surprised. It is clean and comfortable and the staff is welcoming.
The weather has been warm in the sun and cool in the shade. We are running the heat in the hotel room as I write.

11-17-11, 4:50 PM, Supai Lodge, Supai Village, AZ

It was a beautiful drive of about 65 miles from Peach Springs to the Hill Top Trailhead. The morning temperature has been in the 30s with a clear blue sky and little to no wind.
The three of us got on the trail about 10ish and arrived at the Supai Lodge at about 3:00. It was a long 8 mile downhill trek with me hauling a heavy backpack with food for three for three days, none of it freeze dried, though Joan was carrying freeze dried egg breakfasts for two mornings for the three of us. I was also carrying the cooking gear, though no need for tent, sleeping bag, etc. as we were staying at the Supai Lodge. I found the first 6 miles very nice and the scenery was and is beautiful with red rock cliffs all around and pale cliffs appearing from time to time in the distance and towering over all.
We had to step aside for numerous pack trains going in both directions always accompanied by well-behaved dogs. We only saw 4 other hikers going up and 2 groups of 2 hikers going down. I didn’t see any tourist types riding in any of the pack trains. All were hauling supplies, including mail. The beginning of the trail was switchbacks for the first mile or so and then descended into the bed of a wash. It was wide enough for pack trains going in opposite directions to pass one another and is in good condition. The trail from beginning to end is littered with empty cans and plastic bottles from water, soft drinks and occasionally booze. Somehow the litter adds to the charm of the experience and isn’t a distraction, as even one piece of litter would be, in the mountain backcountry where I mostly backpack.
We just finished eating our dinner of a deli lasagna that I heated up on a picnic table outside of our room. Tomorrow’s dinner will be a deli thai spiced spaghetti – good stuff!
This lodge is again pleasantly much better than I was expecting with a great view out our window. It’s clean and comfortable with hot water shower – all the luxuries of home – almost.
The Supai Village is compact and a hubbub of activity with adults, kids, horses and dogs everywhere, especially in the town center.
Tomorrow we will hike to the falls and do some exploration of the village and hike back out the following day with a drive home on the following day.
For the most part we seem to be invisible to most of the natives, though a few will make eye contact and say hello or give a nod. On the trail most of the pack train men would make eye contact at the last second and offer up a nod of acknowledgement.
I brought a sprig of California Silver Sage that I offered to the clerk here at the Supai Lodge and it even earned me a smile as she gratefully accepted it.
There are reservation dogs everywhere and they are all well behaved. A man told us that if a dog misbehaves they hang it, so there are no dog fights, at least not more than one for any dog, evidence that capital punishment works. He was a white guy who has lived in Supai for 11 years. His wife is a teacher at the elementary school. He has MS and said he lived there for 3 years before anyone would even talk to him because they were afraid they would catch it from him. He also said that the people who live in the houses on the other side of the bridge, as you come into the village, sell alcohol and drugs and there are prostitutes.

11-18-11, 3:00 PM, Supai Village Center

We are waiting for a helicopter to take us out. The cost is $85 per person for tourists and $0 for natives and natives have priority, so tourists are always on “stand by.” Flights have been coming and going, bringing in supplies and going out with passengers at about 5 or 6 at a time. Turnaround time seems to be about 20 - 25 minutes. Our plans changed at the last minute. Joan is hurting from the entire hike and doesn’t think she will be able to walk out. Turns out no tourist flights on Saturday or Sunday, so if we fly it has to be today or wait until Monday.
Today was very pleasant. We walked down to the falls, 50 Foot Falls, then Havasu Falls and finally Moony Falls. The stream and falls are very beautiful, a blue-green color due to lime dissolved in the water. Pretty amazing at that… we walked about 6 miles out-and-back, an easy walk. We met two young people from Santa Barbara who had run down from the trailhead and were then going to run out. We met up with them twice. The first time they were at Havasu Falls at about 11 miles and the second time they were running back to the trailhead after having visited Mooney Falls… pretty impressive.

7:20 PM, back at Hualapai Lodge, Peach Springs, AZ

When we finally got on the chopper the ride didn’t last longer than about 10 minutes, if that. Beautiful from the air, but that was no surprise. This was my first chopper ride in over 44 years and maybe my 1st with the chopper doors closed.
The activity and culture of Supai Village was very interesting and I am grateful to have been witness to it, if only briefly. I wish I could have stayed a whole other day just sitting in the Village center soaking in all the comings and goings.
The campgrounds along the stream from 50 Foot Falls down to Mooney Falls were the largest community campgrounds I have ever seen. At least a mile of picnic tables, solar toilets, etc. there must be room for hundreds, if not a thousand, campers. As it was, we only saw about 3 or 4 sites being used. We obviously hit this place at a good time of year.

[Sally]

Hi HikerBlatt, You picked a great time of year to visit Supai, when it's not too hot and not too many people. Your description of village life is just how I remember it.

I took hubby there on his only backpack trip about 5 years ago. We spent 3 glorious days in the campground. Our original plan was to hike out, but he wasn't up to the task, so we also opted for the helicopter ride out. It was our first helicopter ride, and was well worth the $.

[Lermo]

Thanks for the TR & pictures HikerBlatt! I gotta do that one myself. The water color of that stream is incredible.

Happy Trails!

Lermo