9/10/97

Out West....

     Well, I got a little sidetracked there and ended up in Cape Cod. I was thinkin about the beach and surfin and all cuz it is summer....well, the end of summer anyhow and we don’t have too many good surf pictures. I guess cuz the few times it’s been bigger and better we kinda forgot about taking pictures before we surfed and by the time we got out of the water its been pretty much pitch-black dark. Oh well. So what we do have are pictures of some of the killer days we had last year snowboarding. There seemed to be a serious lack of snow last year on the East Coast compared to the 95/96 record of 62" in New Jersey. 96/97 was the year that my father boldly stated ‘ I’m not even gonna shovel the driveway this year’ and believe it or not he didn’t! It would snow a little and then turn to rain and melt it all.
     While it didn’t actually snow that much here last year there were some pretty amazing days to be had if you happened to go riding the day after one of the storms. Of course it also didn’t hurt to happen to be in Flagstaff Arizona a few days after a record 44" of snow in one week re-opened the Snowbowl! Riding for free there was just an added bonus. Northern Arizona is truly an amazing place so if you ever get a chance to be there check it out.

     The Arizona Snowbowl is a pretty chill ski area nestled between the highest peaks in Arizona, Mount Agasaz and Humphreys peak. Theres a lift that goes all the way to the top and you can hike around this killer bowl and drop in where ever you want and find untracked slots through the scattered trees for days after the last storm has passed. The Snowbowl is right around the mountain from the town of Flagstaff which is filled with cool restaraunts, cheap sleeps, tons of shops and good people. Definitely a cool place to chill. If you’re hungry go to Macy’s and get their vegi lasagna, the best I’ve ever had. You won’t be dissapointed.
     About and hour and a half from Flaggstaff is the South rim of theGrand Canyon and should definitly be explored. Make the time to take one or more half day to full day hikes into the canyon. Just about ever corner you turn around while going down the trail brings a new view to take your breath away.  Greg and I hiked the Hermit Trail almost half way down on a day that had scattered clouds in the sky when we started and picked a point that sorta stuck out into the canyon to chow down a late lunch before heading back out. This had to be the all time best place to eat a meal cuz as we were eatin the sun came out and lit up the whole canyon letting us see clearly all the colors of the different layers of stone that the Colorado River has carved through to make this canyon. Totally incredible.

      As we were hikin back up the sun ducked behind the clouds again sorta like tryin to make our passage easier cuz in one critical respest we were unprepared. Bring lots of water. If it had been sunny the whole way we would have been hurtin. This is not a little hike through the woods but a seriou hike on sometimes treacherous trails through desolate, isolated, beautiful, but unforgiving country. We saw maybe ten people in about seven hours. Talk to a ranger or guide about where to go, what to take and what the weathers doing before goin in. The canyon claims the lives of about fifteen unprepared or careless hikers a year. It costs $20 per car to get into the Park for a seven day pass. They don’t sell day or weekend passes so you can either stay there or leave and re-enter the park for a whole week.
     The part of the canyon that is a U.S. National Park is only a small portion of the canyon and is surrounded by lands that are Indian Reservations, the Navajo to the east and the Havasupi to the west. Something we heard about but didn’t get to check out is the Havasupi Indian reservation which is rumered to be totally incredible. If you want to keep away from the tourist scene this may be for you but it is not for the timid. Theres a ten mile hike from the nearest parking lot and you need to bring your own food and shelter with you. Sounds great. We’ll plan a trip sometime.
     Also in Northern Arizona is Sedona which is a place that is like no other in the entire country, probably the world. Don’t pass it by! Our experience will be be told, but at another time. So theres the big three for Northern Arizona. Sedona, the Canyon, and Flagstaff.                K.S.