Once again we are up very early and off at 5.30 AM. We both feel energetic because of having such an easy day yesterday, and we make it to the top of the Red Wall in 90 minutes. It should be noted that it was a very strenuous 90 minutes and parts of the trail were absurdly steep! I'm very glad that we didn’t come down the Boucher Trail as it would be quite hard to keep your footing going downhill on a trail as steep and loose as this one.
After a little break and a very pretty traverse on the top of the Red Wall, we start the next section of climbing. Yuma Point looks deceptively close from here. The climb through the Supai layer starts out moderately and lulls one into a sense of complacency before turning into a ridiculously steep climb. At one point, we come upon a section of trail that has washed away. This leaves us having to scramble over some loose rocks and tree roots, and then step over a gap in the trail with a big drop below it. Dean lithely crosses over, turning back to look at me expectantly and holding out his hand across the wide gap. I start to follow and then have a change of heart as I look at all that empty space beside me and below me. OK, there is no way I am doing that!! I end up having to scramble up and over a boulder on the solid side of the trail to avoid the scary part. Dean sets up a couple of cairns to guide hikers over the boulder where I went.
The final section of this climb involves a bit of scrambling up a cliff, and then there’s a lovely, easy flat section leading to Yuma Point. We arrive there around 9 AM and get settled in for the hot part of the day. More eating, reading, relaxing, and enjoying the views.
The
views from Yuma Point are amazing. You literally can see
twenty miles or more in any direction.
After several hours of enjoying this beautiful place, the shadows start to lengthen and we resume our hike. We contour at this elevation for several miles along the Boucher trail to the junction with the Hermit Trail. After a very short section on the Hermit, we join up with the Waldron trail and hike the last few miles up and out. It’s so pretty here with the taller trees and there is plenty of green grass at the moment. There are only a few switchbacks that are a little steep and the ascent is over in about an hour. We then cool down with the easy stroll back to the car through the forest, and return to the Village for sunset.
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