day six

Views from the final days.

The final day started out a bit different from the others. We decided that it would be a good time of reflection to set out in intervals of a couple minutes or two so we could spend some time alone on the trail. We also decided to be silent for a bit not bothering one another so that we would be able to reflect and take in all that was around us. On these last couple days our hike was spent on large mesa like areas, hiking for hours at a time and only crossing the river several times in a day because of its depth. At times we were up pretty high on the canyon walls following thin trails through these areas, other times extremely low. The deal was though you had to follow the set trail, unlike the other days if you went off the trail you could easily get stuck somewhere and have to spend double the time hiking back to where you needed to be.

I had been hiking for 45 minutes or an hour, mostly up hill, and I came to a point where I had to cross a small ledge. The trail was basically thin gravel at this point, and on the left of the trail was an extremely steep slope going down at least 75 feet or so. I had to walk across the ledge with my pack and all on, it was barely wide enough to be able to walk head on, so I looked at it for a minute or two and then set out. About halfway across my feet slipped out from under me, a flash of the rocks below went through my mind, I had to stop myself now before I fall completely over

Jeff looking at the view.

and slide head first into the rocks and ground below. The next moment I found myself jamming my hiking poles into the gravel praying they held onto something, thankfully they did. I was in shock, I almost fell 75 feet down and these two think metal hiking poles saved me. I just stood there, it felt like 5 minutes maybe it was two, the next thing I remember is hearing Jeff (who had caught up to me some time before) saying, “put your left foot up,” as I did, I began to evaluate my situation and a minute or two later I was across.

Would I have died if I had fallen? I have no idea, but it was a crazy moment to be sure. I only regret that I didn’t take a picture after the whole thing to remind myself of that moment. What is the point of all of this? I have no idea, but it was a hek of a way to start out the last day.

Shadows upon murky waters.

Probably the most amazing thing on the last day was the way the others helped me out. I was an idiot on this trip and brought a tent, which I only used the first night, the others I slept out under the stars (truly amazing). On the last day I was pretty ragged and while I was keeping up, the others could tell the weight of my pack was bringing me and my spirits down a bit. I had been hiking on my own for a bit, I could see Larry ahead of me, but wasn’t trying hard to catch up or anything, just keeping him in my sight. Larry stopped for a minute and let me catch up. he asked how I was doing and I told him pretty good, a bit tired but pretty good. Before I could say anything else he was taking the tent off my pack in order to lighten my load. I told him it was ok, but he said he wanted to take it because he knew it would

help me and make the last day less of a burden and more enjoyable, even though I knew it would make his more of a burden. This experience was awesome, as much as it pains me to say I was relieved to have the weight off my back at the time, and it was awesome that I never had to ask for any help, and while I was keeping up the other guys, they knew it’d help to take some of the weight off my back. The comradery formed on this trip was an amazing part of the whole experience, while I didn’t know some of the guys I was with very well we were all willing to help one another in whatever way from day one.

The path leading out of the Paria...

I don’t think I can really describe everything from the trip here in these words. It was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. Everything about the trip, the views, the challenges, the towering walls around me all meant something different. There are times I long for

to be back in that canyon, away from it all, yet experiencing an insignificance (John Piper) that makes me truly recognize why we are all here on this Earth and what an amazing creator we have.

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