I meet a stranger in the desert (part 1)
Backpacking Needles District of Canyonlands National Park
I met Sarah in the Grand Canyon last year when I taped her feet for blisters. Two two of us backpacking the Havasu Falls Trail, Sarah, Aubree and I all met on Instagram planning the hike together. Permit-wise it shook out that Sarah and her partner hiked in the day before Aubree and I.
When we all finally met at the bottom of the canyon we chatted for about ten minutes, then Sarah and her partner hiked out. I spent another day in the Canyon with Aubree, hanging around the Havasu Falls Trail.
In our ten minute or so chat, we talked about how next year we had both wanted to do Rim to Rim in the Grand Canyon. I assured Sarah I was serious and come December we circled back— logistics of Rim to Rim got complicated early into planning. We tossed around a few other ideas.
How about Canyonlands?
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backpacking needles district of canyonlands
Canyonlands? I’d never heard of it. I knew there were five National Parks in Utah, but the only one I could name was Zion. Utah is a place I’d never thought too hard about. I knew it was pretty, and that there’s desert and mountains.
I typed it in, letter by letter, to my search bar. Then to Pinterest. We tossed around a few other ideas. Kept coming back to Canyonlands. It’s pretty. It’s unique. I like things I haven’t heard of.
We tackled the Needles District of Canyonlands National Park on the Chesler Park Loop — think red and orange sandstone spires, slot canyons, really blue skies. And, you know. Canyons.
risk management in risky places
I’m sorry, do I even like backpacking?
It’s day two and I’m basically hanging off the side of a cliff. I’m being dramatic. Maybe I’m not. Ask Sarah. I don’t like heights.
Day one went off without a hitch — without a hitch by my standards anyhow, which as akayak guide are quite low. We left a little later in the day thanideal. Earlier would’ve been better, cooler, but it certainly wasn’t catastrophic. We ran into a ranger, Julianne, who gave us some beta on days two and three of our trip: not well marked. Difficult to find the way. We pocketed this information and continued on to camp.
Before this trip Sarah and I didn’t really know each other, but both of us are trip leaders. Sarah of women’s meet-ups, generally backpacking, and me, a coastal kayaking overnight trip guide. On the drive out we chatted blogging and the internet and outdoors. We got along, and conversation was easy. But we didn’t chat about risk management beforehand and it probably would’ve been smart to.
We sat down at camp and started going through gear and most importantly, counting liters of water. When we’d met with the ranger she’d asked about it and I told her 2.5 liters per person per a day — which was about what we had but it was also what I thought a good answer was.
“Tomorrow sounds harder,” one of us said, I don't remember who.
“It definitely does,” a pause. “What’s our water situation?”
The water situation on the trail itself is none. We’d thought there was a chance we could filter along the way; there was not. But just like that, the topic was broached and we talked, which is probably the most important part of risk management. Just… talking to the people you’re out there with and being really, really honest.
“I have some doubts about the water.”
“I also do. But I don’t want to cut it short if we don’t have to. But I also don’t want it to be miserable hiking in the heat and dehydrated just because we technically can.”
And so we talked it all out — the water, how much of it was left. The heat, that we’re both from up north. How our bodies were feeling. The trail, the idea that it might be harder, and much. We could get an earlier start tomorrow, use less water. But ultimately, we could also get a hotel in Moab. Go on some day hikes. Spend the heat of the day at a brewery.
When it came down to it we decided we certainly could finish the three-day loop, but it would be a sufferfest style trip. The type that you finish and ham up to your friends over a beer later — yeah we were basically dead out there. It was crazy. Or, we could hike out on a shorter loop the next day. Mitigate suffering.
We hiked out the next day, with only moderate suffering: me, climbing up a cliff that had me cursing whoever rated that trail “moderate” because it felt like I should have ropes and a harness, and another similar spot that involved us removing our backpacks and one person scooting, laying on their back, under a ledge and dangling their feet down to a narrow sliver of existing trail next to, again, a cliff. I was very unhappy for about thirty minutes. We decided that if the rest of the trail was like that section, it was a “no” for us.
desert backpacking packing tips/list:
A quick run-through of my backpacking gear for this trip! This is a little different from my Northwoods backpacking kit, primarily in that we had to carry in so much water that I used a larger pack.
UL Enlightened Equipment 0 degree quilt [gifted! EE sent me this for my birthday last year. Thanks guys!]
Sea to Summit Compression Sack: This for sure adds weight but it’s very convenient
Big Agnes Copper Spur UL2: Oh hey a new tent! Andy got me this for Christmas because apparently my old Fly Creek is really truly on it’s last leg (it’s still kind of kicking after seven years of heavy use, but I’m stoked to have a free-standing tent)
WATER BLADDER if it’s half-deflated you can burp out the air and slide it into the back of the pack so it sits above your lower back which makes carrying the water easier
1 pair packed; one pair worn of Darn Tough Socks
4 pairs of underwear: actually this is how much I brought for the whole trip by mistake.
1 pair of quick dry shorts
Hiking Pants (any of these depending on temperature), worn not packed
Long sleeve baselayer: should’ve done a sun hoodie that was silly
Hiking Boot (worn). I’ve had my Oboz Bridger Mid’s for three years now and put over 1200 miles on them, still in great shape. 100% recommend these boots.
Hiking Sandals for camp
Emergency Bivy (Keep in a pocket accessible without removing your backpack. If you fall and break something and cannot easily move, this will make it easier to last a night. I have only ever used my emergency bivvys when helping strangers, but it has never not been worth bringing on the off chance I can help someone in trouble.)
Maps
Compass
UL repair kit (tent splint covered in duct tape and noso patch or two)
Pillow (meh, often I do not bring)
Hand sani, toothbrush, sunglasses
Binoculars(if room only)
media media media
Crescent City: I continue my fantasy binge circling back to Sarah J. Maas’s Crescent City manifesto (because… it’s long). I’m listening to book one as an audio book. I’m enjoying it. There’s a lot going on at any given point in time. So far, it’s actually my favorite series of hers followed closely by Throne of Glass. I didn’t expect to like it as much as I do— usually I tend to like popular things. Popular things are popular for a reason I often find.
At The Beach, In Every Life came out this past week and this is my favorite album of all time. I pretty rarely geek out about music (it’s not that i don’t like music stop saying that ex-boyfriends you’re making me sound weird), but I definitely geek out about good poetry and when that meets really good music, I do in fact geek out. And what I think makes a really good modern poem or song is something both lyrically pretty and accessible — I don’t think you should have to grasp at straws for meaning to make sense of good writing. At The Beach, In Every Life is really beautiful and layered, but also unpretentious. I first really got into Gigi Perez’s music and story when I listened to Fable, a single from the album, without knowing what it was about. I had that initial experience of “oh wow this is a cool song” then slowly listening to the lyrics and putting together that it’s actually also a devastating song— the whole album is like that.
Student Team To Canoe 1,200 Inspire Girls In Paddlesports: a piece I worked on for Paddling Magazine on the former Girl Scouts planning to paddle from Lake Superior to the Hudson Bay this summer! Check out these ladies!