Hiking in the American Southwest
================================

I am in the American Southwest for work. 

I used to hike with my aunt, uncle, and cousin when I was younger.  They had a
vacation home on a mountain and we would go visit there when school was out.  In
comparison to the southwest, this was a continental type climate with forests
and snowy winters, so it was quite a bit different from what I hiked today in
the arid desert.  

I was originally recluctant to go for a hike out here, because all my online
research and guidbook that I'd purchased said that it was very dangerous and
there were rattle snakes, and you could run out of water, or get lost out at
night if you took too long, etc., so I put it off for a while.  While all these
things are true, I found out today that hiking in the mountains of the
southwest, while dangerous, is achievable if you just use some common sense and
also prepare.  For example, many of the hikers on this very steep and rocky
climb were well into their 60s, and some even had canes that they used as hiking
poles.  Seeing them make the ascent at their age eased my worries a bit.

Preparation also mitigates risk.  I am hiking in the Winter here, so the average
high is somewhere in the 70's (Farenheit), which makes for an enjoyable day
climb/hike.  I also brought:

* Multiple liters of water in my backpack
* Hat, sunscreen
* Clothes to change into as the temperature changed
* Plenty of snacks
* An emergency kit
* A first aid kit
* A headlamp
* Maps
* Knife
* Film Camera

Leaving early is also key, especially if you plan a long hike (which also
results in less people).

I may have overdone the packing as a newbie on this trail, but I didn't want to
be underprepared.  The pack was a bit hefty but not unbearable, and as I drank
my water and ate snacks along the way, the pack of course became lighter.

The trail itself was really nice.  It starts at a trailhead and gradually gets
to the base of the mountain.  The trail quickly became rocky and I was glad I
invested in some hiking shoes as most of the route was very jagged.  At some
points there were sheer drop-offs, and tripping on a rock would be very bad
indeed.  As far as difficulty, the hiking book I bought rated it 4/4 stars,
i.e., "strenuous," and they weren't kidding.  I routinely had to stop for
breaks just to catch my breath and drink some water, so as not to overexert
myself.  I told myself I had all day and I'd started early, so there was no
rush.

The further I ascended, the views were more breathtaking.  It felt like I was on
a movie set or another planet.  Giant mounts rose up all around me while I was
standing the edge of another.  Below me I could see for many kilometers / miles
and it was gorgeous.  Yellow flower bushes lined the trail and the side of the
mountain, with cacti literally everywhere.  Interesting rock formations appeared
over the next bend or switchback, and there would be the occasional respite in a
shady alcove where the sun somehow was not reaching.

The final destination, 1.5hrs later of hard-fought climb, was, surprisingly, a
pool in the middle of this desert, at the bottom of a canyon.  I don't know
where the water was coming from, but the stream flowed through the canyon, over
rocks and boulders and down around a bend I couldn't see.  I was passed early on
by a couple in the 20s, who were now relaxing on the boulders, taking pictures
and selfies.  However, outside of them, the entire canyon was empty of people,
and it was glorious.  I sat there for a little while, taking a rest and
refueling for the hike back.

I don't want to say that this hike was a life-changing experience, but it was
defintely a momentous occasion to remember in my lifetime.  Being out there in
the desert, hiking up a mountain, with nothing but you and your backpack, is
very grounding.  Everything is REAL and physical.  The rocks, your heart beat,
being out of breath, food, sun, and heat.  It's all real and physical, and not
in your head.  Contrasting this to the daily inanity of working a desk job and
worrying about deadlines and meetings, it's so, freeing, and revelatory about
life and your place in it.  It's like when I start to think about the universe,
and everything we do as humans here and the problems we have are
so...nonsensical...or, rather, meaningless in the grand scheme. 

I don't know how many more hikes I'll be able to go on while I'm here, but I'm
glad I got to go.

I think I'm going to be sore tomorrow.

~Gritty
15 February 2026