Havasu Falls

We arrived at the trail head first thing in the morning. One heck of a sunrise greeted us there. Gorgeous pink clouds over a rocky landscape that dropped into the canyon below us. Wow. And my camera was packed under freeze dried teriyaki and fleece pants. Oh well - I put my 33 pounds of gear (10.5 pounds of that was camera gear and tripod) onto my back and the six of us headed for the trail.

Eight rocky miles to Supai - and two more to Havasu Falls and the campground.

Spectacular.

Here's one shot I took - the only one I've had time to process. It's not even my favorite. But it gives a good view of this amazing place.
Supai is a tiny village - and the villagers aren't exactly swimming in money. There are no roads to the village. You can get there on foot, on a horse, or by helicopter. Not many jobs in the village, minimal medical care, etc. I've heard a lot of negative comments about the village from other people who have visited - and from information I've found online. There is a lot of trash around - I think stray dogs and tourists contribute - but some of the villagers are certainly part of the problem. It's not as bad as I thought it would be, though. The villagers were polite to us - they waved or smiled when we passed. They kept to themselves, but weren't rude at all.

A tourist was murdered near the village not too long ago, and I suspect that the villagers have made an effort to change their attitudes towards visitors as a result. I'd guess they are concerned about losing their major source of income if tourists stop visiting. They've hired security guards and installed composting toilets at the campsites. They're taking the problem seriously - as far as I can tell - and I'm glad to see it.

I hope visitors will act as guests here - it's a beautiful place, and it should be protected.

More to come... Navajo Falls, wet feet, a death defying climb, Mooney Falls, more wet feet, a mile of briars, two nights in a tent... and much more... including more wet feet.