It seems we keep eyeing bigger and bigger hikes and this year is no exception. While looking ahead to the potential for Camino de Santiago in Spain (fall 2026), we happened to find the Camino de Costa Rica and figured we'd give it a go. We've already done Volcan Baru in Panama and this spring we did Havasu Falls so why not?This will be our biggest trek yet, as the Mar a Mar Foundation, which created El Camino de Costa Rica, designed a route that...
Hillary shocked me last year by saying she wanted to see Havasu Falls and would be willing to go camping to make it happen. Hillary had never camped and the thought of sleeping on the ground, sleeping in a tent, eating backpacking meals, and carrying 35-40 pounds on her back had always been beyond consideration. Yet here we were, she was willing to go camping for the experience!We were thrilled to have the opportunity to visit Havasu Falls in...
At the very end of Havasupai Campground you will find the climb down to Mooney Falls. In fact, you can't proceed toward Beaver Falls and The Confluence at all without climbing down. There is effectively a massive cliff at this point in the canyon which must be scaled to proceed.We had watched numerous videos on YouTube in advance of the climb so we knew it was steep. We had also seen young(ish) children in these videos of maybe 8-9 years...
For our third day (day 1 being the hike in, day 2 was Mooney/Beaver Falls) we decided to head upstream from Havasupai Campground to explore the other big three -- Fifty Foot Falls, Navajo Falls, and Havasu Falls. Among other things I really wanted to go swimming at the base of one of the falls and had been disappointed that Beaver Falls seemed a bit too risky for my liking. With luck one of the falls today would be amenable.Rather than simply...
The hike to Havasupai Campground begins and ends at Hilltop at the end of Indian Road 18. It's a long way from anywhere. We left our Airbnb about 5 AM for the two hour drive from Kingman Arizona. Leaving this early provided a great opportunity to see the sunrise over the desert, note that the temperature dipped into the high 20s, and arrive at Hilltop before the vast majority of hikers arrived.It's 10 miles from Hilltop to Havasupai Campground....
We were very excited at the start of 2024 about two major experiences. One was Ecuador and the other was the possibility of getting permits to hike Havasu Falls. Barely a month into the new year and there are major updates to share. Ecuador is out and Havasu Falls is a go! /*! elementor - v3.21.0 - 30-04-2024 */
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I'm long delinquent in writing this post -- it's now just after Thanksgiving, three months after returning from Panama. I suppose Thanksgiving may actually be the perfect symbolic time to do so? As we contemplate a month in Ecuador next summer, it's worth reflecting on our trip to Panama. All in all, we had a great time, but its complicated. We learned a ton, broadened our world view just a bit more, and saw America from another perspective....
After three weeks in Panama we decided to change course by visiting Gamboa. Why? Because it's roughly the halfway point of the Panama Canal, home to maintenance operations for the canal, and home to a number of "eco" experiences. When planning our trip, we figured we could do a lot of hiking, visit the Rainforest Discovery Center, see the Sloth Sanctuary, and go zip-lining. Little did we know. /*! elementor - v3.17.0 - 08-11-2023...
The Panama Canal is truly one of those man made wonders that you must see in your life time. Its history is so bizarre it almost seems unreal. We would recommend you read The Path Between Seas: The History of the Panama Canal, 1870-1914 by David McCullough to really see the egos, personalities, politics and everyday people that made the canal possible. You will also get a great appreciation for the power of the mosquito and its influence over...
