Grand Canyon – The New Hance Trail

For a few months I had been feeling overdue for an escape from my cubicle and into the Desert Southwest—to sample the spices in Edward Abbey’s hermitic sauce, to wake in the night and gawk at the same wild sea of stars beneath which Geronimo slipped through shadows, to be poked into consciousness by a yucca or a barrel cactus, to let my soul dance to the windswept tune of Kokopelli’s flute, to pee off a very tall rock.

Last week I corralled my wife and kids into our metallic green Hyundai and made that great escape.  And I was not disappointed!  The sauce was spicy.  The stars winked ancient secrets at me.  I was poked by yucca and cacti.  My soul did the hokey pokey with Cochise’s favorite horse.  I found my very tall rock.

We hiked from the rim of the Grand Canyon to the Colorado River on the New Hance Trail.  To be honest, the hike kicked my tail feathers.  I’d done the same hike twice in my twenties… but I don’t remember engaging in so many full body contortions back then to scramble over boulders, duck under branches, and keep my footing on the loose rocks.  But it was worth it!  The New Hance Trail is beautiful, every rugged inch of it, and I climbed out of the canyon feeling more alive than when I began my descent.  Such is the magic of the Desert Southwest!

Here are some pictures and highlights:

"I've never been anywhere like this!"

My parents shared the canyon with me.

So fun to pass it along to my own kids!

Water! A welcome sight at the start of Red Canyon.

Tired legs. Ready for dinner!

Brothers feeling alive.

Mud On Your Feet 2.0

Castaways beside the Colorado River.

Halfway up.

Yes!

Yes!

Yes!

Happy trails to all!  Go sample the sauce!!!

Jason Kapchinske is the author of Coyote Summer.