Havasupai: Mooney/Beaver Falls and a new friend

Sore. Very sore. The thing is, my bed at home is so supremely comfortable, that anything else … the bed at JLITH’s, hotel rooms, and most certainly a meager camping mat and sleeping bag on hard earth … is a definite step down.

We breakfasted on Cliff Bars, then headed out for Mooney and Beaver Falls. Mooney Falls is my favorite part of Havasupai. Descending through the cavern and steep areas is a little scary and very exhilarating. Plus, the views of the water and falls are so majestic, the pool at the bottom like a shimmering piece of turquoise petrified wood.




At the bottom, we decided to plug on to Beaver Falls, and enjoy the sights on our way back. On the way, we ran into Zlot (not his real name, of course, but how I mispronounced it the first time). He was hiking around, getting lost by the myriad fake trail offshoots. He joined in the caravan, much to our delight.

Finally, after traversing the endless wild grapevine section (for which I’d advised everyone to wear longer pants, remembering the lashing my legs took the year before), we arrived at the rope climb. JLITH quickly scrambled up, and Portenia also made it up. Then Zlot. I confess that I balked. After having lost a watch and a camera, plus taking a battering plunge at this site last year, I was not overly eager to sacrifice any more to the Supai totems. I’d already decided that taking it easy at the lagoon would be sufficiently relaxing and entertaining while I waited for the group to return. However, Scout was very convincing, and coaxed me (with the help of his strong shoulder) up the rope climb, and suddenly there I was at the top! Highland Hiker came quickly up next, and Scout brought up the rear.

The trail from this point on was very hot and dry. The vegetation is scrubby, and there’s very little shade. Lots of scrambling made the way interesting. It was such a relief to reach Beaver Falls, even though the climb down was a little hairy. Beaver Falls is actually quite beautiful, which I hadn’t appreciated last year, since we’d taken a different approach, and stayed much higher. It looks like a series of azure pools that a clan of beavers might have made to retain all the family close by. We refreshed ourselves in the pool for a while, and then it was time to return. Zlot, who had been conversing with Portenia, was to return with us. Fortuitous when a lone hiker finds congenial company. I know I felt so much relief hiking the Narrows back with the boy scouts. Comforting to know that someone is available to go on ahead for help in case of an injury.

As we scrambled up the rocky and sandy cliff to regain the trail, I managed to do what I’d avoided so far … scrape myself. No pretty legs for me for a while. I just hope it doesn’t scar as badly as the one from last year, which scar had just faded after my infamous peeling-like-an-onion incident.


Retraversing the grapevines, I was sucker-punched by an errant trekking pole. There I was, hurrying along. In my mind I vaguely remembered the few vine-camouflaged potholes that hid by the side of the trail. All of a sudden, I stepped through one and down I went. I saw the cork end of my trekking pole heading for my right eye, but was powerless to stop it. Pow. Ouch. I might have said an unladylike word or two. I was concerned to say the least. After JLITH and Zlot reassured me that there was no bleeding in the ocular orbit or gross abnormality, I turned my attention to my vision. Of course my eye was watering like I had just watched Love Story again, but was worried me more was the blurred circular area of vision. I assume it was my prosthetic lens, a little budged out of place. Zlot took a good look, said that I had a small abrasion to the lower eyelid, and a bit of a hematoma above, but that he had betadine to clean, and triple antibiotics to salve my wound.

After a couple minutes, as the vision was quickly normalizing, I pronounced myself fit to continue. We plugged on until we reached the rope swing. Scout and Zlot had the time of their lives, and even JLITH and HH joined in the fun. Stopped also at the base of Mooney for a photo op. Then the long climb up … 200 feet. Very tired and thirsty at this point, as water had run out before descending the rope climb. Near the top of Mooney, we took a break. My last push ended at the spring, where I refilled my water, drank deeply, then refilled. Zlot kindly asked me where our camp was, so that he could dress my injury.




Zlot came back to our camp shortly after. Apparently he’d left the betadine in another pack, but came to us prepared with the rest of his supplies. I wisely refrained from stating that I also had some stuff, and let him take care of my eye. Sometimes it’s very nice not to have to be the caregiver all the time, and I wanted him to stay and chat. It got a little later, and Zlot excused himself for dinner. Like a dolt, I didn’t reflect much on it.

I took a quick wash In the river, and changed into the comfort of my PJ’s. Scout started boiling water for dinner. And then we all realized that Zlot would be eating alone, and thumped our heads at not having invited him to eat with us. I walked up to his campsite to invite him. I found it easily enough, bright yellow tent and large tree felled over the picnic table, but Zlot was nowhere to be found. I waited a couple minutes just in case he had gone to the restroom, and fretted that I had nothing to leave a note with. Scout happened past, and scratched a note in the dust. We tried to stake a twig in front of it, but the ground was too hard, so we ended up leaving a couple twigs crossed right in front of it.

Back at out campsite, Scout continued to boil water for all of our meals, and I tried out the hammock, which was a vast deal more comfortable than my air mattress. High approval ratings on the hammock. I would even contemplate getting one myself, it if wasn’t for the exposed-to-insects factor.

Since JLITH was so opposed to the beef enchilada of the night before, Scout let us use the lasagne that a roommate had left before moving out. It was okay. Not great, but better than the beef enchilada, and pretty decent when it came to dehydrated food. As we were finishing our meals, I wondered if Zlot had gone to Havasupai or Navajo Falls? Then Portenia said that she’d seen him on her way back from cleaning up at Havasuapi Falls. She’d done the gracious thing that we’d all forgotten to do (ie: invite him to dinner), but that he’d declined since we hadn’t said anything earlier. Immediate remorse. So I walked up to his campsite to invite him to share some conversation and dessert (JLITH’s snickers bars). I found him finishing up his own dinner. We both laughed ruefully as I showed him our dust-note, which he’d not noticed. And so I brought our Hungarian friend back and we all ended the night with talk of politics, President Bush, and science fiction, with the full moon benevolently looking on.

At some point we did all go to sleep. And at many points I tossed and turned and tried to sleep some more. I woke up around 0200. Tossed fitfully for 45 minutes before I finally caved and got out my travel notebook and started jotting down notes from the last few days. Also dressed my leg scrape and took more advil. And I successfully resumed my bid for sleep.