KACHINA TRAIL
- Drew Morgan
- Oct 16, 2016
- 2 min read
Friday afternoons have become our hiking afternoons, and I am always so grateful to get out and explore the lovely town and forest that I get to call my home.
This most recent hike, my favorite human being, and roommate, Jasmine, and I went to Kachina Trail. It is a gorgeous hike that starts and the top of Mt. Humphrey and right next to the Arizona Snowbowl Ski Resort. On our drive, we listened to Hannah Montana, as her CD has been stuck in my disk changer since I got the car, with our windows rolled down, just screaming the lyrics to the songs that got us through the sixth grade. It was one of those (for lack of a less cliche term) infinite moments, if you know what I mean. I could have continued that drive forever just listening and screaming and sticking our heads out the windows and laughing. When we finally got up the mountain and parked the car and began our adventure, I was stunned by the colors of the leaves. As a girl from the valley of Arizona, where we get two seasons; Hell and a little more bearable Hell, seeing leaves and being reminded that fall exists was astounding. I loved the aspens and exploring the trail.
About 45 minuted into our walk, we decided that we were nature savvy enough to go off the trail and make out own way. We found an exquisite out crop that looked over a mountain cliff. The colors of the trees took my breath away. Of course, once we finished taking pictures and the sun started to set, we wanted to head back to the car. Being the overconfident people that Jasmine and I are, we thought we would be able to find the trail with no problem and head right back where we came from. We were not so lucky. In the setting sun, all of the rocks and trees were almost unrecognizable (that, and every tree looks the same as the next one). We stumbled and wandered and slightly panicked in the forest for a good thirty minutes; wifi-less and hopeless. It's getting dark, I'm getting scared, Jasmine is getting desperate. "This is it, this is where we die" I remember saying. I sat down, ready to give up forever, and then Jasmine yells "we're idiots. We have been walking parallel to the trail for a while" So that's the story of how we almost died on the top of a mountain (not at all an over exaggeration)
A very anti-climatic story, but it has a moral: don't get cocky. Just stay on the damn path. Overall, Kachina trail is a 10/10.
Also quick little brag about my roommate: She is the most talented photographer I've ever met and can make anyone look good. If you read my "Mountain Top Mornings" post, she also took those photos. She's amazing, love her always.
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