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Day 5 by Jean Akens
with photos from Carmen Hill, Charlie Freeman, Ellie Lincoln and Bob Stuckey
Morning dawned clear and cool and the wet camping gear was spread over the rocks and trees to dry, while everyone recounted stories of the storm and its aftermath. Following a Frenchie chuckwagon pancake breakfast, most of the group - with one of the camp dogs leading the way - opted to take the trail to the top of the falls. Basaseachic is one of the highest waterfalls in North America, with a drop of around 1000 feet (different sources give varying heights). No matter the correct height, the falls are stupendous!
The trail to the base of
the falls is steep and rugged, but well worth the effort. While some of the group remained
at the top, Frenchie, Brad, and I headed for the bottom, along with Ann and Carmen, who
hiked as far as La Ventana (the window), a break in the cliff wall that affords a
most picturesque view of the falls. Ann and Carmen confessed later that they had used the
"sit-down, body-scoot" technique, to descend the steep, rain-slickened trail.
Those of us continuing beyond La Ventana slipped and slid and maneuvered our way down the increasingly-steeper, primitive trail to the bottom of the canyon. Several smaller waterfalls were passed en route, then we worked our way across and around boulders amid lush grassy meadows nourished by the spray, to reach the pool at the base of the falls. Brad tried to swim across the pool, but the water proved to be too cold and his attempt was short-lived.
The storm-swollen river cascaded over the rocky canyon rim high above; strong winds lashed at the spray, forcing it first one way, then another, moving the fall a hundred feet or more in each direction, creating miniature falls as it channeled over the worn-slick rock wall near the base, on its journey to the pool. The sight was awesome.
The one-half mile, 1000+ feet, vertical climb up out of the canyon was a strenuous aerobic workout, necessitating numerous rest stops. Since it was mid-afternoon before camp was reached, the Fukarwes voted to remain one more night. Wood was gathered (what little there was available; plan ahead if camping there), and that evening, after eating "community" stew (where everyone threw something in the pot), we had our only campfire of the entire trip.
SOMEWHERE IN MEXICO
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