First, I have to point out that this trip was more about the challenge and the journey then photography. I am not trying to use it as an excuse but I really didn’t take as many pictures as I normally would and that has to do with a number of reasons. One of which was the fact that this was a vacation for me and my boyfriend in a sick and sadistic kind of way since there was very little relaxing involved and an incredible amount of physical work. But that’s what makes me feel alive so maybe I’m just twisted :D He’s also not a photographer so I tried limiting my photo breaks to specific times and when it was time to go I kept on going.
Then came the mysterious foot injury. I don’t know how it happened, after the first 14 miles over rocks, boulder jams and pools of mud (trip reports and books refer to them as pools of water, don’t let them fool you, it’s stinky, stagnant mud) I stopped paying attention to every twist and bump my feet and ankles were exposed to. But on the third day, about 20-some miles into the 44+ mile hike I realized I couldn’t put any pressure on my right foot without incredible pain. And by that point I was kind of immune to pain as my hips were shredded and bleeding from the waist strap of my pack and also my old hip injury came back to haunt me. With the help of some ibuprofen (a lot of them) and trusted trekking poles (great way to sculpt them guns) I made it out in 4 days. We had the permits for 5 days but mice got into our food supply on the first night and forced us to make it a shorter trip then anticipated. Burning 3,000 calories and only rationing maybe 1500 each day made it for a very effective weight loss program and I know I didn’t need it.
And here is the run down:
Day 1: Hike from Wire Pass TH to the confluence with Paria River. 13 miles of very tight slot canyons, no water sources, one BIG boulder jam and a lot of muddy pools that consisted of watery milkshake to Wendy’s Frosty consistency with similar temps. A very warm night with deafening sound of frogs and mice eating our food.
Day 2: Easy day hiking, only 7 miles though incredibly beautiful Paria River ending with one of the most amazing camp sites I have ever spent a night at. No frogs or mice! First day of not encountering another human!
Day 3: Waking up to rain at 5 am, no sunrise or any night images (perfect location for it but it wasn’t meant to be) as it was cloudy all night and most of the morning which made for nice and easy hiking. Unfortunately my foot started to hurt really bad that afternoon and I didn’t get many chances to stop and shoot other then some flowering cacti around our campsite. Completed 12 miles and still no humans in sight!!!!
Day 4: Slept in a sand storm. Another 12 miles to get out. It started out really bad over very tough rocky terrain but I somehow was able to block out the pain (drug it out) and I was able to make it out with surprisingly tolerable amount of pain. I almost thought the injury was gone at that point. Not likely since I can barely walk now. X-ray didn’t show any fractures so that’s a plus.
Conclusion: Don’t bring your hiking boots, I used mine for 1.5 miles and carried them for the rest. 5-10 Canyoneering boots were the best purchase I made for The Virgin River Narrows 2 years ago and they were a life saver this time and so were the Hydroskin G2 neoprene socks. Not a single blister after 44 miles through a river. Most of the nights were really warm, I never even closed my sleeping bag and I’m one of those girls that’s always cold.
After all the pain and scars and hunger I can honestly say it was an amazing trip and I can’t wait to do it again. Maybe next time I’ll do it with photographers and have more time to really enjoy this magical place. I have a feeling it’s going to look incredible in the fall when all the trees turn golden-yellow. Who’s in?
I'm having technical issues including a link so here it is the old school way: http://www.thelightwithinphotography.com/svm/g4/
As tempting as you make it sound in your trip report, I'll have to pass on a group trip...unless someone wants the added challenge of dragging me back out of the canyon after my back, feet, and knees give out...
Sorry your trip didnt pan out totally as planned, Aleks--hope your foot gets better fast! You have taken a good positive attitude though, and that's what counts. Whatever doesnt kill ya will make ya stronger! Looks like you got some pretty stuff despite the setbacks--i really like "glimmer of hope". Sign me up for the fall trip!
Adventures like this are the ones that will stick with you for a lifetime. In my experience, the trips that offered zero photographs and plenty of pain can make for the best stories! Thanks for sharing yours.
Aleks that's quite a trip there, those experiences are amazing. Now going back makes it all worthwhile for the imaging! Still can't believe you guys did it in 4 days....holy moley. Heal that foot up...
That's a beautiful part of the state and country that few people get to experience. I'm with Jesse, that trip will be one you remember and recount for a long time. Thanks for sharing and congrats on making it out without serious injury!
An injury on a trip does suck. I've always thought that adventure is a result of misfortune and the best stories always seem to come from all of the unplanned situations. I really like "Glimmer of Hope' and "Sandstone Reflection".
Interesting report. I hope I can join you on a future trip.
I wish you would post more photos (if you have), as the ones posted on your website are great.
Thanks for posting.
Aleks, from your description, I find it amazing that you were able to walk out on your own, considering how many miles you still had to walk! You must have had some great drugs!
I bet a trip like this is also a great way to test the relationship with your boyfriend.
I was in Buckskin on a day trip last week, I hiked down to the first deep mud pots and then turned around and explored the narrows upstream from Wire Pass. The sun was already high and the light harsh, so the mud foot bath was not all that appealing.
BTW, this is just a hunch and I'm not a doctor (though I play one on RMNP), but your foot injury sounds like what I've had ... plantar fasciitis. For me, it is caused by repititive stress to my foot over several hours with shoes that don't have the right support. I need shoes with rigid soles and just the right amount of support for the instep. In your case, even if you did have shoes with good support, it may not have helped with all that hiking over uneven terrain. The pain for me was worst (like someone stabbing you with knives) when I first stood up and tried to walk. It got a little better after I walked a little and the ibuprofen was more helpful than I expected. But to get completely better, I've found I have to rest for a couple days and stretch and massage the foot a lot. For me, I've found that if I repeat the same activity with the same shoes, the pain will inevitably come back. That's how I realized it was the shoes, even though the shoes I had were comfortable.
That is quite an adventure! 20 miles on a bad foot through rough terrain is quite an accomplishment!!! We're all glad to hear that you made it out of there. I think the memories from that trip will far surpass any images you might have captured. Now you have a good idea of what the area offers and the challenges that could be faced so the next trip should be very productive. Get some rest and don't try to rush the healing process.
Wow Aleks...even if you didn't get a lot of photos the ones you do have are great. Especially the reflection...really like that one! I'm glad you made it out safely. I'll just sum it up and say in a admiring way "you are one tough broad!" :)
Bill, all I had was ibuprofen and adrenaline. And yes, it was a good test for a relationship. There were a few times when I was very tempted to hold his head under water for a few seconds longer... or was that a dream There is a reason I like to do my photo trips solo or with photographers but it's also nice to go on a trip just for the challenge of it and not think in terms of viewfinder ALL the time
Thanks everyone for all the well wishes, it really means a lot!
And I still have a roll of filme to develop so I might be back with more photo posts.
Its one of those legendary hikes Aleks and one I'd really like to do sometime too. I really enjoyed the first part of Wire Pass and am looking forward to getting into Buckskin Gulch sometime. Thanks for taking us along on part of your adventure. Hope the foot gets better soon.
Posted by Pam Colander on May 14, 2009 at 11:51 PM
You certainly seem to have what it takes to get the shot Aleks. I agree what you did get was pretty sweet. Strange about your foot. Did you ever find out what was wrong with it? You are a better woman than I
Thanks everyone! Turns out it's sprained foot and no major damage but it still needs a few weeks to heal so I'll be vicariously living through your photography.
Discussion
20 repliesThen came the mysterious foot injury. I don’t know how it happened, after the first 14 miles over rocks, boulder jams and pools of mud (trip reports and books refer to them as pools of water, don’t let them fool you, it’s stinky, stagnant mud) I stopped paying attention to every twist and bump my feet and ankles were exposed to. But on the third day, about 20-some miles into the 44+ mile hike I realized I couldn’t put any pressure on my right foot without incredible pain. And by that point I was kind of immune to pain as my hips were shredded and bleeding from the waist strap of my pack and also my old hip injury came back to haunt me. With the help of some ibuprofen (a lot of them) and trusted trekking poles (great way to sculpt them guns) I made it out in 4 days. We had the permits for 5 days but mice got into our food supply on the first night and forced us to make it a shorter trip then anticipated. Burning 3,000 calories and only rationing maybe 1500 each day made it for a very effective weight loss program and I know I didn’t need it.
And here is the run down:
Day 1: Hike from Wire Pass TH to the confluence with Paria River. 13 miles of very tight slot canyons, no water sources, one BIG boulder jam and a lot of muddy pools that consisted of watery milkshake to Wendy’s Frosty consistency with similar temps. A very warm night with deafening sound of frogs and mice eating our food.
Day 2: Easy day hiking, only 7 miles though incredibly beautiful Paria River ending with one of the most amazing camp sites I have ever spent a night at. No frogs or mice! First day of not encountering another human!
Day 3: Waking up to rain at 5 am, no sunrise or any night images (perfect location for it but it wasn’t meant to be) as it was cloudy all night and most of the morning which made for nice and easy hiking. Unfortunately my foot started to hurt really bad that afternoon and I didn’t get many chances to stop and shoot other then some flowering cacti around our campsite. Completed 12 miles and still no humans in sight!!!!
Day 4: Slept in a sand storm. Another 12 miles to get out. It started out really bad over very tough rocky terrain but I somehow was able to block out the pain (drug it out) and I was able to make it out with surprisingly tolerable amount of pain. I almost thought the injury was gone at that point. Not likely since I can barely walk now. X-ray didn’t show any fractures so that’s a plus.
Conclusion: Don’t bring your hiking boots, I used mine for 1.5 miles and carried them for the rest. 5-10 Canyoneering boots were the best purchase I made for The Virgin River Narrows 2 years ago and they were a life saver this time and so were the Hydroskin G2 neoprene socks. Not a single blister after 44 miles through a river. Most of the nights were really warm, I never even closed my sleeping bag and I’m one of those girls that’s always cold.
After all the pain and scars and hunger I can honestly say it was an amazing trip and I can’t wait to do it again. Maybe next time I’ll do it with photographers and have more time to really enjoy this magical place. I have a feeling it’s going to look incredible in the fall when all the trees turn golden-yellow. Who’s in?
I'm having technical issues including a link so here it is the old school way: http://www.thelightwithinphotography.com/svm/g4/
http://www.thelightwithinphotography.com/svm/g4/
As tempting as you make it sound in your trip report, I'll have to pass on a group trip...unless someone wants the added challenge of dragging me back out of the canyon after my back, feet, and knees give out...
Stan, you are definitely right about it making me stronger
I wish you would post more photos (if you have), as the ones posted on your website are great.
Thanks for posting.
I bet a trip like this is also a great way to test the relationship with your boyfriend.
I was in Buckskin on a day trip last week, I hiked down to the first deep mud pots and then turned around and explored the narrows upstream from Wire Pass. The sun was already high and the light harsh, so the mud foot bath was not all that appealing.
I wish you a speedy recovery.
Cynthia
Thanks everyone for all the well wishes, it really means a lot!
And I still have a roll of filme to develop so I might be back with more photo posts.
Mel-
I've been wanting to do this hike for some time, and after reading your post, I'm going to have to pull the trigger and do it this fall.
Great report and great shots, Aleks!
John
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