White Rock Hill Loop

My new backpack arrived Tuesday. Wednesday I spent stocking up at REI for the upcoming Grand Canyon trip. Today, I loaded up the backpack with all the new gear and headed out for Red Rock.

I passed through the gate as soon as it opened at 6:00am. I made the high point on the Scenic Drive in time to snap my customary sunrise shot. I only have another month or so before the time change and the sun rising before the park opens so I hope to grab at least a couple more decent sunrise shots before then.

After the photo stop, I drove over to the Willow Springs parking area. Mother Nature, White Rock Hill, and I fail to play well together. We have history with more than one failed attempt at reaching that peak - here and here. This time around, however, I only intended to walk around the hill, not attain its peak. Still, Mother Nature let me know the second I exited the car that she intended to make sure I stayed off that hill.

After running across the parking lot to retrieve my hat that the wind had blown from my head, I stood and questioned the sanity of anyone hiking in this weather. Not even 45 in the valley, up here in the foothills it felt far chillier. The icy wind made things even more uncomfortable. I briefly thought of canceling the hike once again when I discovered I had forgotten my gloves but I turned into the wind and headed out anyway.

As I crested the small hill at the start of the hike and felt the full brunt of the wind, I tugged my sleeves down over my hands in a feeble attempt to keep them out of the wind. "Great," I thought to myself, "this sucks." After a pause, I continued, "No, actually, this blows." It occurred to me that if I have reached the point where I am cracking horrible puns with myself that I may be beyond help.

I tried to become a turtle and pull my head down into my fleece jacket but that didn't work so well. As the trail descended below the rim of a large wash, I rejoiced at the lack of wind in the bottom of the wash. A mere thirty minutes later, the sun rose high enough to warm my further as I made my way along the east side of the hill. Thirty minutes after that, I felt like I was baking. Off came the fleece and on went the windbreaker.

I had never been around the north side of the hill before. The abrupt change from the layered white and red sandstone to the grey limestone provides a gorgeous backdrop for the hike. I made the nearly seven mile loop in just over two hours. The climb up the wash along the east side of the hill seemed as if it would never end but I have no doubt it pales to the climb out of the Grand Canyon. After the climb though, the slow descent through the pines, oaks, and manzanita make the hike worthwhile.

The best part of the hike, though, was reaching the car after seven miles lugging a 40-lb pack, and not feeling winded or achy. I think I'm starting to get used to the extra weight. Now to go plan a more demanding hike...