2 MICHIGAN CRAZIES ATTEMPT TO CLIMB PICACHO PEAK

Have you ever been in a conversation that goes something like this? ”I can just see the headlines now”.  The headlines I envisioned looked like this.  2 CRAZIES FROM MICHIGAN ATTEMPT CLIMB OF PICACHO PEAK”

Monday these two crazies from Cheboygan set off on a hike at Picacho Peak State Park.  The Hunter trail up to Picacho Peak.  Depending on your info source, just over 2 miles up and 2 miles back.  A climb from about 1960 ft to 3374 ft elevation.  We have done much longer and a much greater elevation gain than this and in the dark to boot. Piece of cake…we thought. 

There were clues in the info about the trail.  There were things about water and heat, but that is in all the trail literature.   The first real clues about this hike was the words “cables” and “gloves”.  Then there was the rating of “difficult”.  We should have know better.  

Now recall that this crazy carries 2 cameras, one with a short lens and one with a long lens.  Always ready for a landscape or a wildlife shot.

Off we go, you start to climb a little bit on the first few steps and it just keeps getting steeper with each switchback in the trail.  Right away there  are cables to help you over slick rock, but not a big deal.  We reach the first major plateau at 2960 feet elevation.  Ease breezy for us..so far.  Gloria had studied the trail info while I shot wildflower pictures.  When we reached the plateau I said “that wasn’t so tough”.  She said “we aren’t there yet…  we go around the corner there and go down the other side and back up to the top”.  Your kidding me, we go down only to go back up to this level and then climb some more?  Yep she says.

We round the corner and holly crap!  There is a VERY STEEP decent.  There are cables on both sides to hold on to and you go down.  Straight down would be a 90 degree angle.  It wasn’t 90, but I’ll bet it was 80 something.  Two young men I guessed to be on spring break from school somewhere were coming up, hand over hand on the cables.  Time for the gloves I said.

We made it down and  followed the trail on ledges as it winds around the nearly vertical wall of the mountain.  A few more cables along the way.  Then we came to the “Death Chute”.  Now this time we’re climbing not descending.  But I kept thinking “what goes up must come down and vise versa”. This climb was as close to vertical as I have ever seen with out a ladder.  Foot holds were scarce and shallow.  You need lots of arm strength and grip to get up.  I had left one camera hidden behind a bushes having to step so high, my leg had already knocked it out of the holder twice, saved by the leash.  So I left the one with the long lens behind.  

There was one more very steep section, but it was a shorter climb.  There was also a patch of about 10 feet with a plank over a piece of steel rafter.  We made it to the top and enjoyed a light snack as we took in the view.  I should add that these cable systems don’t shout “secure”,“well designed” or “OSHA Approved”.

Going back down was even more difficult, on the steepest section we went down backwards like you would on a ladder.  I am really proud of Gloria for the  strength and stamina she showed on this hike.  This was the most technical and strenuous hike we have ever done.  It is a real work out to get up and back down this trail. My quadriceps were exhausted by the time we finished.  Gloria’s were still pretty good and her knees weren’t’ too bad either.  We think it’s a combination of strength training and fact that she started to use hiking poles this year.  The poles really take the strain off the leg joints on the climbs and especially the descents. 

Today she is walking fine, while I still grimace on stairs.  Maybe I should get hiking poles, or leave the cameras home on theses big hikes and just use my iPhone.

I truly feel lucky to come back without any injuries, Maybe by tomorrow I will be able to do  stairs normally and not have to listen to Gloria giggling at me.  

I have included some pictures from the trail.  The picture of Gloria’s back side is at the top of the death cute.