Added 11 November 2011

16 October 2011, Aravaipa Canyon

I didn't sleep nearly as well last night, but was still up at around seven o'clock this morning. I ate breakfast, started packing my gear up, and talked with folks while they ate breakfast. The group was packed up and we hit the water at exactly nine o'clock, and we made pretty good time heading back to the trailhead. I was actually so caught up in a conversation with Brad while hiking out that I didn't even notice when we passed Hell Hole Canyon, perhaps the most significant feature in that part of the canyon.

It actually bothered me that I had missed such a major landmark. While there was certainly no danger in this case, noting landmarks is something that can become critical in the backcountry, and I don't like that I got so distracted that I missed something so big. I guess that feelings comes from being a person that people have come to trust if something goes wrong in the backcountry. Thought it's not like I'm Jedediah Smith, or anything of the sort. (For evidence of this, see past trip reports.)

We were back at the trailhead by around noon, and we were on the road heading home at around 1 o'clock. After transferring all of our gear to Brad's truck, Brad and Mindy took me home, where I threw my stuff down, talked with Shan about the weekend, had dinner, then headed back out the door for my soccer game, which ended in a 1-1 tie. I had a lot more energy for my game than I thought I would. But then, it was an energizing weekend.