Coyote Gultch

It has taken me forever to write about this trip because I was kind of overwhelmed with just how much I wanted to write about it.

Tj first went to Coyote Gultch a few years ago with the scouts. He said that the whole time he was there all he could think about was getting me there because he knew I would love it. For my birthday a couple of years ago he bought me a backpacking backpack. However I got pregnant soon after and wouldn't be able to carry my pack and then you know nursing for a whole year after having the baby put this trip on hold for a long time. This was finally the year we could leave the kids and get away. For Mother's day TJ also got me hiking boots. 

We left Wed afternoon and got down the trailhead just before it was getting dark. Its about a 4 hour drive. And the drive wasn't bad because TJ ended up buying a new truck just minutes before we left town. I mean I drove the kids up to his parents house and while I dropped them off he was buying the truck. Anyways we set up our little tent in the middle of no where and got our fire going and just hung out until we ran out of wood. In the morning we packed everything up and left all that we didn't need in the truck. We ate our oatmeal TJ made in his water boiler and then started our 8 mile hike into canyon. It was so hot out and it was the first time I had carried a pack (thankfully Tj packed most the heavy stuff) but still it was tough at times. For the first few miles it looked like we were hiking into nowhere. I could see no canyon or anything. Just desert. Finally we made it into the canyon and we were able to take off our shoes and hike in the water. We ate our canned tuna and crackers for lunch lying on a rock looking up at the canyon walls. We had no schedule or time frame. It was just us and whatever we felt like doing on our own time. I was pretty bummed that when we got to the arch we had planned on camping under it was taken by a bunch of scouts. All of the good places were. We did find a good spot after awhile and set up our tent and hammock and then filled our water bottles up with the natural water fall that just seeped through the rock wall. We spent the next couple hours, with no packs (so nice) strolling down the river. When we knew it would get dark soon we headed back to camp and TJ made our dinner which was a dehydrated sweet and sour pork and rice. Now I'm not sure it was really good or not but it sure did taste delicious to have a nice hot cooked meal. We even brought a dehygrated berry crumble that we had for desert. Since we didn't have chairs or rocks for that matter to sit on to eat we would take every meal and walk a little ways around the corner and sit with our feet in the stream. It was a favorite time of the day. Once it got dark that pretty much meant bed time since there was nothing to do. We did stay up talking in the tent with our tiny bitty lantern. Of all the alone time we had during the whole trip there was never a awkward or weird silence. That is what I love about us. It's still just as awesome as when we first met and could talk for hours. In the morning we ate more oatmeal and then hiked over to some more rushing water where we could kinda shower (but without soap because we forgot). I did remember my razor tho and I did shave my legs and arm pits in the falls. We hiked to some arches and to some waterfalls and one day we hiked to a black lagoon which was surrounded by poisen ivy. I am still so surprised I didn't get any. The water was dark and gross and pretty stagnant and Tj of course got right in and started swimming. Me on the other hand wouldn't even get into a blue lagoon at the end of a waterfall in Hawaii because I have this thing with crap touching my feet and not being able to see the bottom. BUT I surprised myself and got in for a sec and made TJ take a picture to document that I can do hard things. We did have to get used to some things on this trip. We could only bring limited food and so whenever there was any down time we couldn't just snack. We had brought a bag of gummie bears for sugar and it was so hard when you wanted something sweet to only eat a few and ration the rest for the rest of the days. We also only had one hammock and so we had to take turns laying in it while the other would sit on the ground twirling sticks. It would have been nice after long days of hiking to just go back to camp and relax and take a nap but while one did that the other was ridiculously bored because there were no phones or anything and the tent was was too hot to lay in there. Every night we would walk to the fresh water and fill all our bottles  and then we would take a night stroll holding hands down the river. The best kind of hiking is the kind you can do barefoot. We were barefoot about 80% of the time. We both smelt so bad and were so sunburned (we also forgot to pack that) and I kept getting attacked by deer flys ( we forgot bug spray too) that there was no "alone" time if you know what I mean. On the last day we had planned to hike the same 8 miles out and we were dreading it because it was so hot. But the night before we met some people at the water station that were climbing the rope out and then hiking only 2 miles to their cars and said they would shuttle us down to our cars if we wanted. I was so nervous to climb the rope with my huge pack but it sounded so much better than dying for 8 miles. We met them at their camp pretty early. They were really nice and they were a lot of help. One wrong step on my part I could fall all the way down the canyon. If I leaned in too much I could loose my footing and fall but if I leaned out too much my pack could take me back. It was seriously one of the hardest things I have ever done, and the scariest. Once we got back to our car we drove a bit and then stopped at the slot canyons. That was a crazy hot hike down into them but once inside they were so nice and cool and I LOVED climbing through them. Finally our trip was over and we had to get back to pick up the kids. It was one smelly B.O. ride home for sure. Since I have been home I cannot stop thinking about that trip and how much I loved everything about it. TJ wants to plan a backpacking trip every year. I know that won't happen and we can't abuse the grandparents too much. I'd love to get my kids in that canyon one day and make that "our" camping spot.