AZ Strip Trip
The Arizona Strip is a portion of northern Arizona cut off from the rest of the state by the Grand Canyon. It is considered one of the most remote places in the US. It was my intention to explore 2 locations inside the north rim of the Grand Canyon but the main park entrance was closed for the winter. Instead I did the Hwy 89 loop. The map below shows my route.
This was just the kids and I as Rachelle was in San Francisco working.
Our first stop was Pipe Spring National Monument.
Winsor Castle, built in the 1870's by the LDS church to protect the ranch managers family of this tithing ranch (2,200 cattle).
West Cabin
Ponds
East Cabin
From 1881-1923 Mormon couples from Arizona stopped at Pipe Spring on their way to be married in the St. George temple. I always suggest putting the girl in a rough situation for awhile before the marriage, her true character will always come out.
John Wesley Powell twice camped here in the 1870's before his trips down the Colorado.
Mt. Humphreys
View south, Grand Canyon is the second canyon, & Mt. Humphreys, the highest mountian in Arizona.
Trailhead, notice the shadow of the 3 of us on one. The last 2 miles to the trail were in the snow which was better than the dirt road as it had turned to mush from the water of melted snow.
The start of the trail. Once the trail was on the south slope of the mountain, the trail was mostly clear.
Our next objective was the Toroweap area of the Grand Canyon. To get there required a 61 mile dirt road. The picture above is from the start of the road. The far mountain in the distance is Mt. Trumbull, our climb late in the afternoon. Recent snow made parts of the road extreamly muddy and the trailhead is often not accessible during the winter.
As we got closer, Mt. Trumbull looked more like a mountain.
Cactus
Mav on top with his Jr Ranger badge from Pipe Spring
The last mile was through the forest in this flat area. From the weight of the kids, I sunk into the snow about 5 inches, a real workout.
We camped at the trailhead as it was near dark upon our return.
Tuweep is the lowest point you can view the canyon driving.
Looking east
Looking west
It's that way!
Looking down
