Sep 25: Round Valley, Hackberry

Oh boy.

Day started off wonderful. (Maybe I should write blog posts in the morning?) We descended into Round Valley Draw after walking next to it on a road for a few minutes, as it became a wonderful slot canyon. We had to lower our packs first to make the initial entrance descent, and one other time as well, but nothing too difficult. Sliding against sandstone on your butt would feel better in long pants though. 

The slot lasted for a mile or two and then joined Hackberry canyon, which we were in for the rest of the day. It quickly became very sandy, and travel was very slow. There was never a ledge or dense strip or rocks or anything to get a decent step on, just soft and pliable sand. We took a lunch break at a spring that was supposed to have water, but the water didn't start until about a half mile later. Clearly the spring and the water underground was getting the sand wet, which for a brief, brief moment, provided relatively firm footing. But then the water was flowing, which was a great relief of our thirst. However, the flow was a few inches deep and several feet wide with a sandy bottom, and was really the only avenue for travel--there was no use path through the brush or anything, so we just walked in the water, and my shoes accumulated wet sand that bunched up painfully. I stopped and emptied them a few times, and even went barefoot for a bit. I would've given an arm and a leg for a pair of sandals, even though I am normally very judgmental of people who hike in sandals. (How many toes can I break today?)

Eventually the water flow began to die down. For a lovely minute there was a good cattle trail on hard ground as the canyon opened up to high red walls. There's an old cabin (Watson cabin) with a register that the BLM is restoring. That was nice to see. Based on the register, I am pretty sure we're the only Haydukers out here so far.

The canyon narrowed up and became dry and sandy again. Nano is much faster on sand than I am, but he waited exactly at the exit of the canyon. We got our 20 miles today, but it was a hard one.