Humphreys Peak, AZ

[BajaTaco]

Doing a little training for the upcoming Mt. Elbert summit (Colorado) and hiked to the summit of Humphreys Peak this weekend. It tops out at 12,633 ft. which is not even close to Elberts 14,433 ft. But it is the highest spot in AZ so it will have to do for now :D The trailhead starts at 9,320 ft. so elev. gain is 3,313 ft.

http://bajataco.com/humphreys06/humph01.jpg


http://bajataco.com/humphreys06/humph02.jpg

Agassiz and Fremont peaks

http://bajataco.com/humphreys06/humph03.jpg

Agassiz Peak (lower left) 12,340ft

http://bajataco.com/humphreys06/humph04.jpg

Downtown Flagstaff at sunset. Sharon and I had dinner a Korean place called Corea House. Very good.

[Scott Brady]

Right on dude :)

We might need to do that next weekend too

[calamaridog]

So this peaked my interest, if you will forgive the pun.

I had to look this up since I know very little about the Flagstaff area:

"Humphreys Peak - Coconino National Forest Coconino County, northern Arizona 10 miles north of Flagstaff 50 air miles SSE of Grand Canyon south rim"

Sounds like an awesome day. Up, down, and back in time for Korean food.

So what did you eat for dinner?

[flyingwil]

Sharon and I had dinner a Korean place called Corea House. Very good.

Great Pictures Chris! The Corea house is very good. There is also a good sushi Place up there call Sakura I think it is in (I think in the Radisson?) that is on the way back to PRC. What were the temps up there on the peak in FLG? It was like 1.3 billion degrees down here in PHX, (I think it hit 114 on Sat! :mad: )

Thanks for sharing your pics!

[Ursidae69]

Above treeline hikes are fun. :jump:

[Scenic WonderRunner]

Chris!.........

Good on ya mate.......for getting out there and getting ready!

What fun!

I just Love Flagstaff!!!!!!!!!!

Aloha!...........Mark

[BajaTaco]

Thanks guys :)

Chuck, your peak bagging reports are so much better, edited out old link. U69


Right on dude :)

We might need to do that next weekend too

It's your turn pal :) I will be in NM next weekend. Maybe the 17th/18th we can do another one, but will you already be en route?



So what did you eat for dinner?

I had Bibimbap with chicken :chowtime: Sharon had something with glass noodles... can't recall.

Speaking of good food, I need to post a pic of the peculiar bug festival that was being held at the very tippy-top of the peak. It was weird to say the least. Once at the summit, there were hoards of these bugs that were a cross between a fly and a gnat. They were swarming all over the rocks and clouding the air... and crawling all over me. I didn't mind since they weren't getting in my eyes or biting. We had a nice picnic with the Hansons yesterday and they said they would try to ID the bugs if I could post a pic.

[BajaTaco]

Jonathan & Roseann, here's a pic (http://bajataco.com/humphreys06/bugs.jpg) of the bugs.

[seth_js]

So I have just recently been exposed to this whole peak bagging thing and I'm hooked. I plan on doing all 15 AZ county highpoints. I am starting off with Maricopa (Browns Peak) and Coconio (Humphreys Peak) in the next couple weeks.

Chris, did you take the Weatherford Trail or Humphreys Peak Trail? How long did it take you RT?

[BajaTaco]

I plan on doing all 15 AZ county highpoints.

COOL! Did you see the latest AZ Hwys mag? They cover that very topic.




Chris, did you take the Weatherford Trail or Humphreys Peak Trail? How long did it take you RT?

I took the Humphreys trail. I think it took about 7 hrs RT (slow pace). I can email my GPS file if you want it (or you can DL one from HikeAZ). Let me know when you do Humphreys in case I can meet up with you (if u don't mind company).

[Scott Brady]

So I have just recently been exposed to this whole peak bagging thing and I'm hooked. I plan on doing all 15 AZ county highpoints. I am starting off with Maricopa (Browns Peak) and Coconio (Humphreys Peak) in the next couple weeks.

Chris, did you take the Weatherford Trail or Humphreys Peak Trail? How long did it take you RT?

I am a state highpointer... I need to count how many I have but it is near 15

[seth_js]

COOL! Did you see the latest AZ Hwys mag? They cover that very topic.

Yeah... you posting your Humphreys pics and Colorado pics (forget the name of the peak) is actually what got me started on this whole thing. I originally wanted to hike the 5 highest peaks in the state, but found out they were all right next to Humphreys. Then I stumbled across the whole county high points "peak bagging" thing. And at the same time got this months AZ Highways in the mail. It must be fate. :p

[seth_js]

I am a state highpointer... I need to count how many I have but it is near 15

Sweet! Now I know who to bug with all my lame questions. :p

[crawler#976]

Great pic's Chris!

I've only been up to above the tree line on the trail - had a great time! Saw some Grouse up there.

Back in the mid 80's I had a buddy that had been an Army Green Beret. He was a specialist in cold/mountainous terrain (he was an instructor at the Northern Warfare Training Center at Fort Greely, Alaska). At least once each winter he'd head up to the Peaks to get his kicks solo hiking/snowshoeing to the top. Nobody wanted to hike with him - he was an animal on the trail...

[BajaTaco]

Great pic's Chris!

I've only been up to above the tree line on the trail - had a great time! Saw some Grouse up there.

Back in the mid 80's I had a buddy that had been an Army Green Beret. He was a specialist in cold/mountainous terrain (he was an instructor at the Northern Warfare Training Center at Fort Greely, Alaska). At least once each winter he'd head up to the Peaks to get his kicks solo hiking/snowshoeing to the top. Nobody wanted to hike with him - he was an animal on the trail...

Yea, I have friends who have done Humphreys in winter, with snowshoes and full packs - doing the snow camp thing. They were held from the summit by a storm. Must have been when camping above tree-line was allowed (I saw a sign posted now that says it is not). They said they saw guys skiing off the peaks into the inner basin :Wow1:

[Hltoppr]

Geez guys...try Humphreys in a snowstorm at 2am with full rescue gear, then having to drag a dead body off....

Just another day at the office....:shakin:

-H-

[BajaTaco]

Geez guys...try Humphreys in a snowstorm at 2am with full rescue gear, then having to drag a dead body off....

Just another day at the office....:shakin:

-H-

No thanks :D

[Scott Brady]

Humphreys in a snowstorm is fun. The coldest temps I have ever recorded with my Kestrel. -60 with the windchill. :archaeolo

[Hltoppr]

No thanks :D

Aw, c'mon...where's your sense of adventure....

at least when it's cold....bodies don't smell as bad! :smilies27

-H-

[seth_js]

So how much different is hiking in elevation? I'm in really good shape. I jog or MTB almost every day of the week. But I don't do any hiking at those kind of elevations.

Is it something that just takes some getting used to? Should I try something a little lower first to see how I react to it? The reason I ask is because if I end up wheeling in Sedona on Saturday, I'm going to camp up on Schnebly, then head up to Humphreys on Sunday.

[BajaTaco]

Seth, I have been curious about altitude effects as well and the little bit of research I have done indicates altitude sickness is indiscriminate based on physical fitness. Scott told me about a trip he did where the most fit person in their group succumbed to the effects. So I think you just have to try it to find out how it will affect you. That isn't to say that there is definitely an advantage (and neccessity) to aclimitazation. If you allow your body to acclimate to higher altitudes gradually, you are likely to see better results and be less prone to the effects of illness. The rule of thumb is "climb high, sleep low". It is best to retreat to lower altitudes for sleeping over night. My guess is that if you get up to Sedona and get a little activity in, then sleep atop Schnebly, you will be acclimatizing, and will have a good shot at making it up Humphreys considering your physical conditioning. You will probably just have a little less breathing capacity then if you lived and trained at a higher altitude.

[seth_js]

Sweet, thanks for the info man.

I just realized I totally hijacked your thread. :p

[articulate]

Geez guys...try Humphreys in a snowstorm at 2am with full rescue gear, then having to drag a dead body off....

Just another day at the office....:shakin:

-H-
I'll bite.....what's the STORY?!?!?! Are you SAR?


About AMS (acute mountain sickness) and acclimatizing, I'm very prone to having troubles when I go up quickly. I've never had a "good" time going up Humphreys. I had a headache and an upset stomach every time I made that trek. Made me feel like a total pansy, too, thinking that I wasn't fit enough. I kind of blame it on living my whole life at 1100 feet.

Sometimes "the bod" doesn't like abrupt changes in altitude. What can you do? Snakes on a plane.

Mark

[BajaTaco]

I'll bite.....what's the STORY?!?!?! Are you SAR?


Yea, he is... in a James Bond 007 sort of way. :) I think maybe he does a little espionage on the side too. :cool:

[BajaTaco]

I just realized I totally hijacked your thread. :p

If it weren't for you, this thread would be rotting in the depths of page 4 or 5 somewhere... :)

[Scott Brady]

Altitude is a funny thing. When I trekked Whitney, there was a member of the group who literally could not stay standing above 13,000', despite being in excellent shape.

You should have an easy time on Humphreys.

Genetics, not conditioning determine your ability to manage altitude sickness and adaptation.

[Hltoppr]

Take it slow and you'll likely be fine. We're kinda in a monsoon pattern now, so I'd recommend an alpine start at about 0600-0630 to try and miss the thunderstorms that can whip up on Humphreys...70+mph winds and lightning aren't something you want to be involved with up above treeline.

Yup, I'm with the local SAR team, and get to do the mountain/tech rescue stuff as well...hence searching for bodies in Havasupai and Humphreys....

The past couple of times I've been spoiled and have caught a helicopter ride up to the Humphreys' saddle....otherwise I've hiked all over that mountain, and Fremont, Agassiz, Doyle etc. more than I can remember...

-H-

[kcowyo]

So how much different is hiking in elevation? I'm in really good shape. I jog or MTB almost every day of the week. But I don't do any hiking at those kind of elevations.

Is it something that just takes some getting used to?


Sometimes "the bod" doesn't like abrupt changes in altitude. What can you do?


Seth, I have been curious about altitude effects as well and the little bit of research I have done indicates altitude sickness is indiscriminate based on physical fitness.... If you allow your body to acclimate to higher altitudes gradually, you are likely to see better results and be less prone to the effects of illness.


Altitude is a funny thing. ....Genetics, not conditioning determine your ability to manage altitude sickness and adaptation.

First of all - Chris, phat pics as usual. :bowdown: Whether in a white Taco or on white legs, I always enjoy your adventures!


Scott is dead on with what determines ability to adapt to high altitudes. However that doesn't mean articulate is a pansy with subgenetics. BajaTaco's comment that time to acclimate is your best bet is also dead on. That's the reason there are several camps at Everest, to allow time to acclimate.

So you're not climbing Everest, nor do you have a week to spend in Sedona or Durango to acclimate. As articulate asked, "What can you do?"

While living in Lake City, CO at 8800ft elev, I climbed four of the five 14ers in the county and worked as a snowmobile guide with some EMT training, but not SAR. I learned that two factors will help greatly improve your chances of avoiding the headache and queezy belly. One is time to acclimate, that has been mentioned. The other thing you can do, before even leaving your home at 1100ft, is to drink nothing but water for 3-4 days before your trip.

Altitude sickness affects are very similar to a hangover. Your body is dehydrated and that's where the headache and stomach problems stem from. If you can properly/over hydrate yourself before a climb or trip above timberline, you've significantly increased your chances of avoiding altitude sickness.

We would always tell people from Texas, coming to CO to snowmobile, that they needed to start pounding the water down for several days before they even left DFW. While not scientific, the Texans who experienced problems in CO, often admitted they didn't drink very much water. People who drank on the flight and spent the night before at Mammy's Whiskey Bar, often needed to be taken off the mountain early.

I have been very fortunate to never have experienced altitude sickness because I was told the secret about water. So Seth and Mark, drink up before heading up!

Hope this tip will help some of my fellow adventurers! :rappel:

[Scenic WonderRunner]

Someday.....

around a campfire......

I will tell you my story of when I was 17 and drove up from Phoenix to the "Snow Bowl" on the San Francisco Peaks to go skiing with family and friends..........and "Fainted" while standing in line at the lunch line. Flew in from Honolulu...sea level.....Phoenix/sea level.......Overheated indoor lunch line at the Lodge, from Zero to mile high in 2 hours=fainting spell!

This is when I began to study about altitude sickness!