Following my Grand Enchantment Trail hike this spring I finally found the opportunity to explore a couple of the desert rivers that flow nearby.
The canyons of the San Francisco and Gila rivers are close companions of the GET for a number of miles, but in this vicinity and at this time of year, both are typically best floated rather than hiked. Show up a week or two late though, as I did, (or too early) and a packrafting trip such as this becomes a bit more, well, interesting…
Photo essay (starts at slideshow frame 1)
Video (select HQ video for best viewing)
Next time I’ll try to muster a compadre or two and pass around the camera a bit (preferably a waterproof model)!
All in all, a very worthwhile trip through seldom-seen country with plenty of drifting solitude and watchable wildlife. The perfect companion adventure to an eastbound GET hike from Safford to Clifton.
