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Keet Seel - 5/31/13 - 6/2/13
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PostPosted: 2/7/2013, 3:15 pm    Post subject: Keet Seel - 5/31/13 - 6/2/13 Reply with quote

Keet Seel - May 31st - June 2nd

(Optional June 2nd hike to Betatakin and/or a side-trip to a "Special" place)



This is an overnight backpacking trip to one of the most pristine ruin sites in the desert Southwest. Only 20 visitors per day are allowed to visit the ruins. We have a permit for 10 people. We hike out as a group Saturday morning, and visit the ruins with the ranger that stays on-site.

The hike down from Navajo National Monument NP is about 8 miles through some of the most beautiful country you'll find in Arizona.

The trail looks to be of "moderate" difficulty which, of course depends upon your ability.

You'll lose about 800 feet in elevation in the first 3/4 mile, which is good news on the way there, bad news on the way back! The rest of the hike out has about 400 feet of gain in one area, followed by a 300 foot descent and a slow incline of 400 feet the rest of the way to the site.

Here's the plan:

* Arrive Friday night, May 31st.
* Pick a campsite in Sunset View campground (this one has a bathroom & water, but no showers)
* Form up as a group on Saturday morning, 8:00AM sharp to hear the mandatory instructions from one of the park Rangers.
* Hike as a group to Keet Seel. We are all on 1 permit. We must hike together.
* Set up camp at the Keet Seel camping area.
* Take Ranger-led hike to the ruins. They take small groups of 5-7 people at a time. The trip lasts bout an hour.
* Explore the area.
* Have our evening feast and improvised campfire (no actual fires permitted!).
* Breakfast feast Sunday morning.
* Form up as a group at 9:00AM for the hike back to our vehicles.

I suggest that participants get there Friday night and camp in one of the two FREE campgrounds. I have obtained the permit for 10 people for the hike to the ruins on Saturday morning. We must all hike as a group. Please sign up early and be assured of a permit slot.

You'll need to take all water with you that you'll require for the hike down, camping, and the hike out. There is a stream that runs through the valley but it's fouled by the cattle and sheep that roam the area. Heavy metals are also present in the stream.

The only cost for the trip are your expenses to and from Navajo National Monument (carpooling strongly suggested) and your food/beverages.

There are 2 campgrounds in the park (Sunset view-has a bathroom and water, Canyon View is primitive); both of which are FREE!

Since we should be back relatively early Sunday, there's a Ranger-led hike down to Betatakin that you may enjoy That's also an option for anyone that wants to come up, but not go on the overnight to Keet Seel. Navajo National Monument isn't too far from Monument Valley, so that's another possible side-trip.

In addition, for anyone that would like to stop by one of the most interesting (and by interesting I mean a place unlike any you've likely seen anywhere else!) and beautiful places in Arizona, we can take a side-trip on the way back. (It's not the place that I took some of you on the previous Keet Seel excursion, although we can stop there also!!!)

Here's a link to the NP website for general information about the park : http://www.nps.gov/nava/index.htm
 
desertgirl





Joined: 19 Jan 2003
Posts: 3350
Location: Chandler, AZ

PostPosted: 5/31/2013, 8:41 am    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

Going with out a tent -- ratsack in onboard Very Happy I will have 200oz of water ...a water filter & some beta on a couple of springs
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YH
Hooli Wants to be just like me!




Joined: 29 Mar 2007
Posts: 387
Location: Portland, OR and Yosemite on a good day.

PostPosted: 5/31/2013, 7:54 pm    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

This looks amazing. I hope someone posts a trip report and pictures. (I love the picture posted for the trip!)
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wanderingsoul





Joined: 19 Jul 2004
Posts: 2285
Location: Gilbert AZ

PostPosted: 5/31/2013, 9:59 pm    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

Wow... did I mess up posting the other day... I thought you all did this already... Laughing

Careful driving, Have fun on the hike and take lots of pictures !!!

Now I'll be looking forward to the trip report and pics... Very Happy
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Hikngrl
Canyoneering is my 'Happy Place'




Joined: 27 May 2003
Posts: 5578
Location: Peoria, AZ

PostPosted: 6/2/2013, 7:56 pm    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

Thank you Ken for arranging this amazing hike to the fabulous place! I was over whelmed!

Oh my goodness! A fabulous hike and really awesome friends! So nice to meet and hike with you David and as always great to see old friends again!

We informed David of the tradition of the "new guy" writing the trip report! I got pictures as did every one else so Ambika is going to start an album and the rest of us will add to it!

If you have not been to Keet Seel GO!!!!!!!
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desertgirl





Joined: 19 Jan 2003
Posts: 3350
Location: Chandler, AZ

PostPosted: 6/2/2013, 9:51 pm    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote



Keet Seel: Touching the Past!

Yes --- what an amazing place & wonderful hike - Great company & a new friend in David! Thanks Ken for getting the permit & Diane for keeping the hike alive!
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bigfoot





Joined: 19 Oct 2005
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Location: Austin, TX

PostPosted: 6/2/2013, 10:35 pm    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

I had an awesome time. Good to go out and enjoy the great outdoors again - and this was the perfect hike for it. Beautiful place, great company, very nice weather for hiking....it all worked out perfect. Thanks again Ambika, Diane, Mike and David for being such good company!. Very Happy
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diamondbacks





Joined: 15 Feb 2006
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PostPosted: 6/3/2013, 6:58 am    Post subject: Keet Seel Trip Report Reply to topic Reply with quote

What an awesome weekend! This was my first GHOTM with the group, so thanks to Diane, Mike, Ambika, and Guru for making me feel very welcome. Hank, sorry you had to miss it, and hope you are feeling better. Ken, thanks for setting this up in the first place and so sorry you had to miss it. Diane informed me (after the hike) of my obligation as the "new guy" to write up the trip report Shocked so here is my attempt at describing the weekend, but words don't do it justice:

Friday, May 31st: Diane, Mike and I began our carpool from Phoenix at 7am sharp to give us enough time to get to the Visitor Center for the 3pm orientation and get our permit. It is about a 5 hour drive and you lose an hour with the time change on the way out there. We made good time, stopping in Tuba City at Denny's for lunch (or second breakfast) and made it to the Navajo National Monument by 1pm, so plenty of time to set up our car camp in Sunset View campground and make it back in time for the orientation. We enjoyed a short 1 mile roundtrip strolls along the Sandal Trail and Aspen Trail to an overlook of the Betatakin ruins and an ancient Aspen forest. Good start to the trip. Very Happy
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lovinlife





Joined: 22 Apr 2013
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PostPosted: 6/3/2013, 7:22 am    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

My children and I have been on the Betatakin ruins hike and enjoyed it very much. Looking forward to hearing about the difficulty of this hike. Is it one a couple of 12 year olds could do? Glad everyone had a good time.
J
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diamondbacks





Joined: 15 Feb 2006
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Location: Scottsdale

PostPosted: 6/3/2013, 7:24 am    Post subject: Keet Seel Trip Report (Part 2) Reply to topic Reply with quote

Saturday, June 1st: We met Ambika and Guru at the Keet Seel parking lot and began our hike at 7am (6am Phoenix time). The first mile of the hike is down a road past the Betatakin parking lot and to the official Keet Seel trailhead. Beyond this there is about a mile and a half of switch backs where you lose approximately 1,000 feet elevation and make it to the canyon floor. There were multiple creek crossings, but the water was never more than ankle deep, so we didn't get our feet too wet Rolling Eyes There are white posts and mile markers along the way and you pass 4 small waterfalls. Georgeous scenery all along the canyon and we stopped to take lots of pictures. We made it to the campgrounds in about 5 hours at a leisurely pace. There we set up camp and walked the 1/4 mile to the ranger station to check-in for our guided tour of the ruins

We were all blown away by our tour of the ruins, to see the original 800 year old kivas, so well preserved on such a beutiful cliff face was very powerful. Our tour guide Steve was a volunteer who works the first 2 weeks of the season and whose grandfather was the archeologist who oversaw the 1935 excavation and restration of the ruins. He was an amazing guide who brought a unique perspective to the 2 hour unhurried tour of the ruins. Steve's wife (another Diane) was a very gracious host and gave us a tour of the Ranger's Hogan as well. We all agreed that is a volunteer job we all wanted! Very Happy
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beckett





Joined: 14 Feb 2005
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PostPosted: 6/3/2013, 7:25 am    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

I've done the Betatatkin hike a couple of times too and have enjoyed it very much. I hope I can do Keet Seel some day and soooo wished I could have made this trip. Loving the pictures Ambika.
Linda
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diamondbacks





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PostPosted: 6/3/2013, 7:38 am    Post subject: Keet Seel Trip Report (part 3) Reply to topic Reply with quote

Surnday, June 2: After a restful night in the backpackers camp under the oak trees, we awoke early to begin our 8.5 mile hike out at 7am again. The highlight of the hike out was seeing a herd of wild horses rumble by us in the canyon, Ambika got it on video and it was amazing. We also saw some pretty large paw prints next to some of the creek crossings (? mountain lion). We took a break at the bottom of the switchbacks to reclaim our stashed water and refuel for the hike to the top of the canyon. We were all glad that we were doing this hike in May/June and not later in the summer when the heat would be more challenging. We changed clothes and freshened up at the Visitor Center restrooms and then all stopped at the Cameron Trading post for our post-trip meal.

Again a truly amazing trip, thanks again for letting me tag along. It was my first GHOTM, but it won't be my last. I truly enjoyed meeting new friends and sharing an awesome hiking experience. See you all again soon! Very Happy Very Happy

David
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desertgirl





Joined: 19 Jan 2003
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Location: Chandler, AZ

PostPosted: 6/3/2013, 8:11 am    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

Darn....My album has vanished ...what's with that? I set up a group folder and posted my pics in it and now its all gone! Sad

I can hack my way and see that the images are there but it does not show up in the gallery ...
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tibber





Joined: 16 Feb 2004
Posts: 247
Location: Phoenix

PostPosted: 6/3/2013, 8:16 am    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

so glad you all had a great time and that the weather was nice. I will look forward to hearing more and seeing the pictures of course. Curious how the camping went with no tents and such.
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Angela from N Phoenix
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desertgirl





Joined: 19 Jan 2003
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PostPosted: 6/3/2013, 8:18 am    Post subject: Reply to topic Reply with quote

LInk to my photo Gallery : http://www.arizonahikers.com/forum/modules.php?set_albumName=albus42&op=modload&name=gallery&file=index&include=view_album.php
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tibber





Joined: 16 Feb 2004
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Location: Phoenix

PostPosted: 6/3/2013, 8:31 am    Post subject: Re: Keet Seel Trip Report (Part 2) Reply to topic Reply with quote

diamondbacks wrote:
Our tour guide Steve was a volunteer who works the first 2 weeks of the season and whose grandfather was the archeologist who oversaw the 1935 excavation and restration of the ruins. He was an amazing guide who brought a unique perspective to the 2 hour unhurried tour of the ruins. Very Happy


WOW, how awesome!
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