Havasupai "Havasu" Canyon, AZ

[Sombeech]

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/moabfo...r=34ed&.src=ph

Cool pictures... I hope you don't mind I uploaded a few.

[James_B_Wads2000]

Yeah moabfool, nice pics. Just on question: With all them hot women in the water, tell me at least one of them went topless?

Good news everyone, I have confirmed my reservations for Havasupai on June 12-15. I am really looking forward to it. A big group from my sister

[Sombeech]

Or what is the one tip you could give me to make my trip great?

James

For me, this canyon is all about the photography. I learned that the best time to take the pictures is in the morning or evening. If you get any sunlight in your photos (shining on the canyon walls) it will throw off the whole balance.

Hence, the difference in my two photos below. Most of your photography will be from the shadows, just because that's where the paths are. Just try to keep the sunlit rock out of the photos.

Also, I really enjoyed my hammock down there. Bring some snorkeling gear! You will not be disappointed.

[shaggy125]

I there is one thing I should not forget to take what would it be?

Your swimming suit... or not. I guess if you want the girls to go topless...

[James_B_Wads2000]

I there is one thing I should not forget to take what would it be?

Your swimming suit... or not. I guess if you want the girls to go topless...

When it comes to nudity I am a free as a bird type hippie, I have no shame. But I think if I were to drop my pants in front of the Mo-Mos the shock would probably make them end up going into a coma.

James

[Sombeech]

When it comes to nudity I am a free as a bird type hippie, I have no shame. But I think if I were to drop my pants in front of the Mo-Mos the shock would probably make them end up going into a coma.

James

You should just tell them some old Indian story that involves nudity, and tell them you are honoring a Havasupai tradition.

I noticed some pictures where the water in the pools is brown instead of the blue that I'm used to . I wonder if this is just because of the time of year, or if it's the traffic.

[moabfool]

Yeah moabfool, nice pics. Just on question: With all them hot women in the water, tell me at least one of them went topless?

As awesome as that would've been, they were on a ward campout. Tempe University 8th Ward. They were camped by the spring, so we would head up there to get water and fill our canteens, if you catch my meaning .

I plan on hiking in but taking the helicopter out.

Aw c'mon. Hiking out is part of the experience. Seriously though, it's $75 to ride a horse without your pack and $85 to take a helicopter with your pack. That's a no-brainer, so long as your trip dates match up with the helicopter schedule.

[moabfool]

I noticed some pictures where the water in the pools is brown instead of the blue that I'm used to . I wonder if this is just because of the time of year, or if it's the traffic.

No, there was a massive flood the night before we hiked in. Big rain storm most of the way from where we left Route 66 until we got to the hilltop. I slept in my car and had to turn it on in the night so I could run the heater. I got up in the morning and I could see my breath. Did I mention that we went the first week of August?

One bonus of the flood was that Navajo Falls was flowing across the full width. There usually isn't water in the middle. I guess the brown water was the tradeoff for seeing the full flow.

From what my friends tell me, your pictures show what the water usually looks like.

[accadacca]

When it comes to nudity I am a free as a bird type hippie, I have no shame.

Information we could have done without James.

[Sombeech]

When it comes to nudity I am a free as a bird type hippie, I have no shame.

Information we could have done without James.

Please do NOT post your trip report photos in these conditions

[mroy]

Couple of tips:
-Sleep in the parking lot and leave as early as you can -- cooler weather and your choice of camp sites, there were tons of people when I was there a couple years ago, and I had to sleep in the crappiest spot.
-Those dirt roads on the map between the Grand Canyon NP HQ area and the trailhead, well, they're really not a shortcut. Long story, no fun.
-Use your polarized sunglass lenses to get some better color and lighting in your shots by putting it in front of your camera lens, if it's not SLR sized.

[Sombeech]

-Those dirt roads on the map between the Grand Canyon NP HQ area and the trailhead, well, they're really not a shortcut. Long story, no fun.

Yeah, don't trust Mapquest on this stuff. They'll tell you to go to Page, AZ, and then cut across West. Wrong! You've got to go through Vegas and south east.

-Use your polarized sunglass lenses to get some better color and lighting in your shots by putting it in front of your camera lens, if it's not SLR sized.

Interesting. I've never thought about it. Do you have some samples?

[Sombeech]

One more thing, when you come back with all of these great pictures and trip report, you should start your own thread, so your pics don't go to the end of a 5 or 6 page thread.

[moabfool]

A few more tips:

DO NOT speed when you're driving the road between Route 66 and the hilltop, especially if you're driving at night. I'll give you a 99% guarantee that you'll hit an elk. My brother-in-law warned me and I thought "whatever" and sped anyway. Then I almost hit one and learned my lesson. I guess I should have believed a guy who never drives under 90 mph when he told me not to speed.

Also, a hammock is your friend. It saves weight and will keep you cooler. Don't take one of these rope hammocks but a nice Brazilian-style hammock. A rope hammock will give you waffle butt for days. Here's what to get:

http://tinyurl.com/eh2mj

Take a couple double-length climbing slings and wrap them around two trees about 12 feet apart. Attach the slings to the hammock with a climbing biner (any will do, locking or non-locking) Put a clothes line over your hammock running both the hammock and clothes line through a tube tent. If/when it rains just pull the tube tent over your hammock. A polar fleece sleeping bag should be enough to keep you warm in the summer. Be sure to take a real pillow if you do this.

I hung my Camelbak from the clothes line with a mini biner and was able to get a drink in the middle of the night without a struggle.

While I'm one more thinging, do not underestimate the power of the squirrel mafia. If it's out, it's theirs. I took normal backpacking food and didn't have a problem, but I also hung my food bag under my tarp where they had less chance to get at it . Other people have been taken for all they had. Hanging your food will not work. They'll just climb out and get it.

Something I saw that worked well was to take a thick-plastic bucket with a lid and put your food in there. Be sure the lid is snapped down tight or they'll be in it in a flash. Coffee cans might work if you could find a stout enough lid. Tom Jones' Canyon Kegs would be bomber.

http://canyoneeringusa.com/shop/view...product=IML400

About the spring/drinking water. Some people treat/filter. I drank straight from the spring and didn't get sick. As always, YMMV.

[mroy]

-Use your polarized sunglass lenses to get some better color and lighting in your shots by putting it in front of your camera lens, if it's not SLR sized.

Interesting. I've never thought about it. Do you have some samples?

The first link is the one without the sunglasses, and the second one is the one with for both of them. You can change the number after xy= to adjust the size of the picture, or just get rid of it for the full res.

You get rid of most of the lighting artifacts, and the image is less contrasty, resulting in richer colors. Usually you'll get a better sky, but this one was shot almost straight into the sun.
http://www.mikepearce.us/superstitio...200.jpg?xy=700
http://www.mikepearce.us/superstitio...201.jpg?xy=700

More natural colors of the rock, and richer greens.
http://www.mikepearce.us/superstitio...236.jpg?xy=700
http://www.mikepearce.us/superstitio...237.jpg?xy=700

I'm sure I have better examples, but those are the most recent ones I remember. Those pics are all pre-photoshop level & contrast balancing.

They'll also add one level of f-stop. Your sunglasses should just be gray, not any other color, for obvious reasons.

It's no substitute for a real polarized filter, but it can help out a lot.

Also, a hammock is your friend. It saves weight and will keep you cooler. Don't take one of these rope hammocks but a nice Brazilian-style hammock.

I was impressed with Eagles Nest hammock stuff when I saw them at the Outdoor Retailer Show in January. They're more durable, and can take a heavier person, but since they cost more I'd only go for one if you were going to use it often.
http://www.moabsports.com/web/bid/16.../all/brand.asp

While I'm one more thinging, do not underestimate the power of the squirrel mafia.

I hate those squirrels.

[Sombeech]

I hate those squirrels.

I hate those freakin dirty diseased dogs! Otherwise, I'd be happy to just sleep on the ground.

BTW, thanks for the polarized examples. That's pretty cool.