HikeArizona.COM

I know we have discussions on our HAZ forum about Permits. But I want to share my anxiety and help others with their potential anxiety about getting a permit.

I submitted my permit on 12/31 for May and got my fax confirmation.

Then I waited. I know it can take 3 weeks to get a permit in the mail. 1/20 and I was getting nervous. I had never waited this long. My mind was racing. It has been a couple of years since I applied for a permit. Last year I went on a raft trip and my name wasn't on the permit. Do they only notify you if you are getting a permit? If you don't get a permit do you not hear anything? Do I need to consider Plan B? Do I need to formulate a Plan B since I don't already have one? WHAT DO I DO?

Then a friend advised me. HERE IS THE TRICK - I checked the credit card I used to apply for the permit. HALLELUJAH! The BCO charged my credit card on 1/8. I have a permit. I don't know if it is my primary choice or secondary choice. But I can't imagine anyone else choosing my first choice

I can sleep tonight. I am going to Arizona Hiking Shack tomorrow to buy some topo maps since I have never hiked Lava Falls Trail before. I don't think anyone has hiked it at my age. Wish me luck. Contribute to GRCA Search & Rescue. Pray for me. Watch for photos.

UPDATE: 1/22 Mystery solved. I emailed Backcountry Office. They corrected a typo in my email address and sent me an email with the permit attached as a PDF.

@Al_HikesAZ
For those of us with email, we get notification even before our credit cards are charged. However, during the winter, the pony express is a little slow so for those who do these things with older technology, you may have to wait. Also good luck. It's a challenging hike. But also wouldn't be the worst place to take your last steps.

Alan, please remember hiking and outdoor related sports can be dangerous. In all seriousness*, if you get your walker to the falls be sure to get a few photos of your scissor leg swings off the hand grips like you did at Kendrick Camp.

* +Add > Photoset

@chumley
I gave them my email but did not see any reply. With all the junk mail I get I might have just deleted it.

I listed my age as 99 but I am still getting all sorts of solicitations from women in the Scottsdale area that want to date me. I thought that would scare them away but it just seems to have excited those damn Cougars.

I didn't even know they still do snail mail permits. The last several times I've applied, I only got an email, and they sent the actual permit as a pdf.

I also don't think your trick will work in every situation. Almost every time I apply nowadays, they send a followup email saying my itinerary is not recommended, and are you sure you want this itinerary, and only after I respond do they collect the fees.

@Al_HikesAZ

I have never hiked Lava Falls Trail before. I don't think anyone has hiked it at my age. Wish me luck

A family of 8 tried it yesterday with a ten year old in tow, volunteer ranger warned them that it might be a little aggressive. They said, "don't worry we will be fine, we are local." Still waiting for an update on how that went.

I hiked to Lava Falls when I was 15 years old, solo, with my parents waiting around on top, in June in a pair of old school blue jeans, tank top and a soda in one pocket and a canteen around my neck. Tennis shoes I think. No sunscreen. I remember being hot, tired and triumphant. My parents were however rather horrified at my sunburn, and scrapes on my arms where I fell at a couple of points. I survived obviously. I remember how hot that black rock was, waves of rising heat, and the roar of the river, how shocking the rough water looked. Didn't have anything like that back in Tennessee.

Well the group of 8 made it out, took until dark, but all accounted for. I guess the new standard is a ten year old can do it, lol...

@friendofThundergod Well shoot. Now I wanna try it with my crew.

@jacobemerick FWIW, in my first triplog, I compared the scrambling to Flat Iron or Picketpost, but with the variable of being remote and obviously the heat factor during certain times or year...