telepathic stuntman

On Friday we rented a couple kayaks and headed to Goat Mountain, located in the Tonto National Forest on the north shore of Apache Lake. We were able to fit both of the twelve foot kayaks inside Big Blue!

We arrived at the lake in the late afternoon, strapped our packs to the kayaks and headed into the setting sun. It was cloudy and a bit cool, but we had the whole lake to ourselves. We paddled for about three miles to a cove with a large gravel bar – great for pulling the boats out and camping. We setup tents, gather firewood and quickly scout the area. There’s a very powerful musky scent permeating the air – perhaps a skunk nearby?

I paddle out in the dying light to catch a couple sunset photos. The lake is mirror smooth and eerily quiet. I sit alone out there for quite a while – not paddling, just drifting, and the lack of noise is almost hurting my ears. No bugs, no wind, no animal calls, no fish jumping, no other boats – nothing. It actually takes a while to get accustomed to the “deafening silence”. I capture a couple nice stills and reflect on how fortunate we are to have access to beautiful places like this.

That evening we cook hamburgers, hot dogs and a one pot meal with stuffing, canned chicken, dried cranberries – terrific! We relax by the fire while bats swoop above us, and owls call out in the night. I belt out a loud COOOOOEEEEEE! and it echoes off the canyon walls for a few seconds and then completely repeats for another few seconds – it was one of the best ones ever! That night we retire early under a bright starry sky. I lay on my back and tried to stay awake as long as possible, staring up at the starshow and enjoying my newest gear acquisition, a Thermarest Neo Air sleeping pad, which performed brilliantly.

The next morning I head out on a sunrise hike heading straight up a cliff to a level riparian area where there’s lots of giant boulders to perch on as the sun creeps over the mountain. I capture a couple decent shots and then head back to camp, and then out on the water for some pre-breakfast fishing. It’s a beautiful day and again, not another person on the lake. The fish aren’t biting, but it doesn’t matter – we have this amazing silent splendor to ourselves.

Barrel Cactus

After breakfast we set out for Goat Mountain with the plan: to climb as high as we can.

Goat Mountain is horseshoe shaped with ominous steep cliffs protecting the summit from almost all sides. The area is loaded with character: lush desert vegetation, springs, waterfalls, rugged granite cliffs and buttes, a hidden slot canyon, and a large elaborate cave at the base of the far butte on the southeast end of the main mountain.

Fishhook Cactus

As usual, there’s no trail – how else are you going to discover something no one else has seen? We follow rugged ridges along the edges of the canyon and make our way past the waterfall and cave – the steepness and loose rubble was not easy to navigate and we found ourselves resting every fifteen minutes. The saguaros were fat and healthy from the recent rains. Javelina tracks were everywhere. We stop for lunch about halfway up the mountain – sardines, beef jerky and pear – and then continue on upward. We soon realize that making it to the summit would take the entire day and we still wanted to try our luck at some more fishing, so reluctantly we turn around and head back to camp.

Teddybear Cholla

We spend another quiet night by the fire chatting about music and camping and school and dumb jokes and when we’ve burned the last of the wood, we head to our tents. That night we get blasted by a torrential thunderstorm – heavy rain and fierce winds buffeting our tents for most of the night, but we’re well equipped to handle it, staying dry and cozy enough to drift off to sleep in the midst of it.

The next morning, the clouds are starting to part and we break camp, load up the kayaks and start making our way back to the marina. Once again, the lake is absolutely pure glassy stillness and we glide through the water with ease. We pause often to take it all in – the sun beating down on us, a few large bass jumping nearby, ducks swimming alongside, stunning canyons rising up on both sides. We make land with no problems, pack up the boats and head back to civilization – another great adventure under our belts… Goat Mountain!