Several large schools of bait fish leap from the water as if trying to escape from something big, but we can’t see what’s chasing them. We spot a pod of porpoises, then a sea turtle, then more porpoises. The sun grows softer, and we continue scanning the water’s surface.
On the north end of Carmen, sheer cliffs plunge into the sea, and there are few landing places. Because of strong currents in the channel, paddling directly to Carmen is not a good choice for inexperienced kayakers, unless they are accompanied by a guide.
Paddling and hiking along the Sea of Cortez can be a magical experience. The color of the water changes to reflect that of the sky, sometimes a deep blue, at other times turquoise; often, at sunrise or sunset, it becomes a blend of soft blue and pale pink. The sea’s surface can be smooth and mirror-like; at those times the lines between hills and sky and sea become nearly indiscernible.
The weather was clear and warm as I started up the trail that would take me through Panhandle Gap, a saddle between two rocky rises, and the highest point along the Wonderland Trail. I crossed steep snowfields, and one exposed area had my full attention as I picked my way across it, but I reached the other side without mishap. Views of distant mountains were breathtaking. Beyond the gap, numerous switchbacks led steeply downward to Indian Bar.
As the weather warms, melting snowfields flow into waterfalls, some hundreds of feet high, and make way for knee-deep wildflower displays. The first to appear, avalanche lilies, poke up through the snow as it melts. Other early blooming flowers, such as marsh marigold, rocket-shaped Jeffrey’s shooting stars, scarlet paintbrush, and lupine, in shades of blue and purple, soon follow. By the time the wildflower bloom is at its showy best, the varieties are seemingly endless.
Our main reason for starting in the south was that tidal conditions at the beginning of our trip would be more favorable for taking the coastal route around Owen Point, which is only passable at tides below 6.0 feet (or 1.8 meters). The low tide predicted for our second day on the trail was well below that.
Natural delights encountered along the trail include old-growth spruce, hemlock and cedar trees, a natural sandstone arch, spectacular seas caves, majestic and refreshing waterfalls, gently flowing streams, and beaches with sand fine enough to stroll across barefoot.
Hells Canyon is more than a quarter of a mile deeper than the Grand Canyon, a fact that’s surprising to many.
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