Colin Fletcher and The Man from the Cave

[BlueTrain]

Colin Fletcher wrote of hiking nude sometimes. He also wrote a book entitled The Man from the Cave, about his efforts to learn about who might have lived in a rather shallow cave somewhere in the mountains near Las Vegas, Nevada. I was wondering if anyone here had ever visited the location. It sounded difficult to find but it also sound like a good place for nude hiking for the same reason. So this is sort of a request for a trip report.

[jbeegoode]

I did find  tour depending on the number of participants and less than $500. He will cache supplies. 14 miles.

There are numerous caves like this in the rock faces all over the southwest. The native Americans used them. Some areas are peppered with them, so it would be no problem t find a suitable spot. The ancient ones generally thrived in a time of wetter weather, but there are spots where water isn't unattainable. Native Americans still live like this in Mexico.

Looks like a fun book. I think that I'll get a copy to put on the list.
Jbee

[BlueTrain]

Fletcher did mention that at the time that someone lived in the cave, sometime in the years before WWI, it was wetter in that area than it is now. We have visited around the Grand Canyon, starting from Las Vegas, then going to the North Rim by way of St. George and Zion National Park, then all the way around to the South Rim for a while, winding up in Phoenix. Zion National Park is just as interesting as the Grand Canyon. You can get "closer." I did a bit of nude hiking and even saw someone else nude, who I think may have been skinny-dipping. Anyway, the topography is quite different from place to place. The North Rim is wooded and there was even a hailstorm while we were there. The South Rim is pure desert. Going around the Grand Canyon, there are mountains of rubble that look like was put there when they dug the canyon. Hot place, too.

[eyesup]

I wasn’t aware of this cave or of Chuckawalla Bill. I will see if I can determine where it is. It looks interesting. Black Canyon is where Hoover Dam is and this sounds like it is south of the dam. Good thing, as that means I won’t be needing scuba gear.

I saw the same add for the tour that Jbee mentions and I won’t be paying $500 to hike to a canyon in my own backyard, so to speak. It will require some detective work. Naturally the tour guide didn’t provide many details.

Just north of the Grand Canyon is Zion National Park. Just north of Zion in the Dixie National Forest is Brian Head ski resort. Brian Head Peak is at 11,300 ft. From there with a little planning you can hike south along side Cedar Breaks, through Kolob Canyon and Zion, then to the Vermillion Cliffs on to the Kaibab Plateau at the North Rim. From there at an elev. of 8,200 ft. you could then hike down to the Colorado River at about 2,250 ft.

The peak at Brian Head is dated to approximately 41 mya while the oldest parts of the base of the canyon can go back to about 2 bya. I’ve been up at Brain Head, Cedar Breaks, Navajo Lake, the West Rim of Zion, the Virgin River where it comes through the Narrows and at the North Rim. I’ve been to the South Rim but haven’t made it to the floor of the canyon yet. From Brian Head to the North Rim is about 110 miles and you can see geology all along that route spanning 1.9 billion years. A unique place in the world where you can see a geologic span that long.

The geology and ecology of the area is amazing. From alpine regions to deserts. I never get tired of hiking and camping in it.

Duane

[BlueTrain]

We very much enjoyed our visit to Arizona. We also saw the meteor crater, Walnut Canyon, Sunset Crater and a few other places, winding up in Phoenix. We didn't drive out to Winslow and stand on that corner, though.

I wasn't aware at the time that the cave that Colin Fletcher wrote about was so near Las Vegas, not that I would have been able to go there. But Las Vegas was unreal. The first thing you see when you get off the plane is a slot machine with a picture of Wayne Newton on the wall.

[eyesup]

I spent the night in Winslow once. The only thing I, and unfortunately also a carload of Scouts, saw on the corner was a homeless guy spontaneously watering a shrub.    And that, after we had been singing them the song, it was a big let down. But funny!

Las Vegas was unreal. The first thing you see when you get off the plane is a slot machine with a picture of Wayne Newton on the wall.

BlueTrain, I am SO sorry you had to experience that. No one should have to endure such an assault on their well being.

btw. Here we call him the wayner. He spends more time in Branson than here. Why he is still on that kind of advertising here is a tribute to his agents.

Duane

[BlueTrain]

No, don't get me wrong. I enjoyed my visit to Las Vegas. This was also over ten years ago, so I don't know if Wayne Newton is still Mr. Las Vegas. No assault took place. I went there by choice, after all. I thought it was as much fun as a travelling carnival. Gets hot in the summer, though.

[eyesup]

I saw Mr. Fletcher’s book, “The Man Who Walked Through Time”, in a book store at one of the sites we visited but I didn’t see the one about the man in the cave. I will look online.

The wayner has, for all intents and purposes, been oughta’ here for longer than that. So the self appointed Mr. Las Vegas moniker is a bit dated, but alternately, Mr. Branson doesn’t have the same punch as Mr. Las Vegas.

It sounds like the name of the HS principal. My guess is he will hang on to that for as long as possible.

Hot, BlueTrain, is an understatement for the summer!

Duane

[BlueTrain]

"The Man from the cave" is different as night and day from "The man who walked through time." It is still fascinating, although it ends on a slightly sad note, since he follows the life of the man all the way to his death.

The second (and earlier) book is about one of his epic walks. There is also "Thousand Mile Summer," which I think is the correct title. It's about yet another epic walk.