Hiking can be a very personal and spirtual experience. Our Jason Skoda will present and review some of Arizona's top hiking destinations while also sharing summits with some of Arizona's sports personalities
I stood perched on a rock at the top of a waterfall, my Merrell hiking shoes keeping me steady despite the power of the rushing cyan-shaded water doing its best to push me off, when one thought ping-ponged through my mind as fast as my nervous heartbeat.
Should I, or shouldn't I?
There I was, 35-feet above a pool of water in Havasu Canyon that was said to be 25 feet deep, and I was deciding whether or not I was going to take that last step off one of the world's most beautiful interactive waterfalls.
I had a hiking guide to my left, letting me know how he had survived the same feat that I was contemplating just 10 minutes earlier. To my right was the guy who chickened out when he got to the same exact position I was. In front of me, albeit 35 feet below, stood my hiking group whooping and hollering.
In reality, I was by myself.
Should I, or shouldn't I?
More on that decision later.
Havasupai is my favorite place in the world. I first saw it in a National Geographic Magazine as a youngster in an Ohio school library, images that I filed away in the back of my mind with hopes of seeing it for myself someday.
Not only have I seen it, but I have been there 10 times, and eventually became a paid guide who took down groups of friends – including our leader at ArizonaVarsity.com Ralph Amsden, and Hamilton girls basketball coach Trevor Neider – to see one of the most remote villages in the world.
I am supposed to be in Havasupai this week, but the Tribe smartly closed down all tourism due to COVID-19. My 11th visit will have to wait until 2021.
In the meantime, I am hiking all of the great places in Arizona because it is one of my passions, one of the things I can’t get enough of and something I love sharing with people or even doing alone.
I can’t tell you how many times I essentially wrote a story in my mind or come up with questions for an upcoming interview on the trail rather than sitting in front of a computer. It is my place of solace and where to do some deep thinking.
It is my spiritual spot.
At the same time, I rarely turn down a chance to hike with someone. Doesn’t matter if it is someone I love or only know through hiking pages on social media. I will get out and hike. Just ask me.
So the hope is this space will become a place where I can present some of the great spots to hike in this great state of ours and at some point hike with some players and coaches while picking their brains about what their perspective on all things sports; from their training ideas to their philosophy on creating a program or being a good teammate.
I want to be able to share my favorite sunset hikes, the best places to find artifacts, the coolest caves to explore and waterfalls that will take your breath away.
Like I had my breath taken away first time I stood at the top of a waterfall at Havasupai deciding whether I was going to jump or not.
I eventually took that leap off the waterfall and have since found several other locations to get that adrenaline rush. It’s something I absolutely love to do, and I like to get others to do it with me.
Kind of give them their very own should-I-or-shouldn’t-I moment.
And that’s what I hope to do here as well. It will be a place for new hikers or very experienced hikers. New trails and experiences. Dark caves and hidden water holes.
Places that can get you thinking an essential question when your heartbeat is ping ponging all over the place.
Should I, or shouldn’t I?
(Yes. Yes you should.)
Jason P. Skoda can be reached at Jason@arizonavarsity.com with story ideas and comments.
