Episode 19
Ep 019. Royal Arch Loop Day 3 (Trail Series). 10L Water Haul + Troll Cave + Easy Breezy Tonto
Welcome back to the Royal Arch Loop Trail Series! We are officially in the grind phase of the trip, and Day 3 was all about endurance, heat management, and pushing through mental and physical exhaustion.
This episode captures our hardest mental battle yet—navigating out of Garnet Canyon (which we didn’t even realize was Garnet Canyon at first), carrying 10 liters of water each, and racing against the desert heat.
Oh, and we also experienced something totally new on this trip: a forced five-hour mid-day siesta under a rock to avoid hiking in the brutal afternoon sun. (Spoiler: It was amazing).
What You’ll Hear in This Episode:
- A brutal morning scramble out of the canyon with massive boulder hopping
- The moment I had a mini-meltdown from sheer exhaustion 🫠
- Why navigating this terrain was way harder than the topo map made it seem
- How we found the perfect shady spot and embraced a five-hour mid-day troll cave nap
- The absolute joy of hiking in cooler evening temps and arriving at an epic, wide-open Grand Canyon campsite
This episode is raw, real, and the perfect glimpse into the highs and lows of a tough desert backpacking trip. You’ll hear our frustrations, our exhaustion, and the moments of pure backpacking bliss that made it all worth it.
Episode Resources & Links:
- Connect with Meg Atteberry on Instagram and TikTok @megintheforest
- Trail Guide Of the Royal Arch Loop
Learn more about your host, Allison (aka She Dreams of Alpine):
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