Hernias and Hanging Ladders

On June 10th my mountain biking and other activities came to a screeching halt as I went under the knife for an inguinal hernia repair. I went to a surgeon in Gallup who is an extraordinary mountain biker. He even wrote a mountain biking guide book for the area. There is a trail named after him called "Pete's Wicked Trail." He is wicked on the bike trails and did a wicked job in the surgery suite as well.





I was supposed to take it easy for four weeks, but at about the two week mark an invitation came that I couldn't pass up. The Chinle Service Unit of the IHS was having their annual camp in Canyon de Chelly near Mummy Cave ruins. One way to get to the bottom of the canyon is via the Hanging Ladders Trail. In the 1970's some Navajo Army Rangers came back to the Rez and established this "trail" using their rappel equipment, cables, and ladders. It basically goes down a very steep part of the the canyon. This is another great thing about the Rez; trails like this exist. Anywhere else in the US this would not be allowed. It was quite the trip. Tracy even overcame her fear of heights and came up the trail the day after the camp.

The shortest distance from canyon rim to the canyon floor 800 feet below is straight down the Hanging Ladders Trail.

Tracy forces a smile as she thinks about making the "crux" move.