Granite Mountain Hotshots Hike

Wildfires in Arizona are an annual thing.  Most are started by dry lightning but too many are started by idiots.

2013 was a tough summer with several active fires in June.  We were at a friends pool party and could see the smoke plume off in the distance.  Driving home it was much worse.  Even 80 miles away you could tell the fire had taken an awful turn.  That awful turn was nothing compared to the news when we got home, 19 hotshots were unaccounted for and officials were desperately searching for them.  Just a little later the news anchor led with these three words and I cried:  They’re all gone.

The entire state mourned and rallied around their families.  Soon after, a flag was erected in the scorched dirt near where they perished.  Talk began about a memorial hiking trail and funds were raised.  On November 30, 2016 the Granite Mountain Hotshots Memorial State Park opened.

It’s not an easy hike and that’s the point.  The idea is to experience the trail like a hotshot and/or wild land fire fighter would.  It’s an 7-mile “out and back” trail.  As you leave the parking lot and start the trail, you encounter the memorial plaque for the leader, Eric Marsh.  There are 19 in all, one for each of them that gives you a glimpse into what these young men were about.  Each one also has mementos left behind for them.

The trail masters did a wonderful job laying it all out.  The trail turns several times as it climbs through the new growth beneath the burned trees.  At one of the tougher spots on the trail we could hear water and were surprised to discover a small stream meandering down the hill.  In several spots along the trail, steps are made from chiseled out boulders.  The memorial plaques are nicely spaced at good “time to stop” intervals.  We were behind a dad with his young son slightly ahead of us.  We would catch them at a memorial plaque as they were finishing reading it.  They stayed longer at one and we could hear him telling his son that he knew this firefighter so we held back while he finished.  He gave us a nod and a teary smile as they walked away.  The trail was quiet enough for us to hear him tell a funny story of their past.

The trail takes you up and over a large hill.  At the top you see the farm down below first, it’s metal roof and wide clearing of brush making it easy to spot.  That’s where the hotshots were trying to go after the fire took it’s deadly turn.  They knew the farm was a safe place.  Walking a little farther, their sacred spot comes into view and you realize how close yet how far away they were.  From up high, it looks so close.  As you walk along the ridge line to the overlook, you can see it was much farther than your first look.

The overlook has one of the many benches placed along the trail.  Not only are they a good resting spot on a hard hike, they also serve as a spot to remember.  Also at the overlook is a large bulletin board of sorts.  It is covered with fire and police patches from all over the world.  One person wrote a poem dedicated to the hotshots and it lasts for all to read under a protective sleeve.

The toughest part of the hike is going down to their sacred spot.  It’s a quick descent down the hill then a short walk over to the circle.  Their are 19 rectangle large rock filled cages laid out in a perfect circle.  Inside the circle stand 19 crosses, each with a hotshot name.  There are no names on the cages.  The trail masters wanted each one to be a hotshot but didn’t want to designate which one belonged to which hotshot.  Many benches surround the circle, we sat at one and ate our lunch.  Sitting there eating, I looked at others that were doing the same, maybe 20 of us in all.  It was so quiet, I think we all knew we were on sacred ground.  I walked the circle of cages, gazing at the trinkets left behind.

The mementos left behind tell a story as well.   Lots of patches, faded baseball caps, fire coins and more.  But, also homemade items.  There are 19 crosses forged from metal, 19 angels, 19 bracelets with their names, 19 large metal purple ribbons.  These were all made by someone and brought in via the same trail we hiked.  As a mom with sons just a few years younger than the youngest of these men, this was a tough hike emotionally for me.  I grieved like they were my own when they died.  I grieved again along the hike.  Their deaths represented so much loss.  The town of Yarnell saved but also a town lost as Prescott mourned 19 sons.

It was time to head back up that steep hill to the overlook.  That 3/4 mile back up is the hardest part of the entire trail.  Back at the overlook, it was one final look down at their circle before turning to go.  Hikes back are almost always faster than the hike out and this was no exception.  We got an early start so there were more people coming up as we were going down.  Lots of people wiping their eyes when walking away from a memorial plaque.  I think even the hardest of hearts would shed a tear or two along the way.

As we finished the hike we saw this sign.  This is a thoughtfully laid out trail designed to make you think about how brave and important our wild land fire fighters are.  They are hotshots for a reason, they are the best at what they do and deserve our thanks every single day.