Octogenarian leads overnight hike to Ééhaniih Days

By Shine Salt

Navajo Times (Print)

NAVAJO MOUNTAIN— The two-day hike from Narrow Canyon to Navajo Mountain winds through a painted desert that holds colors not seen elsewhere. But as beautiful as it is, it comes with a test of survival.

For 82-year-old Dan Y. Begay Sr., however, the hike was nothing.

“We wanted to hike because we want to keep it alive,” said Jacob Begay, who’s the grandson of Dan. “We try to keep up with that guy (Dan) because it’s his original trail.”

Dan, from Narrow Canyon, has been hiking the back trails in this fantastic, rugged country for eight years. The first year he hiked alone with the mindset that soon, his children and grandkids would follow him.

The following year, his family joined and later, more and more people participated with the family.

“It’s not only my family who walks here now. It’s from walkers coming from all areas together,” Dan said in Navajo. “It’s what I wanted to happen, and it is now.”

Blisters on their feet, running out of water halfway through the trail, eating snacks and fruits, the 19 hardy trekkers finally made it to Navajo Mountain's annual celebration, Pioneer Day ("Ééhaniih Days" in Navajo) Saturday evening to cheers from the crowd.

“You can’t describe it,” said 49 year old, Leroy Phillips. “You got to do it yourself. It’s that kind of fulfillment when you’re finished.”

Jacob said the trail could break you because your thighs will be sore and you just want to lie down.

“It makes you want to cry and you get thirsty. You lay there and you want to give up, but it’s not in the genes to give up,” Jacob laughed.

As a first time hiker on the trip, Harold Stanley from Kayenta, decided to join because his son kept asking him. To prepare, Stanley walked in 106-degree weather each day during the summer, where he went up dunes behind his home to build his strength.

“I have high blood pressure and high cholesterol so that’s the main reason I wanted to hike,” said Stanley. “I want to stay healthy.”

While on the trails, Stanley set a goal to keep walking up the hills and not stop no matter how badly his legs burn. He said he met that goal with a smile.

The first time Phillips joined was tough because he was not in shape and he realized how small he really was, he laughed. The second year, he did not complete the entire trail, so this year he trained himself.

“This year it wasn’t as hard, but now I know if a vehicle breaks down on me, I’ll be able to walk a distance for help,” Phillip laughed. “I’ll be a step ahead.”

The only natural spring the hikers encountered was one near Tall Mountain where Dan said this water is better than bottled water because it has minerals.

While walking, Dan told stories from when he was young, about people he once knew who lived down in the canyons where only your feet or horses can take you.

“There use to be a man who lived out there. His name was Naakaii Dine’e. He had a lot of sheep,” Dan said.

Another person Dan recalled was his paternal grandfather, who’s Navajo name was Skinny Goat.

“I saw Skinny Goat build a fork Hogan and that’s how I learned how to build Hogans,” Dan said. “From there I learned and I’ve built several of them.”

Skinny Goat's shade house and male hogan have long since fallen over, but you can see where they once stood.

Then Dan will stand up, start walking and shout, "Vámonos"’

Sometimes he doesn’t finish his stories, laughed Ray Begay, Dan's son.

The hikers said they want to hike again next year. They want to keep what Dan has created and hopes when they’re as old as him, they are still moving around and hiking.

“I’m going to walk again,” Dan said. “It’s a teaching and it’s a clear thinking.”

Ages ranged from 13-year-old youths to 89 year old Dan on the hike.

“It makes me feel really good inside to see the kids walk with me,” Dan smiled as he looked at the children. “Aoo’ Nízhoní.”