On our way back we went via the "Secret Passage". This required going up a somewhat steep
switchback where the narrow path rode a ridge, with loose soil and rocks down both sides.
I didn't have to rein Manzanita much to maneuver the sharp bends -- she just followed
Bob's horse "Smokey" who had gone up ahead. Howard, riding "Blue Boy", was next, taking
his time to come up. (Maybe Blue Boy needed urging, I don't know.) Suddenly Blue Boy
had slipped and lost his balance and was falling. Howard came off (he said with Blue Boy's
weight partly on him for a moment) and tried to jump clear but saved himself just in time
from going backward over the cliff. Blue Boy, too, managed to get to his feet, and a couple
of cuts on his right foreleg were bleeding. He'd cast a shoe. Bob could see that he'd be
alright, and was full of teasing compliments for Howard, saying that he'd sign him up as a
trick rider for the park. It could have been much worse. Howard was going to be very much
bruised, but that's all. Bob got off Smokey and helped Howard to mount Blue Boy, and we
continued the ride without further mishap.

It was a beautiful ride, and we saw only one group of hikers during the whole two & half hours
that we were out there, and that was right at the end as we neared the horse corral
around 4:50 PM.