Weather: 65ยบ, sunny
About this Hike: Visiting Hackberry Springs has become a December tradition. Typically the hackberry bushes are in full bloom and the red berries are very festive. Last year we had significant rainfall through October and November leading to beautiful flowing creeks and lush foliage.
This year Hackberry Springs looks like what you'd expect from 2020. Dry. Desolate. Tinder-box ready. Not a hackberry blossom in sight. The creek is dry as a bone with only a small drip at the Hackberry springhead.
Continuing on from Hackberry, we ascended Black Mesa and then linked up to Dutchman to come back to the Second Water parking area.
Starting at Black Mesa is where things go from bad to 2020-bad. Most of this area is completely toasted in lieu of Sawtooth and Superstition Fires. You read the Forest Service fire reports and you hope it won't be that bad. You hope it was low intensity and the mighty, water-filled saguaros survived even if the grasses and chaparral brush burned.
Unfortunately this fragile Sonoran ecosystem is likely forever altered. Black craters mark where trees and desert brush burned so hot the root balls exploded. Mighty grandfather saguaros stand blown to pieces, scorched arms all around the burned-out skeletons. Likely their insides boiled in the fire.
One small valley remains in tact as you descend Black Mesa Trail and approach Dutchman Trail. This valley is surprisingly lush and green despite the dry year. It is an oasis in what is otherwise moonscape.
However, once back on Dutchman, the burn scar becomes evident again. And it follows you all the way back to the parking lot, and all along First Water Road.
Honestly, I'm surprised the Tonto Forest Service has reopened this area so quickly. Other burn casualties of this summer (i.e. Four Peaks) remain closed to date. This is precious Sonoran hiking grounds that are forever ruined. Safe to say 2020 is the year I've fallen out of love with Arizona.
