Camelback Christmas Tree

Weather:  71°, sunny, partly cloudy, poor AQ

About this Hike:  When I created this blog years ago, its namesake was to serve as a record of my climbs up Camelback Mountain. I used to do this climb once a week most every week.  In 2016 during a brief period of unemployment, climbing Camelback or Piestewa was a near daily workout routine for me.  

Times have changed.  Camelback has only gotten increasingly more popular.  Then the pandemic struck and everyone and their brother decided they were outdoorsmen.  

Labor Day Weekend 2020 was the last time I visited Camelback.  Now more than a year since my last climb, I decided to visit Camelback on this weekday afternoon.  Surely a Wednesday afternoon won't be busy, right?  Wrong.  Parking was full and a city parks ranger was keeping watch.  I circled the lot once, thinking seriously about scrapping my plans and going home. Then a spot miraculously opened in front of me.  

Today's hike had a bit of an ulterior motive, as I wanted to see if the Camelback Christmas Tree tradition was still going on.  In past years people were offended, complained, and just generally tried to ruin it for everyone. Then bureaucracy stepped in and eventually created rules and a special use permit.  The tree is still a thing, albeit I don't see the traditional handmade ornaments anymore. All I see are bird treats.  

The hike was crowded, tourists blocked the trail for selfies, and the air was smoggy as is typical this time of year.  I also pondered all the hazards along this trail that could lead to nasty falls and broken bones.  I'll be facing a huge reduction in benefits for my employer-sponsored medical insurance Jan. 01.  

Between parking mayhem, crowds, and potential injury, I can't say I enjoy Camelback like I once did.  But I'm glad I got to see this Christmas tradition for another year. 

Annual Christmastime Hackberry Springs - Superstitions Hike

Weather:  64°, sunny

About this Hike:  Hackberry Springs is an annual Christmastime tradition for me.  In a good year, the hackberry bushes have some festive red berries.  I hoped this would be the case following a wet summer monsoon.  No such luck.  I never saw even one hackberry this year.  

That said, this hike is always enjoyable.  There was water in the springhead in Hackberry Creek, but that is to be expected.  In the little pool of water, there were topminnows with iridescent colors and bright orange tails.  I've seen tadpoles in this little pool before, but never fish.  It was some of the coolest wildlife I saw all day.  

After emerging from Hackberry Creek Canyon (which was bone dry this year), it seemed too early to close the relatively short loop and return to the parking lot.  We opted to head east on Second Water Trail 236 thru Garden Valley, past the Indian Paint Mine, down to Boulder Canyon, below the 'hull' of Battleship Mountain, and then peek into La Barge Canyon.  

I thought this would be a fun side trip, especially after visiting a completely different end of La Barge Canyon just a week prior.  It did not disappoint.  Besides all the beautiful landmarks along the way, there was fall color in the riparian areas of Second Water Creek and Boulder Canyon.  There was also a cool daytime moonrise over Geronimo Head, the mountain which forms the cliffs of La Barge Canyon.  

I should note that this route is all still beautiful Sonoran Desert—most of it was not touched by recent fires in this area. 

We trekked back from La Barge Canyon and debated following Second Water 236 back to the main parking lot (which would require a half-mile walk by road to where we parked), or returning to Hackberry and closing the loop.  Daylight was running low, and the Hackberry portion seemed a bit shorter.  

This ended up being an excellent choice, but also a little unnerving.  We've never actually closed the complete Hackberry Loop as it's mapped on All Trails.  We've always started at Hackberry and ended up doing a long day around Black Mesa and other trails.  Some of this was backtracking through Hackberry Canyon, but when we reacted the junction on the map, a signpost indicated the trail only went one way.  In fact the final portion of the Hackberry Loop jutted off behind the signpost, not following any of the sign's arrows. 

An unsigned trail (albeit mapped on All Trails) made me very nervous.  However, horseshoe prints and other horse 'evidence' led me to believe this was a good trail if it was getting equestrian use.  It ended up being a very good route.  There were a few creek crossings (mostly dry).  It was never overgrown or terribly difficult to follow. It also went past what appears to be an old ranch.  There were remains of a windmill and a covered corral.  From there it was no more than half a mile and we popped up on First Water Road, just a short walk from the parking lot and Hackberry Trailhead.  

The sun had just set and the Superstitions began to make their nighttime sounds.  This was a beautiful hike through unspoiled Sonoran Desert. 

La Barge Canyon via Dutchman, Whiskey Spring, Red Tanks and Bluff Spring Loop

Weather:  77°, sunny

About this Hike:  This was a tough 14 mile hike.  I have always wanted to see La Barge Canyon and Music Mountain, for no particular reason other than it sounds like an interesting area. 

This entire hike is through Sonoran Desert, much of which is surprisingly still in tact despite multiple fires in these hills the past few years.  The worst burn scar is near the Miner's Needle and then only intermittent fire damage thereafter. 

One thing that has recovered without any trouble is catclaw.  The approximately two-mile Red Tanks portion of this loop through La Barge Canyon was very overgrown in spots.  Actually, the overgrowth starts along Whiskey Springs Trail before it joins Red Tanks. Along the Whiskey portion I encountered another hiker with ripped pants and scratched up arms.  He assured me I was in for more of the same along Red Tanks.  

Determined not to come out looking like him, I picked my lines carefully.  Much of the catclaw is manageable and can be side stepped.  Red Tanks is a hard trail to follow in spots, and I was constantly relying on All Trails GPS. I got one catclaw scratch in my leg, and it was my fault because I had gotten off trail.  Finally,  I decided to follow the creekbed.  While boulder hopping can have its own share of risks, I found this much better than the overgrown trail. 

At the end of Red Tanks there is a large stand of cottonwood and sycamores in La Barge Creek.  Backpackers had setup camp in their shade, and the cottonwoods were beginning to show some fall color. 

The Dutchman / Bluff Springs portion of the loop back to Peralta Trailhead is much better maintained.  There isn't much overgrowth to contend with.  I will say this portion seemed to take forever (about two hours).  I was at that point where I'd had enough and just wanted the hike to be over, but it just stretched on and on.  I returned to Peralta Trailhead just before sunset, sore and tired, but glad to have completed this challenging 14 mile loop.