Y Bar Trail #44

Weather:  55°, sunny

About this Hike:  It seems like in December / January I often end up hiking in the upper Mazatzal Mountains. If you luck out with weather, it can be reasonably warm during the day, but not overly hot this time of year.  The temperature plummets quickly once the sun is behind canyon walls and then sets for the day.  An added bonus is rain / snow in the mountains can make for flowing springs.  Today was just such a day. 

Back in March when I explored Mt. Peeley and Mazatzal Divide, I noted more trails across a distant valley.  I did some research and learned this was likely Y Bar Trail #44.  In fact about five years ago I explored Barnhardt Trail, which splits with Y Bar to form a loop around the circumference of Mazatzal Peak.  Both trails are accessed from the same Barnhardt Trailhead.

While I had no plans to complete the entire nearly 15 mile loop, I did want to explore the Y Bar side of the mountain.  I had observed Douglas firs in the old-growth forests along Mazatzal Divide.  I was hoping to find some similar foliage along this hike, and Y Bar did not disappoint.  The forested areas began after several miles of climbing.  The entire elevation gain for this hike can easily be 3,000+ feet.  However, Y Bar trail is well-worn and seldom overly steep.  The elevation gain is steady, but not grueling.  The rockiness of the trail does require some extra care with footing, especially on the way down. 

The Mazatzals reach higher than the Superstitions.  The canyons and valleys are every bit dramatic, and the views are composed of wrinkly mountains covered in green foliage.  There aren't as many rock spires and needles as the Superstitions.  Some of Y Bar trail traverses old rock slides.  These are made of what looks like the most beautiful landscaping rock, but it was landscaped by mother nature.  There are narrow canyons that feel like nature's refrigerator, with cold, moist air seeping out all around.  There are sun-drenched ridges of manzanita that are often a welcome warm-up after hiking through the aforementioned icebox canyons.  

An observation we made five years ago on Barnhardt was the lack of wildlife.  Even birds chirping was a rarity.  The Y Bar ecosystem seems to also mirror this theme.  You would expect this to be bear and mountain lion country (and I'm sure it is), but evidence of these animals is almost non-existent on the trail.  The scariest encounter I had was with a fighter a jet.  Airmen from Luke AFB must've been practicing over the Mazatzals.  This extremely loud sound of thunder filled the canyon I was in.  I covered my ears in pain and crouched down--as if this would've done any good.  Panicked, I looked skyward to see a fighter jet crest over the ridge and then zoom away.  I had to take a break to stop shaking.  With how volatile the world is right now, this incident gave me quite a panic.  Or, it could have been one of those aforementioned rockslides...either way, not good. 

We traversed some beautiful, thick old-growth forest.  The smell of pine hung heavy in the air.  This was by far my favorite part of Y Bar.  Like most Arizona forests, these sections of dense tree cover never lasted long enough.  We reached a seasonal spring that was flowing a bit.  There were impressive views of Mazatzal Peak and down into what I believe was Shake Tree Canyon.  This marked the turnaround point. 

Last December we explored not-so-far-away South Fork Trail 46. In comparison, Y Bar was a far better hike in my opinion.  A big gripe about South Fork is that it is active cattle ranching land.  The herds of cattle and all their cow pies made parts of this hike unpleasant.  I'm also very fearful of livestock--more so than wild animals.  Cows can kick.  Bulls can charge.  

Last night we wrapped up about 30 minutes after sunset.  We were prepared for this and had headlamps.  Speaking of wildlife, we scared quite a few birds that were roosting in trees for the overnight. Getting back to the trailhead after dark and observing the star-studded black skies away from the valley is always a treat.  It was a great day in the Mazatzals. 

Annual Hackberry Springs

Weather:  68°, sunny

About this Hike:  Hackberry Springs is an annual Christmastime tradition. It's an easily accessible hike in the Western Superstitions. Hackberry Trail allows you to feel disconnected from the hustle and bustle of the East Valley, all while taking in the dramatic volcanic rock formations, creekbeds, and riparian areas that the Superstitions are famous for. 

In a good year what makes this a festive hike is the red berries on the hackberry bushes.  I've seen a few berries this year (including one full bush along Boulder Canyon last weekend), but nothing too dramatic.  Maybe I'm too early.  In past years I've done this hike in December.  

Regardless, the best part of one particular hackberry bush was not the lack of red berries, but rather the flock of queen butterflies (related to monarch) all over the bush.  Upon closer inspection, I noticed pale, tiny flowers on the hackberry bush.  The butterflies were busy pollinating.  

The spring was dry, although there was water around the springhead.  I saw some minnows in the pool, but nothing like the bright, iridescent topminnows of last year. 

We ended up going toward Second Water Trail and followed it south for a while.  We crossed First Water Creek several times.  Much of this area burned a couple years ago.  Aside from scorched saguaros, you'd hardly know it.  The buffalo grass is so thick again, just waiting to spontaneously combust. 

On the All Trails map I noted a path that would take us north back toward Hackberry Trail.  We also intended to visit the old First Water Ranch.  We had a difficult time finding the northbound side trail, but once discovered, it was well-worn with footprints and some equestrian evidence.  I'm not sure how it all came together, but this side trail dropped us right at First Water Ranch.

We took a nice break at the ranch.  Last year when we discovered this site for the first time, it was twilight and we were in a hurry to conclude our hike. I enjoyed studying the old artifacts including a water cistern that will never hold water again due to being used for target practice, and an old well.  I wonder when First Water Ranch was built and how long it was used for.  Rust hasn't set in to a lot of the metal, and the artifacts don't seem that old.  Since these trails get heavy equestrian use, I'm guessing it's still used to rest horses under the shaded pavilion.  

From the ranch we hiked up the old road and then we were back at Hackberry Trailhead.  

La Barge Box Canyon

Weather:  70°, sunny, windy early

About this Hike:  I've explored Boulder Canyon 103 from Canyon Lake and from Second Water more times than I can count.  While the views of Canyon Lake, Battleship Mountain, and Weaver's Needle are impressive, this is old news to me at this point.

In past years I've also explored Boulder Canyon along the western flank of the Battleship.  But I have never explored the eastern side of the Battleship which follows La Barge Canyon.  Today I decided to give this a shot.  

Although La Barge Canyon shows as a trail on the All Trails app—and the number of footprints in the sand attests to it's use as a trail—it is not an official Forest Service trail.  There is plenty of boulder hopping and some light scrambling.  There were a couple of points on the hike up the canyon where I almost turned around and gave up.  I'm glad I didn't.  I kept exploring, studying the rocks, and problem solving.  I always managed to find a navigable path up and over the boulders.  

At 1.3 miles in, my efforts paid off and I was rewarded with views of the La Barge Box Pool.  All along the canyon were pools of standing water, but the Box Pool was nice and full.  This water feature is flanked by impressive canyon walls and a thin, delicate rock needle.  

At the Box Pool the trail takes a sharp 90-degree turn.  There is a large, shady tree (ironwood?) with a campsite underneath.  The trail leaves the creek bed and appears to be normal dirt track again.  This would wrap around the backside of the Battleship and eventually join Boulder Canyon Trail 103, effectively making it a 'lollipop' loop hike.  Taking the Boulder Canyon route would add at least 1.5 miles to my hike.  I was at the midpoint for daylight, and I had drank more water than expected.  Additionally, I wondered at the trail condition, especially on the backside of the Battleship.  Would it be overgrown?  Difficult to follow?  I opted to return the way I came via La Barge Canyon.  

The hike out of La Barge was surprisingly easier than the hike in.  The scrambles and boulder hops didn't seem as intimidating, and I was back at the junction for Boulder Canyon within an hour.  I enjoyed reflecting pools of water, fall color, and cliff views on the way out of La Barge. 

I find La Barge Canyon a very intriguing ecosystem, just like the rest of the Superstitions.  You can read about a another La Barge hike that I did about one year ago.  I'm glad to have explored another end of this majestic canyon.  

Haunted Canyon 2022

Weather:  71°, sunny

About this Hike: Haunted Canyon has become an October tradition now since I first explored the lower trailhead in 2020.  Last year, I explored the upper trailhead.  This is actually one trail, but the convergence point is at a meadow that leads to the abandoned cabin at Tony Ranch.   

Shortly after starting, this hike climbs a ridge above Haunted Canyon. Despite being in high-desert grassland with some juniper/cypress forest, there are some healthy saguaros up on the ridge. It's so cool to see these majestic cacti co-existing in an ecosystem typically outside their range. 

Past what I like to call Saguaro Ridge, the trail dips down into Pinto Creek, which forms Haunted Canyon.  My recollection of the lower trailhead from two years ago is that it was easy to follow and well blazed.  This year was a little different.  Sections of the trail are getting crowded with live oak and catclaw.  Two years ago 2020 had been an exceptionally dry year.  Pinto Creek was dry that year.  This year parts of it were flowing strong, while other parts were dry.  The damp creek beds were full of leafs-of-three, most of which were turning brilliant fall colors.  I definitely brushed my hiking pants against some of these, despite my best efforts to sidestep.  So far no rash and itching...  

At times the trail became difficult to follow and I found myself off trail and getting increasingly aggravated.  I met a large group of back packers, and they were helpful to follow.  

For all the difficulty getting to the junction with the side trail to Tony Ranch, the actual hike into the ranch wasn't too bad.  In past years I've found this side trail very difficult to follow.  I think it's probably getting more action, and therefore becoming well-worn, as more people learn about this historic site and come out to explore it. 

I was so annoyed by the hike in that I considered continuing up Trail 203 to the upper trailhead and then returning to the lower trailhead via FR-287A to form a 13.5 mile loop.  However, the overgrowth is likely bad on the upper parts of 203 as well (it was bad in parts last year).  I opted to just return the way I came, which was a good choice.  The hike back to the trailhead parking ended up being more enjoyable.  I think it was because I was more mentally prepared for the annoying overgrowth.  Despite the flowing creek, I saw next to no wildlife, although there was plenty of bear evidence.  

I'm glad to keep this Halloweekend tradition going for another year.  

Roger's Canyon Cliff Dwellings

Weather:  72°, clouds & sun

About this Hike:  I said I never wanted to attempt the notorious FR172 to Roger's Trough Trailhead in the Eastern Superstitions. Back in April of 2021 I even used Campaign Creek as a means of accessing Reavis Ranch so as to avoid the drive up to Roger's Trough.

Then I began reading about maintenance done on FR172 early in 2022.  And I had read about the Roger's Canyon Cliff Dwellings that are also accessible from Roger's Trough Trailhead. 

I decided to give FR172 a try.  Despite being re-graded earlier this year, the road is in rough shape.  The last four miles where it splits into FR172A and 172B are exceptionally bad. I have a mostly stock TRD Off-Road Tacoma. The truck performed excellent and never so much as slipped a tire. That said, I did slightly bottom out once on a rut. If you choose to do this road, it's a beautiful desert drive, but the road is scary in spots. 

Once parked at Roger's Trough Trailhead, we started off toward Roger's Canyon.  The first mile and a half of the hike follows the Reavis Ranch Trail. Roger's Canyon eventually forks off at a signed junction.

Roger's Canyon Trail 110 exists only in the memories of some, the maps of All Trails, and Tonto Forest's website. The actual trail is overgrown with catclaw and other nasties. However, since this trail parallels Roger's Creek, you simply walk in the dry creek bed. For this reason, I'd only recommend this hike when there hasn't been any recent precip, nor is any in the forecast.

The creekbed is mostly packed sand. However, it does get more challenging with steep drop offs that I'm certain are magnificent waterfalls when the creek is flowing.  Despite some scrambling, there always is a path down; you just have to hunt for it in some places.  Keep in mind your limits when it comes to rock scrambles--you need to come back up whatever you go down. 

The reward at the end of this hike was the Roger's Canyon Cliff Dwellings.  Constructed by the Salado Indians approximately 600 years ago, it's amazing these ruins are still so in tact.  A path leaves the creek bed and leads up to the first couple of ruins.  I even found some old pottery shards.  

From the creek bed an upper cave with more ruins is clearly visible. From photos I've studied, this upper cave has a fully intact pueblo in it. Unfortunately, it requires a scramble on the cliff face up a rock mezzanine.  My fear of heights wasn't having it. 

My hope was to continue down Roger's Creek and to Angel Basin. However, the creek bed was getting more narrow and technical in nature all the time.  Daylight was of the essence, as I wanted to be off the worst of FR172 before dark.  I opted to return the way I came. 

Despite being an out-and-back, there was plenty of scenery to be enjoyed that I had overlooked on the hike in.  The rough, jagged volcanic rocks that make up the Superstitions have many beautiful formations including needles, spires, and rock arches.  And despite 2019's Woodbury Fire in this area, it never got into Roger's Canyon.  There's still plenty of healthy trees and foliage to enjoy in the lush canyon. 

I don't know that I'll ever brave FR172 again.  I have fear of heights and the rutted shelf portions of this road had me puckering the entire drive.  But regardless, I'm glad to check this cool hike and piece of AZ history off my bucket list.

Grand Falls

Weather:  71º, mix of sun, clouds, and rain

About this Hike:  Rainy weather has messed up my Sedona hiking plans for this week.  My originally scheduled hike up Secret Mountain via Loy Canyon has to be postponed to another time.  Even when there are breaks in the rain and the sun comes out, it is scorching at this elevation and the humidity is high.  The Loy Canyon hike needs to be for a cooler time of year. 

Regardless, today was a "when life gives you lemons..." scenario.  All the rain has led to high flow rates on the Little Colorado River which means Grand Falls are flowing strong.  I feel like I should have stayed in Flagstaff.  Three of the five days of this week in Sedona I've ended up going up to the Flagstaff area.  

Grand Falls is actually about a 40 mile drive east of Flagstaff on Navajo land.  There's about nine miles of dirt road after leaving the pavement to get out to the falls.  It's a very wide and good dirt road, but with extreme washboarding. 

Once you arrive, the parking area overlooks the falls.  There's picnic shelters and tables, interpretive signs, and a bathroom.  All of this comes with no fees or red tape, which is surprising.  

If you want to get down close to the falls, it's about a half-mile hike and it does have some scrambling near the end.  I downloaded the All Trails map.  While you wouldn't think this is necessary for such a short hike, following the trail is a bit tricky in spots, so it helps to have the map.  

The falls were roaring and showering their "chocolate" mist as we got up close.  Some of the falls are bigger than others, and some look like little ribbons.  The red rock canyon walls contrast with the black volcanic rock and soil that is so prevalent in this part of Arizona.  

A dark cloud formed over the canyon and outflow winds picked up—a sure sign of a thunderstorm.  Thankfully it blew past us and made for some interesting photo-ops when we hiked out of the canyon and back to the observation area.  The dark clouds had pushed along the Little Colorado and onto the distant plain. The lightning far off was dazzling to watch. 

We packed out and made the washboardy drive back to pavement.  There is a parking area at the junction with the paved highway that's good for adjusting tire pressure.  In this case I'd aired down below 25 PSI, in an effort to soften the constant vibration from the washboards.  

All in all, this was an important check off my Arizona bucket list.  I've wanted to see the Grand Falls for a while, and conditions were just such that it was a perfect day to do so. 

Caves of the Dry Creek Basin / Secret Mountain Wilderness

Weather:  79º, mix of sun, clouds, and rain

About this Hike:  This was really two hikes out to separate caves in the Sedona area.  The first cave is the Subway Cave and the second is the Birthing Cave.  I've seen many pictures of both, and wanted to see them up close for myself.  

The Subway Cave is a bone of contention with Sedona locals and preservationists alike. This once little-known area has become an overrun tourist trap, just like so much of Sedona.  On a rainy Tuesday morning the full parking lot at Boynton Canyon attested to this.  

After hiking a few miles up Boynton Canyon, there is a side trail to the Subway.  Someone put fallen tree limbs in front of it, indicating that this is not a trail.  Many a confused tourist continued straight on Boynton Canyon, so the tree limbs served their purpose of throwing off the inexperienced hikers just doing this for the Instagram photos.  

As you approach the Subway, a sign asks that people respect the cultural heritage and significance of this site.  In addition to the cave, there are native ruins and petroglyphs.  

The ruins and petroglyphs are easy to get up to and only require scrambling.  There is something of a mezzanine that wraps around the red rock face from the ruins and into the cave.  However, there are at least two sketchy ledges that one wrong move would lead to a fall of certain death.  The cave can also be accessed via a slick red rock chute at the mouth of the cave.  While older, less-in-shape folks than myself were getting up into the cave, I could not.  I deal with extreme fear of heights, and thought this was one I should sit out.  I climbed up the chute enough to at least see inside the cave.  It was crowded with tourists, and honestly, not that appealing. 

The aptly named Birthing Cave was a lot easier.  A relatively short hike leads to the crevice in the red rock cliffs, and only a scramble is required to get up into the cave.  

From Robbers Roost, to Keyhole, and now to Subway—myself and the Sedona caves have a checkered history.  In fact Birthing Cave is the only one I've been able to fully get inside of.  Loose rock shelves and narrow ledges have kept me from fully getting inside the other caves.  I calculate risk carefully, and these are risks I'm not willing to take. 

Kendrick Peak

Weather:  71º  dry, sunny

About this Hike:   AZ Wilderness Brewing Company spotlights hiking areas in our state via social media posts. They also brewed a beer called Kendrick Kolsch.  A few months ago AZ Wilderness posted about this beer and its namesake hiking area, and I was intrigued. 

I'm a sucker for any hike with a reward at the end, and Kendrick Peak does not disappoint.  The fun begins when you turn off Highway 180 just north of the Nordic Center and onto dirt forest roads.  I'd say these are good forest roads, and they are not shelf roads at all.  However, the first few miles really show the toll a rainy summer can take on dirt track.  The road is full of crater-size potholes.  Extreme caution is advised to navigate around these without destroying your vehicle's suspension.  

Eventually the road conditions do improve.  It's about seven miles over dirt to the well-maintained trailhead.  I was surprised to find a freshly painted latrine and even trash receptacles at the trailhead.  Luxurious, indeed by US Forest Service standards. 

A year ago I did the Bear Jaw Abineau Loop in the not-so-far-off Kachina Peaks Wilderness.  Kendrick lacks the beautiful old-growth forest that is so prevalent on Bear Jaw.  It's not that there isn't any forest—in fact there's plenty of ponderosa, aspen, and some firs—it's just smaller and less dense than other parts of Coconino Forest.

There is some fire damage, which is especially prevalent near the peak.  The hike of about 4.5 miles to the peak is over very well maintained trail.  The elevation gain of just under 3,000 feet is steady but gradual—nothing super steep.  

The first 'false summit' brings you to an area of intense fire damage.  In this area is a small cabin, although I'm certain it's a replica of an older structure.  The trees around it are far too scorched for a wood cabin to have survived in this area.

A little further up the trail and you'll arrive at the Kendrick Fire Lookout.  By fire lookout standards, this one is fairly modern, being composed of nearly all steel.  I couldn't find any road up Kendrick Peak, but there is a helipad next to the fire lookout.  Engravings on the helipad concrete indicate it was built in 1979.  Perhaps the lookout tower was built with supplies air lifted up Kendrick Peak? 

Standing on the helipad is also a good location for enjoying the scenery.  Today was a good air quality day, and the views stretched for miles.  To the north the Grand Canyon was visible.  Humphrey's Peak was also very visible as were rolling green hills and tiny ranches far in the valley below. 

Completing the Cabin Loop

Weather:  69º - 79º  dry, sunny

About this Hike:  The title of this post is a bit deceptive.  I did not complete the 24+ mile Cabin Loop on Arizona's Mogollon Rim.  Hikers choosing to complete the full loop (which has to be done over several days) have the opportunity to explore six historic Forest Service cabins.  The cabins are in varying states with some being rebuilt and preserved, to others that are merely a foundation and some crumbling ruins. 

Previously I have been to the General Springs Cabin and then a few miles up the trail to the remains of Fred Haught Cabin.  These two are among the easiest and most accessible.  

All of the cabins on Cabin Loop have some degree of road accessibility, even if only by a properly equipped 4x4.  Over the course of two days, I visited the four of cabins that I hadn't previously been to.  These include Pinchot Cabin, Aspen Spring Cabin, Dane Spring Cabin, and Buck Spring Cabin.  Using several different maps and mapping tools, I compiled routes that involved forest road driving plus hiking to access each cabin.  

All Trails is my preferred hiking GPS app.  While the Cabin Loop trail is well documented on All Trails, it doesn't have a comprehensive map with the cabin locations dropped as waypoints.  I downloaded and printed a map from Coconino National Forest with each cabin location and used this in tandem with the All Trails maps to find each cabin.  The print map proved invaluable on this adventure. 

Dane Spring and Buck Spring were especially challenging to find.  I spent the first hour after parking on a fruitless hike.  I drove up FR-321 and parked at an equestrian fence area.  My study of the map indicated that by beginning my hike here I was shaving some time/mileage off.  There was even a side road with a sign reading "Dane Spring - 1."  The topography was challenging, and I was frequently going off trail.  I never seemed to be moving in the right direction for Dane Spring. 

Finally I backtracked on FR-321 and parked at a signed trailhead.  From there I easily found Dane Spring.   

This same trailhead also gave access to Buck Spring, and a sign pointed the way.  To access Buck Spring I used U-Bar Trail.  The Buck Spring segment of U-Bar doesn't even exist on All Trails.  I found All Trails' recording feature helpful to build 'bread crumbs' on the map, should I have needed assistance on the return.  Thankfully the path was worn enough and there were some markers.  

FR-137 also accesses Buck Spring, but this would have been considerable extra road miles from FR-321.  Instead I opted to hike, which is much more direct and involves a steep drop into a ravine with a climb back out.  Once I reached the Buck Springs meadow I found a well-maintained historic cabin and a campsite with a huge teepee-style tent.  Apparently there is good road access into Buck Spring.

The next day I set out to conquer Pinchot Cabin and Aspen Spring Cabin via FR-139.  This area is a spaghetti-mess of roads and side roads.  My guess is these roads exist to support logging operations and possibly fire suppression.  

I again started my hike on U-Bar Trail which has a signed crossing over FR-139.  There are grassy meadows around the road here, but parking in one of those is not fire-wise (and likely illegal).  I drove another half mile or so north on 139 and found a side road with dirt/rock surrounding.  This made a good parking area. 

Some of this hike involved trail, but a lot of it was over old forest roads.  As I made the descent into the meadow for Pinchot Springs I came across a couple and their campsite just above the meadow.  The Pinchot Cabin is still complete, although it is crumbing, especially around the roof.  

Another mile and a half hike got me to Aspen Spring Cabin.  This mile and a half was the most beautiful part of the hike.  It paralleled a flowing creek and meandered through forested meadows.  

For the return, I found an access road to Aspen Spring Cabin that took me back up to U-Bar Trail.  It shaved considerable mileage off the hike, but also meant missing out on the return thru that beautiful aforementioned scenery.  Regardless, I was tired and ready to be finished. 

I was also tired of the washboarding on FR-300 Rim Road.  The side roads on the Mogollon Rim seemed to be in better shape.  Using my map, plus the signage placed by the Forest Service, it looked like I could return to the pavement via FR-139 and FR-95.  This ended up being a good choice.  It reduced my dirt road driving, and FR-95 is an absolutely stunning drive through Clear Creek Canyon.  

This weekend the rim felt foreboding to me.  I had plenty of maps, but I was still intimidated by the sheer remoteness.  I feel like I sharpened my route-finding skills and ended up discovering some beautiful new places in the process.  Of course, Coconino National Forest does a good job of maintaining the roads, signage, etc.

Grand Canyon North Rim—North Kaibab & Widforss Trails

Weather:  75°, mostly sunny

About this hike:  Eight years ago I hiked the Grand Canyon South Rim to the river and back in a day.  I did this via Bright Angel Trail.

Since that visit to the canyon so many years ago, I've dreamed of going back.  I even booked a trip back in fall of 2017, but it fell through last minute.  

With an America the Beautiful Pass that expires on May 31, I thought now was the perfect time to return to Grand Canyon.  

Instead of the crowded South Rim, I opted to explore the less-busy North Rim.  The drive is longer, and I even opted to rent a fuel-efficient car.  With no off-roading planned, this seemed the better choice.  The car paid for itself in fuel savings. 

Unlike my South Rim adventure eight years ago, I had no plans of reaching the Colorado River and back in a day; it's simply too far from the North Rim.  

I hiked down North Kaibab Trail, only planning to reach a milestone called as Cypress Point.  I was cognizant of the fact that what goes down must come back up. North Kaibab starts as descending switchbacks.  Mule poop is everywhere and it smells like a farm—gross.  To make matters worse, the trail is soft pack like fine sand.  This means mule poop dust—doubly gross.

The first waypoint was at the watering pit and restrooms.  Some shorter mule tours stop here and then go back up, meaning the droppings on the trail become less bothersome past this point.  The trail surface also transitions to hard pack, meaning less dust.

After availing myself of the facilities, I continued my descent.  Immediately the trail went through a neat red sandstone tunnel.  The Redwall Bridge comes into view in the canyon far below.  It's about another mile to reach the actual bridge.

Redwall Bridge was the next waypoint.  This footbridge crosses Roaring Springs Canyon.  As the name implies, the red cliff walls are breathtaking.  If you have a healthy fear of heights like I do, the next part may also take your breath away.  North Kaibab Trail becomes a shelf trail.  One wrong step and you'd fall to a likely death.  

The final waypoint was Cypress Overlook.  My nerves were already a little frazzled from the aforementioned shelf trail.  As I rounded the corner toward Cypress, a wicked wind blew up out of the canyon, smacking me in the face with dust and gravel.  This wind didn't relent.  I backed away from the edge of the trail, fearing a blast of wind could knock me off balance and ultimately off the trail.  I didn't make Cypress Overlook.  Likely but a few hundred yards short, I turned back to begin the 2,500 foot climb back to North Kaibab Trailhead. 

North Kaibab begins in dense conifer forest.  You get to watch the climate zone transitions in real time as you descend into the canyon.  Conifer gives way to cypress and other high-desert flora.  The rocks transition from pale white to red rock.  I love the dense forest around the North Rim when compared to the high-desert pinon and junipers around the South Rim.  

Since I reached the trailhead by about 3:30pm, I opted to do one more quick hike.  I explored a couple miles of Widforss Trail.  This trail hugs the canyon rim but through dense forest which occasionally opens up into sweeping vistas of the canyon.  To be honest, I liked Widforss better and wished I had time to explore more of it.  The peaceful, dense forest without all the Rim-to-Rim warriors, mules, mule poop, etc. was a welcome respite after North Kaibab.  

 

Pine Canyon

Weather:  82º, dry, sunny

About this Hike:  First let me say that I didn't come into this hike with high expectations. The lower end of this trail begins at a large trailhead in the town of Pine. I've hiked Highline Trail and likely portions of Pine Canyon trail from this very trailhead in the past.  It's hot, dry, exposed, and definitely not the best scenery Rim Country has to offer.  However, there is an upper end to Pine Canyon.

The unmarked upper trailhead for Pine Canyon Trail 26 is a quick turn off AZ-87 heading north from Pine/Strawberry and just passed the AZ-260 west junction.  We used a map and carefully watched for the turn off.  There is a rollaway cattle gate that you have to open and then close after you drive your vehicle through.  Once back near the trailhead, there's parking for a few cars and a couple numbered OHV roads branch off as well.

Once parked the trailhead was easy to find, as large signs denote it.  The trail began in thick ponderosa forest and then quickly descended into the canyon via switchbacks.  The scenery here is incredible.  Pine Canyon is more majestic than I ever imagined--a little bit of Grand Canyon and maybe a bit of Oak Creek Canyon too.  The forest is thick and heavy, but the trail is well blazed and marked.  

The switchbacks eventually level out and the trail traverses beautiful forest.  It also parallels Pine Creek which was flowing strong in mid-May, but not too strong for a couple creek crossings.  There are a lot of interesting, well-signed side trails to check out including Tiny Cave and Darling Rocks.  The tiny cave is exactly what it sounds like, but we didn't get too close since it's in the creek bottom and there was poison ivy and poison oak in the vicinity. 

The main trail is denoted by red metal blazes nailed to trees.  However, many trees had orange spray paint marks on them.  The spray paint was very fresh and also detracted from the otherwise wonderful forest smell.  As I loudly made a comment about, "How many gallons of orange paint is out here? Are they putting a fresh coat on the whole forest?" I rounded a corner and ran into a forest service contractor with two gallons of orange tree striping paint in his hands.  Foot in mouth moment.

He was a friendly gentleman with an even friendlier black lab.  He explained that the striping project is in preparation for forest thinning.  Overgrown forests are full of fuel, and I would hate to lose Pine Canyon to a fire. However, I also hate the thought of them sawing down all those trees with the orange stripes.  There are a lot of orange-striped trees out there right now.  

We reached an interesting bridge that the placard said was built in 2016.  The bridge crosses Pine Creek and from there the trail continues another six miles into the town of Pine.  At this point we also reached Camp Lo Mia which is an LDS church camp for women.  The fenced property had No Trespassing warning signs all over, and we decided this was a good turn around point.  In fact, when you've reached the camp you're closer to civilization than you realize.  From highway 260 the road that runs up to the camp branches out into residential neighborhoods full of cabins.  

We turned back and explored the Darling Rocks side trail on the way back up.  The trail eventually became a little overgrown and poison ivy was present.  The Darling Rocks is a large rockslide pile.  A sign denotes this, and there's also a well-worn memorial placard posted as well.  While the side trail is considered an out-and-back, it was considerably lengthy and there was the aforementioned poison ivy.  My All Trails hiking GPS app showed an off-trail jaunt would return us to the main trail.  This proved tricky because I followed the orange-marked trees at first, thinking the forest service contractor had likely come from the main trail.  I had to study the GPS map on my phone carefully in order to stay on course.  I also tested the ground before every step with my hiking pole.  The ground was very soft in spots, almost like you would step and full into a booby-trapped pit.  

A steep climb up a short embankment, and Trail 26 was back in sight.  We left the forest behind and headed back up the switchbacks.  The rocks of Pine Canyon was illuminated completely different now in the late afternoon sun.  

I am so glad to have discovered this.  I've probably passed this trailhead countless times heading to Rim Road (FR-300) or Blue Ridge Reservoir.  Pine Canyon definitely outdid my expectations.  

Aspen Creek Do-Over

Weather:  79º, dry, sunny, windy

About this Hike:  Last August I tried exploring Mt. Francis via Aspen Creek Trailhead.  The only reason I was hiking in August was thanks to an active monsoon, the temperature was tolerable.  Unfortunately, that active monsoon blew in a huge storm not so long after I began my hike.  It ended with me scrambling to get back to the trailhead.  I tried waiting it out, but the storm was unrelenting.  I finally gave up and headed to one of the many breweries in Prescott. 

So today was a do-over.  The weather was perfect and it's not monsoon season yet.  In fact, there wasn't a cloud in the sky, but there was a strong breeze which made for pleasant natural air conditioning.  While not an intense hike with any major elevation gain, it was still warm in the sun.  

I hiked up and around Mt. Francis wandering down many of the side trails and often following old roads.  It's a good idea to have a GPS and maps.  I use the All Trails Pro app on my phone.  The network of trails and side trails extensive and confusing in here.  If you forget to download your map ahead of time, you'll likely have service as several major cell phone towers are on top of Mt. Francis. 

After exploring Francis it was too early to head out.  I opted to hike up Cold Spring Trail 393 for a ways, eventually veering onto a side trail.  All of this takes you through beautiful ponderosa pine forest.  I saw plenty of deer and a massive Sonoran gopher snake sunning itself on the trail.  On the way back down, I found a freshly severed deer leg on the trail, meaning there's mountain lions in the vicinity.  I'm guessing the lion wouldn't be too interested in me, having just eaten a deer for lunch.  

There are miles and miles of trails to explore in this part of Prescott.  In my opinion, this is the better part of Prescott with dense ponderosa forest.  I look forward to escaping the heat of Phoenix and coming back here soon. 

Paradise Lost (and Found) + Bull Basin

Weather: 71º, sunny

About this Hike:  In October of last year I did my semi-traditional Haunted Canyon hike.  Last year I tried the upper trailhead which is accessible past the old iron one-lane bridge and up FR-287A.  

As I studied the map in preparation for that hike, I noted that there are a number of other trails in the area.  Two more miles up FR-287A (for a total of just six miles from the bridge), there is another abandoned ranch and plenty of trails at the Miles Ranch Trailhead.  

The weather was perfect today, and probably won't be like this too much longer.  I decided to drive up to Miles Ranch and explore.  I plotted out a 10 mile loop hike starting on West Pinto Trail 212 until the junction with Bull Basin 270.  At this point I would follow Bull Basin down to Haunted Canyon 203, do a brief jaunt on 203, and then return to Miles Ranch via Paradise Trail 271 plus a brief half-mile on FR-287A.  

My map work in All Trails was beautiful.  I didn't see any traffic or other hikers until I reached the Miles Ranch Trailhead.  The meadow near the old ranch was surprisingly busy with tents and vehicles, this due to a Boy Scouts campout.  The scout troop was lining up to go on a hike, and I am glad they went a different way than me—I know from experience being stuck behind a hiking scout troop is a tedious affair.

My hike began on West Pinto 212.  An freshly fallen oak tree blocked the path.  It took a lot of careful maneuvering, but I got around it unscathed.  It was but a foreshadow of what was to come.

The first two miles of Bull Basin 270 were quite beautiful.  The trail meanders along a creek, and then begins to climb with dramatic, but not super steep, switchbacks.  Beautiful wildflowers were everywhere.  Shrub overgrowth on the trail was getting annoying.  Much of it was live oak which is a bit prickly, but won't tear you up like cat claw will.  Annoying, but manageable.  Until about 2.5 miles in when it wasn't manageable anymore.  I don't know if a machete would've gotten me through the thicket that was now the trail.  

Some people insist bushwhacking is part of the fun.  I think it's a good way to get cut up and lose an eye.  I decided to turn back and return to West Pinto 212.  I explored West Pinto which follows the creekbed of Pinto Creek.  The stream was flowing a bit and there were some dramatic cliffs and rockslides.  The lush forest gave way to burn damage along West Pinto.  Again, I opted to turn back and return to the Miles Ranch Trailhead. 

I took a few minutes to explore the old horse stables and other infrastructure at the ranch.  Despite the name Miles Ranch Trailhead given by the Forest Service, this ranch was called Kennedy Ranch.  Judging from some of the artifacts and the condition of the stable building, I don't think it's been abandoned all that long.  I'm hoping to learn more of the history of this place...

I departed Miles Ranch and drove about a half mile back down 287A where there are two pullouts that will fit a few cars.  This is the trailhead for Paradise Trail 271.  Paradise started out along thickly forested creekbeds, one of which still had some water flowing.  I didn't get too close, because I saw poison ivy all around the creek.  There was also what appeared to be an abandoned pink tent in one of the clearings.  Creepy.  

About two miles in and over 1,000 feet elevation gain, Paradise was lost.  Overgrowth again became impassable and at this point it was late in the afternoon and I was tired.  I opted to turn back the way I came. 

While I didn't accomplish the original loop I had set out to do, I can't say I was completely surprised.  The few bits of information I was able to find on this trail network warned overgrowth is a big problem in this less-visited area of the Superstitions.  In fact, the series of out-and-back hikes that I did was my Plan B if things didn't work out.  I was still able to explore all the trails I wanted to see.  And the forest in this area is so unique.  Made up of mostly Arizona cypress, there is also the occasional pinon pine, along with plenty of live oak and manzanita.  A rare saguaro cactus still makes an appearance, seeming to defying the top of the mighty saguaro's range.  

I'm sharing a screenshot of my map. You can see the original loop route which would have taken me south and around Government Hill.  The colored lines indicate the actual out-and-back hikes that I was able to accomplish:

Mount Peeley

Weather: 73º, sunny; became mostly cloudy in the afternoon

About this Hike:  Since learning of the Mt. Peeley Trailhead late last year I've been intrigued by this hike.  It has been on my mind all winter, and today was the perfect day to pull the trigger on it.

Beeline Highway (AZ-87) can be a parking lot on weekends as folks escape the heat of the Valley.  It must not be high season yet, as this March weekend it was not busy at all.  At the turnoff for Mt. Ord, instead of going right, I turned left.  This paved road is listed as FR-626, FR-627, and Sycamore Canyon Road.  Whatever you prefer to call it, FR-201 intersects about a mile later and then the pavement disappears.  

FR-201 is narrow and steep in places with some blind corners. It's mostly hard-packed dirt.  Thankfully I didn't have too many meet ups with oncoming vehicles.   There are wider portions and pull offs, but there are a lot of narrow, shelf portions as well.  The road offers good sightlines so you can watch for evidence of oncoming traffic, clouds of dust, etc.  About 10 miles of this fun, and I was at the Mt. Peeley Trailhead. 

I followed the Mazatzal Divide trail until reaching the spur to the Mt. Peeley summit.  There is a large cairn marking the spur trail, but beyond that it can be hard to follow.  Hiking GPS is a must.  I used a pre-mapped route from All Trails App.  There are other cairns marking the path to the summit, but it appears many people have done this a few different ways.  There isn't always a clearly blazed trail in front of you, and I ended up off trail quite a few times.  I was always able to recalibrate, and after about 30 minutes I reached the summit.  

Peeley summit has some wonderful views.  You clearly see the defined edge of the Mogollon Rim to the north.  Superstition and Weavers Needle poke up to the southeast out of the smog cloud of the Phoenix Valley.  Of course Four Peaks is ever visible, and there was even snow on its northern flanks.  Horseshoe Reservoir is visible to the west along with the 'golf ball' weather station on Humboldt Peak.  You'll likely have cell reception thanks to the clear sightlines of towers atop Mt. Ord directly to the east.

There's an ammo box with a logbook at the Peeley summit.  I meant to bring a pen and forgot; thankfully pencils were provided in the ammo box.  I was able to sign the logbook and have lunch at the Peeley summit.  While large vegetation is sparse, there is crumbly Sedona-esque red rock all around.  I noted very soft, loose soil on the hike up, so erosion is a real possibility in this ecosystem.  There is also a surveying stamp to look for; it dates back to 1924.  

The trip down from Peeley summit was easier than going up.  I don't know if I just had a better visual of the trail or what, but I didn't get off trail quite as much as I did on the ascent.  I rejoined Mazatzal Divide / AZ Trail for about 2.5 more miles.  The forest in this area is still relatively healthy and it's interesting to note the transitions from ponderosa pine and other cold-weather evergreens to juniper and pinyon pine and then back again.  Mazatzal Peak is always looking over you in the distance, and there's views of lush forest below deep in Deer Creek Canyon.  I met two friendly ladies who were backpacking their way along the Arizona Trail, having started at the Mexico border.  Otherwise I didn't see a lot of people or wildlife on this beautiful and well-maintained trail.

Even though I did this as an out-and-back, the light was quite different on the return trip.  There were still patches of snow in places, and I noted a trickling creek that I completely blew past on the ascent.  Sometimes the return hike feels like a completely different place...

There's a lot to explore in the Mazatzal Wilderness.  I've only just begun experiencing this part of our beautiful state. 

Horsethief Basin Lookout Loop

 Weather:  60°, sunny, clear

About this Hike:  Originally I mapped this hike following old OHV roads in Horsethief Basin.  My intention was to see the Native ruins at East Fort and South Fort.  Last minute I added on a side trip to the Horsethief Lookout Tower.  

February is low season for otherwise popular Horsethief Basin.  With unseasonably warm and dry weather, it seemed like the perfect time to visit.  The campgrounds and developed sites are closed for the season, so this meant a lot less traffic. In fact, I pretty much had Horsethief Basin to myself on a beautiful Saturday.

My first stop was at the lookout tower.  While unmanned for the season, a posted sign said it was OK to climb the tower.  I tried, but didn't get far.  Those see-thru metal grate steps are just too much for my fear of heights.  Regardless, the views at the lookout site are magnificent.  You can see Lake Pleasant, Glendale, and mountains in the Phoenix Valley.  You can see Superstition Mountain and Weaver's Needle.  Four Peaks and the Matazals are prominently visible.  Humphey's Peak poked up like a snow-capped glacier to the north.  And if you really looked close toward the southeast, you could see the top of the Santa Catalinas down in Tucson.  This was by far the most comprehensive view around Arizona I've ever experienced at one site.  The only landmark not visible up here was Sedona's red rocks. 

Both of the fort sites ended up being a bust.  Both areas have suffered heavy fire damage, especially East Fort.  The trail became impossible to follow, and it was not mapped correctly on my All  Trails GPS.  I was getting caught up in burned branches and other obstacles.  The fire was bad enough that soil was burned black.  It was a similar situation at the South Fort.  

Regardless, this was a good day to experience another unique and beautiful part of our state.  And while seeing the Hohokam ruins at the fort sites would have been cool, I doubt there would have been any additional views to take in.  From the fire lookout, I feel like I saw all that there was to see.  

Tortilla Trail FR-213 to Tortilla Ranch

Weather:  65°, partly cloudy, breezy

About this Hike:  Many reviews of this hike describe it as being a boring walk through the desert.  Today we were looking for a Superstitions hike that wasn't overly strenuous, nor had too much elevation gain.

The Tortilla Trail was a perfect option.  The trailhead is about a mile from where the pavement ends on AZ-88, Apache Trail.  The hiking path follows FR-213.  The rocky ledges at the start of this road require some serious high clearance and other off-road accessories in order to climb over.  I wouldn't even think of taking my Tacoma over it.  However, through the course of this hike we did encounter a Chevy truck that was surprisingly unmodified and a heavily modified Subaru Forester.  While infrequent during our visit, vehicle traffic is something to keep in mind if you opt to hike on this route. 

The views of the Superstition Mountains and Four Peaks were breathtaking, as were the views down into Tortilla Canyon.  Tortilla Creek was flowing steadily.

Upon reaching the old Tortilla Ranch, we marveled at the good condition of the infrastructure and historic artifacts.  I am hoping to research the history of this place some more.    

We continued past the ranch a ways and explored the beginnings of JF Trail and Peter's Trail.  There are some interesting artifacts right after you junction with Peter's Trail.  These include an old cistern, and a windmill that has fallen over.  Sadly, many of these artifacts are riddled with bullet holes.  

Past the cistern the trail descends into the creek, and the views of the Tortilla Canyon walls are spectacular.  Sycamore trees line the creekbed.  With the creek flowing, and muddy evidence of a recent flash flood in the area, we weren't able to go far.  This became our turnaround point. 

Upon arrival back at the Tortilla Trailhead parking area, we opted to drive one more mile up the Apache Trail to watch sunset at the Fish Creek Overlook.  This is as far as you can go on Apache Trail, and a large gate bars vehicles from going beyond the overlook site.  Apache Trail was damaged severely in a post-fire mud slide a few years ago and has yet to reopen.