Hackberry Springs & Western Superstitions 2020 Annual Hike

Weather:  65º, 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. 

Dutchman, Boulder, Second Water Loop

Weather:  65º, sun & clouds

About this Hike:  We intended to do this as an out-and-back starting on Dutchman Trail and working our way up Boulder Canyon Trail to Needle Canyon. 

All of the creeks were flowing strong.  This hike was definitely an exercise in reading topography both on a map and as it compared to the surrounding landmarks.  When we determined based on topography that we had found Needle Canyon, we weren't able to go up the canyon at all due to strong flow from the creek, which was draining into larger Boulder Creek. 

We opted to complete this hike as a loop instead of an out-and-back by continuing up Boulder Canyon and joining Second Water Canyon Trail, which would return us to the First Water parking lot. 

There were A LOT of crossings over Boulder Creek and some were tricky.  I don't know how we ever did hikes like this in the past without hiking poles—their help was indispensable.

About halfway up Boulder Canyon the trail became hard to follow.  We found a cairin marking a steep scramble up a scree chute.  I hoped that it wasn't the trail.  After some exploring, we found the correct Boulder Canyon trail, but learned a valuable lesson—the steep trail we discovered is actually the start of the trek up to the summit of Battleship Mountain.  We were informed this by a friendly group of hikers that was in the area.  As sumitting the Battleship has grown popular in recent years, I've wondered about how people find this unofficial summit trail.  Now I have an idea.

Second Water came into view, and while the creek was mostly dry, some fall foliage still hung on the trees in the creekbed. 

We returned to the parking area just in time for a magnificent sunset.  It's unfortunate so much of the Superstitions was lost this past June.  Now that I have the Tacoma I'm just getting started exploring this beautiful area of Arizona.

Hackberry Spring, Black Mesa, Lost Dutchman - Western Superstitions Loop

Weather:  65º, sunny, light clouds

About this Hike:  We were treated to three days of significant rain this past week.  By Friday things had cleared up, and by Saturday it seemed perfect for a hike in the Superstitions. 

First Water Trailhead was the goal, with trails accessible from Canyon Lake as a backup should the washes on First Water Rd. be raging.  In fact the washes were dry, if not a bit muddy.  First Water was eroded, but passable in the Tacoma.  Heck, I saw plenty of sedans back there too. 

While the washes along First Water Rd. had dried up, the creeks were flowing strong in the canyons.  Not so strong that crossing the creeks was treacherous, but just enough so as to provide the rare and beautiful juxtaposition of water in the desert. 

We parked at the equestrian staging lot and picked up Hackberry Trail from there.  Down in the canyon the creek was flowing with cold, clear water.  An upper pool flanked by boulders gave way to a small flume down each side.  It was magnificent to see this normally dry arroyo flowing.  I was equally glad to see the water was clear and not black with Woodbury ash.

We hiked out of Hackberry and back up to First Water Trail. There is a grassy, flat meadow with a teddy bear cholla forest.  On past hikes I've commented that between the grass and sun-baked clay, it looks like a flood plain.  My theory was correct.  It was a muddy mess.  It took several detours to get thru the heaviest muddy parts.  I found some deep horse tracks and followed those—the equestrian riders had indeed found the least bad path thru the mud.

From there we continued up Black Mesa and then down into Boulder Canyon.  Boulder Creek was flowing strong and several crossings were tricky but not hard.  In the canyon we heard a sound that was something between a blustering horse and a growl.  First on the right, then on the left, then behind.  Each time this seemingly angry animal would scare a flock of little black birds.  I was locked and loaded, finger on the trigger—of my bear spray.  Then it stopped.

A couple miles further, and now heading back toward the trailhead on Dutchman 104, the sound happened again.  First on the right, then on the left.  This is when we realized there was no animal spooking the birds. Rather, it was the collective wing beats of these little black birds rapidly scattering that caused the spooky noise.  I kept my bear spray close in my pocket anyway.

The hike back along 104 paralleled First Water Creek.  The sound of the running creek was delightfully serene.  There were multiple points where the trail crossed the creekbed. 

We underestimated how long this hike was going to take.  Thankfully I had a jacket and we both had headlamps.  We were treated to a beautiful sunset, stellar dark-sky views, and a hooting owl. 

Upon return to the truck, I was surprised at how many cars were still in the parking lots.  Campers, likely.

And what do I always say when I hike?  It just leads me to discover more trails and places I want to explore.  I'm curious to see as more videos and pictures come out of the Eastern Superstitions how much is left intact post-Woodbury fire and if some of those more rugged, remote hikes may be in my future...

Second Water, Boulder Canyon, Dutchman Loop—Superstitions First Water Trailhead

Weather:  70º, sunny, breezy

About this Hike:  My hike a few weeks ago on Boulder Canyon #103 via Canyon Lake Trailhead gave me a newfound appreciation for the Superstitions.  Flatiron via Lost Dutchman State Park has given me an eerie, uncomfortable feeling in the past.  I still wonder if it has anything to do with the Nov. 2011 plane crash—not to mention all the folklore surrounding Superstition Mountains...

However, I feel quite the opposite as I've been discovering the canyons and other-worldly rock formations that make up the rest of the Superstition Wilderness.  It's like a cross between The Valley's low desert climate and the rocks of Sedona. 

This 10+ mile loop took me through Garden Valley which would be a-bloom with Mexican poppies and other desert wildflowers in a normal year.  In this dry year I just noted a lot of saguaros.  And black rocks...piles upon piles of black rocks.  At the end of Garden Valley as descent into Boulder Canyon begins, the trail parallels a black creek bed.  The rocks look like fresh lava flows from Hawaii.  Near the canyon floor there was some standing water in a semi-riparian area. The water was stagnant, but that didn't stop some frogs from jumping in as I approached.

I got to experience another end of Boulder Canyon than what I did a few weeks ago.  Battleship Mountain was directly in front and I met a few hikers coming back / heading up the trail.  Battleship Summit is said to be a primitive, largely unblazed trail.  The reviews I have read make me nervous, but someday in the near future I expect I'll be trying this one out—after it gets a little more wear and tear. 

While cairns are a debatable point among hikers, I was grateful for many well-placed rock stacks along Boulder Canyon Trail.   The trail crosses the creek bed many times, and finding it on the other side is not always easy. 

Nearing the end of Boulder Canyon brought spectacular views of Weaver's Needle from multiple angles and Palomino Mountain.  From the well-signed junction I opted to take Dutchman Trail back to the First Water parking area.  Black Mesa Trail was another option and one I may want to experience in the near future.

All these hikes have left me 'hangry' for more.  But I'm quickly exhausting the limits of what I can do with my little Mazda in terms of trailhead access.  I'm seriously considering a second 'beater' SUV that can do some off-roading.  Think, Nissan Xterra.  There's still so much of Arizona to explore.

Not your typical angle for Weaver's Needle pix

Like Hawaii lava flows...