Cabin to Cabin Loop, Mogollon Rim, AZ

Posted on June 5, 2020June 10, 2020 by judy

June 1, 2020 perfect time to get out of Phoenix & head to cooler country. Temps ranged from 50’s to 80’s but UV rays were 10! We backpacked to 5 cabins, Pinchot, Danes, Buck Springs, Aspen Springs cabin & Fred Haught (which really is just a stone fireplace, still picturistic) We did this in 4 days, 3 nights, making it enjoyable days to scout around. We started from Fred Haught TH ( see directions below)

Right near the TH was Pinchot Cabin ( Gifford Pinchot father of U.S. Forest Service) & still being used in emergencies.

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FR 95 blow out on the Fred Haught trail

U-Bar trail # 28 is approx. 6 miles to Danes Cabin. I consided trail moderate with a nice spring 1/2 way for a rest break & site for 2 tents.
Once you get to Danes Cabin there is a nice spring coming out of a pipe & large camping spots in the area.
Buck Springs cabin still is being used by forest service & firefighters, 3 mile round trip off of Barbershop trail. Barbershop was named after a long ago sheepherder that use to cut cowboys hair. 🙂 This trail seemed to be a bit more challenging just because it has more ups & downs. Coyote Spring is the best place to filter water, but it could run dry in a dry season. Barbershop Spring you needed a cup to dip into.
Houston Brothers Trail # 171 (ranchers in the time) was delightful going north with the Maple, Manzanita, Aspen, Pine trees. Even had time to stop for a siesta break under beautiful Maple tree!

McFarland Spring had nice campsites along with the Aspen Springs cabin but I could see where that could be crowded at times, both springs were running nicely.
By going this route you will end up back at the Fred Haught TH #141 or #22 (depends on what sign you look at) where your vehicle will be parked. We stopped long enough to dump our garbage & get refreshments & head to Fred Haught stone fireplace approx. 3 miles farther. Beware where it shows blowout on map & many signs on rd 95 is really a blow out ! (see pics) We did it this way since we did not have a 2nd car to be dropped off at General Springs Cabin or a shuttle. It was perfect as it was a 6 mile day, no water between Pinchot & Haught spring. The spring that shows on map is Quien Sabe Spring which was just mud hole.
Day 4 was a leisure hike back to car except for the blow out & made it home before rush hour.
Directions for Fred Haught TH, coming in from highway 87 follow FR 95 approx. 11.15 miles to FR 139a for .1 mi, there is a sign there & small parking area. GO ACROSS THE ROAD NORTH you will see a cairn & then a trail sign.

All of the trails were marked with tree markings or cabin loop signs.

Thermopsis
Connie ‘s siestaunder a big Maple tree
Fred Haught area
Manzanita beautiful this time of the year
Aspen Spring
Western Wallflower
McFarland Springs
paintbrush
Aspen Springs Cabin
Horny toad
Aspen Spring Cabin
McFarland Spring
Fred Haught
a bit scarey
Beautiful Aspen
BUCK SPRINGS CABIN
Pinchot

Fossil Creek

Posted on April 1, 2016 by judy

Fossil Springs

temps ranging from 70’s to 40’s, 2 hr drive from Phoenix, Colleen Hunt, Glenda Cope, Judy Eidson

Thinking we were leaving on Monday through Wed we would have the upper canyon to ourselves, wrong. Looks like college is still having spring break but no backpackers till we came out. It is 4 miles to the spring, but you can do adl 11 miles to go to the south & picked up there which maybe a good idea for future hikes. There are signs everywhere how many people they rescue each year including no fires. Does anyone read these signs?One of the 1st things we encounter as we hike down from 5100 ft are 3 young 14 yrs to 20’s year olds carry 1 gal jug of water for the 3 of them, no hat, sunscreen,food, sandles/sneakers & smoking pot. Long story short time they got to 3800 ft they were ready to go back up as they were sunburned, tired & getting late. So we helped them out with water purification tablets & sunscreen. We found a beautiful site not far from the spring, the temp of water is around 70 degree’s year round so perfect! The next morning early was a animal scratching at both Colleen & Glenda’s head. Whoops left food in the tent vs hanging it, that did not happen again for the next night. We did a day hike to the dam, old homestead what a nice surprise, the pictures can tell the story.

The blackberry bushes are very overgrown so this should be a great year for the berry pickers! As we continued our hike on the Flume Road we past some day hikers we met earlier in the day that had a fire going, even though there is signs everywhere including right where they were –no fires. Colleen politely informed them that there was high wind advisories out, no fires & that there were forest serve people out. They said they would put it out?? The scenery looking down on the creek was breath taking.

After a exerting dayhike “NOT”, we had lunch by the creek & enjoyed ripples of the water, smells & the lush watercress that surrounded us. Its so seldom we get to hear or be by flowing water, what a treat!

We continued on to the trail that leads to the other side of the springs, it is just as beautiful! Lovely campsites there also but for some reason I have then & in the past going only so far & turn around so I do not know where or how far that trail leads.

Colleen is at the far end of this picture, she thought it was a better advantage view point! The day & night only got better as we had trail ale, snacks & a full moon to look forward too! The full moon brought out our little creature that was sniffing at our tent the night before Peppe le pew! He was in for a surprise as the food was hanging high in a tree!

The trip out was more people taking hikes in including the sheriff, & search n rescue, hopefully it was not for our friends the 1st day but they mentioned clean up. We stopped going in to Fossil Creek Creamery Goat & Llama Farm, so we also stopped going out to pick up some of there wonderful soap, fudge,& lotion. I do believe that is the 1st time I’ve ever seen a baby goat born, how wonderful that was! Momma did a great job & the baby was up & walking & us holding them in

minutes! A great trip by all!

Circlestone, Reavis grave,Reavis Ranch, Az

Posted on March 30, 2016 by judy

A trip I have been wanting to do for a long time so finally the time has come! Connie, June, Nancy & I headed out from Pnx, it took 2 1/2 hrs to get to Rogers Trough & 200 miles later. Temps were in the 70s for the high & 29 to 32 for low.
First we stopped off at Reavis Grave as the girls had not been there before. The cross had been redone & looked like a postcard. Manzanita, wall flowers & Fuchsia were in bloom to set the scene.
Our goal was to find Circlestone which the next morning we set out to hike up Fireline Trail. It was right on target that I had down loaded on my gps so here is the coordinates to help anyone else out. The cairn was large on fireline trail at this time – N 33.48761 W 111.13240. The trail up to Circlestone was steep but cairns were placed so no issues. N 33.47777 W 111.13430. This is also located NE of Mount Mountain the highest Mt in the Superstition’s. When you read about Circlestone there are a few theories but most agree it is a ancient solstice & equinox sun watch station, ceremonial site. Built by ancient Sinagua which dates back to 1250AD. This is also called Az Stonehenge, we have a few around the state.
The next day we did a day hike to the ranch which was only 1/4 mi from where we camped, to my surprise all the apple trees were in bloom! Oh my gosh I thought most of them had died off since they are quite old, so this fall there should be plenty of apples. I miss the old ranch house, only a foundation stands, vinca still come up around the steps, old machinery still lay around. I had seen the place before it burned down but no matter what its still beautiful! We also met up with a solo hiker that was doing section hikes of the Arizona Trail, she was a stewart from passage 40b, I believe her name was Liz Good.

The day only gets better as once we got back to camp I ran into a gal from Flagstaff, Deb Linda. We did a trip in Colorado a few years ago, so we got caught up on what was happening & hope to hook up with her for a hike in the future, it’s such a small world! We met 2 Arizona Trail Hikers coming out but only got one name which was Porcupine- Kara from Alaska.
Be aware of bee’s we had to go by 1 nest coming & going, rattlesnakes are out do to the warm days. This time of year it gets very cold at night so be prepared for that as day temps you sweat like its summer and freeze like its winter! Also best to be aware of unusual activity from animals as at the trailhead mentioned rabid fox in area. Here are a few flowers & bushes that were in bloom, fernbush, catclaw acacia, juniper, oak, ponderosa pine, western wallflower,firecracker, desert marigold, thistle, fleabane, tidy tips, tufted evening primrose, verbena, love grass.

Take time to check out the rest of the pictures on the media, great time by all!

Salt River (Floating)

Posted on July 2, 2015 by Connie

June 10, 2015

Salt River. Wow! What a terrific day we had floating down the Salt River. It almost didn’t happen due to the weather but again, as usual, the rain didn’t happen and the clouds kept us in the shade all day.

Judy’s nieces, Mariah and Ariana came for a visit from Nebraska and she wanted to show them a good time experiencing all Arizona has to offer. This was a great idea. Nancy took her 2 grandkids, Isacc and Christian, and June’s daughter, Jessica and grandson, Grady . We rented tubes from Salt River Tubing Company that also supplied a shuttle to and from the river. June’s grandson, Grady said the bus ride was the best part of the whole trip. The buses are very old and rattled the whole time. I could see where he would be enthused about it.

The minimum age is 8 years old for this few miles down the Salt. However, the tubes supplied are adult size so the kids hung on to them like a swimming pool noodle. Not too much danger in this area as most of the time they were able to walk on the bottom. However, a couple of us felt better with a floatation device on. There were about 5 places light rapids had to be maneuvered and the kids loved them! So much fun and excitement.

We took little 6 pack ice coolers and hung them over the side with rope. June brought a full size cooler but did have a few issues when she got too close to the bank. About half way down the river we stopped and enjoyed our picnic lunch and had a great time watching people but Judy’s granddaughter, Mariah found it more entertaining to use a holey lunch bag to try and catch minnows. While trying to catch them she came up with a baby crawdad too. Soon the other kids wanted to participate and they too were able to catch some small creatures. Christian followed Mariah’s example of catching little minnow’s in a plastic baggie. He was very excited to get one and wanted to take it home and keep it for a possible future fishing trip. Mariah said he would be able to keep it alive in a plastic bottle with the lid off. On the way home, he left the plastic bottle in Judy’s car. The next day he asked if we knew how Larry was. He named his minnow Larry.

Sunscreen applied often or totally covering up is a must. 3 hours floating down the river can really give you a burn. Sheets or large towel covering the tubes seemed a little more comfortable but not necessary. Umbrellas were helpful also. A good idea the next time is to rent tubes with a big bucket attached for holding all our extra stuff. We saw other people with them to hold big speakers to listen to music. We didn’t really appreciate the noise but the kids seemed to really like it.

Nancy brought huge marshmallows we used to bomb each other and others floating down. The kids thought that was way too much fun. Nothing like a slimy marshmallow thrown at you. When the marshmallows got too small the birds swooped down and had a tasty treat.

We saw so many unusual birds. Black and white Cranes, Red Winged Black Birds, Cardinals, and Roadrunners, just to name a few. Also, 4 wild horses watering at the river’s edge.

We left Phoenix around 9:30 and got back around 5. What a great day!

Supply list:

Put all supplies in zip lock baggies and keep your ID in a really secure dry place.
Ice Chest(s)
Rope to tie ice chest onto your tube. Bungee cords work at some things.
Drinks: Water, soda, etc.
Sunscreen
Umbrella
Snacks, Picnic lunch
Huge Marshmallows
Money, ID. Tubing Company only takes cash and you have to leave your ID so they know you’ll bring the tubes back.
Optional: Towel or sheet to cover tube
Optional: Floatation Device
Hat
Paper Towels for all sorts of issues
Hand Sanitizer
Zip Lock Trash bag

Paria River from White House Trailhead to Lee’s Ferry

Posted on May 18, 2015 by judy

5-4 to 5-9 2015

Nancy Vail our trip leader got our permits 4 months earlier, Glenda Cope, Connie Simmons & Judy Eidson

2015 Paria we are at horseshoe look out heading to the Paria

Phoenix to Lee’s Ferry is 250 miles, Cousin Bob (Connie’s Cousin) from Page picked us up at the long term parking. Because it was raining the day before & when he picked us up he talked us into staying at his place for the night & giving us a great tour of Page area, we welcomed the idea!

The Paria Ranger Station and Visitor Centeris located on the South side of Hwy 89 between mile marker 20 and 21

PERMITS

Permits are required for both day hiking and overnight trips in Paria Canyon and Buckskin Gulch. Walk-up permits are available for day hiking at the trailheads, but overnight permits must be obtained through the Paria Canyon online permit application system. Overnight permits can also be obtained in person the day of your hike, IF there are any permits available.

The BLM only allows a total of 20 people per day to enter the canyon on overnight permits, and that is across all of the trailheads. An overnight permit is $5 per person per day. Dogs are also allowed for an extra fee of $6 per dog per day.

For overnight permits, the reservation system opens up at 12pm Mountain Time on the 1st of every month, 4 months before the month of your hike. Refer to the BLM’s chart below to determine when you need to apply.

Paria Canyon Backpacking permit lottery calendar

Paria is a challenging, exciting, & beautiful 38 mile hike. Hiking conditions change in the canyon with the season. In 1993 I hiked same month & week 50% was hiking was in water, this year 95% which meant more quicksand, muck & made it more difficult.

Generally the route through Paria Canyon is river bed itself, however mile 28 has large boulder clog the river which they call boulder slide. Most hikers leave the river at this point & follow a route on the right side of the stream. See my notes coming on day 5.

Day 1: Once you start on the White House Trail GO DOWN THE PARIA, not the well maintained trail to the left. The hike was beautiful but from the beginning we were walking in the river.Right before our break I mentioned to watch for quicksand, WELL all I wanted to do was wash off my sandy sock in the creek & yikes up to my knees in quicksand, , Connie jumps into save the day with a cracker in hand & a broken wrist that is trying to heal. She now is in the same boat as I am! As I try to push her up onto the bank I quickly go up to my thighs.Nancy holds out her hiking pole gets me out now we save Connie.

I will never forget the look on her face! ( I never heard of anyone getting in trouble with quicksand in the Paria, but I guess it’s worth checking into) We did go over the procedures of it happening like going onto the belly! ;))

The narrows are beautiful, we made camp near the confluence, set up camp & did an evening trip to the log jam up Buckskin Gulch. We saw one sacred mouse in this cold dark section & wondering what he was doing in there.

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Day 2: It had rained through the night but had cleared up before day break. The canyon was crisp, clean & clear for the rest of the day, it was extremely scenic, but with rain in the last couple days made the river run higher than normal. It’s always murky, sandy & silty but just more so when has just rained. My GPS & Nancy’s SPOT did not work well in this canyon at all. I never had this happen before but because of it being a narrow canyon I guess it could not get a satellite. So if any one uses either one of these instruments you may need to have other means. Glenda’s Fit Bit seem to work & have close mileage. I never put a lot of faith in it only because I had one & I returned it do to not being correct, but it may have been I never moved my arms like I should had. Big springs was running but keep a close eye out for them. Many of the springs are easy to miss. We filled up here & camped near wooded terrace.This was a beautiful campsite with a huge covert in front of us. It was large enough to have a least 3 groups of backpackers in the area in still be private.

2015 Paria River-005 2015 Paria River-003

Day 3 Our highlight today besides the scenic canyon was Judd Hollow with the old pump the history that follows that, swallows, wild flowers, & cactus in full bloom. But once again I find my self in what I think is quicksand but it could have been muck, it happened so fast. All I no I was in the middle of Paria I went up to my thighs in whatever & water to my waist, once I yelled out, I put my 2 hiking poles which must of been in a sandbar & it just popped me out. What ever happen I has grateful. Not long after that we come to a narrow & 2 large boulders that makes it very deep & no way around. Of course we are a bit paranoid now since that last incident so out of the blue a solo hiker comes by we tell him we want him to go 1st, he plows right through it like it was nothing of course we follow like little chickadees. Once again we thank the good lord it was nothing major. All this was quite an adrenaline rush! Some how we missed Wrather Canyon with all the excitement I think we were just walking on not paying attention. I did see the arch in 1993, so we will have to come back to see it for the others as it is worth it. We camped at nice site which I felt we were lucky to find a spring or seep that was running well but not on the maps.

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Day 4 Today the clouds hung around a little longer but was nice hiking. We thought we had most of boulder alley behind us but there was still plenty to overcome, once we got to the last campsite on the map we decided that is where we would make camp. Good thing as we threw down our packs due to rain & wind. A mistake on my part as my Tarptent/ Moment broke a pole in the wind, I should of sat it out & put it in a more sheltered area. Once the 1st gust past I mended the pole with duc tape, then next 50mph wind came all I could do is sit on the tent, all of us had our umbrella’s so that was our shield from the sand blast. Now it was time for our last shot of trail ale!

We never got supper as the rain & wind hit again about 6p, we all went to our tents, it rained on & off the rest of the night.

Day 5 It was still raining at 8a but we decided to leave anyway, which it did end soon after that. I was looking forward to the trail which was coming up to the right & would by pass boulder slide. This is a remark I found Mile 28, large boulders clog the river, obstructing this way. Most hikers leave the river at this point and follow a route on the right (south) side of the stream where some scrambling through boulders is required. Choosing to follow the river through this section may not be possible during periods of higher water, and requires negotiating a route through many pools and over large boulders. Hiking in the lower canyon consists of traversing long silt terraces or benches with fewer stream crossings. Do not go this way if possible.

The stars wasn’t lining up, we get in about 1/2 mi & find the trail is a foot wide. I go test it out very soft with all the rain & plunges straight down 200 feet. The 3 girls say no way, so we head to the river bottom. The above statement was true, if you don’t have to do this don’t. We hiked about 1 mile I decided to climb up a ridge to see if I could see anything at all, about 30 min later I spotted a clearing in the distance, I hike another 1/4 mi, sure enough it was the trail, yippie! The girls climbed up, we were all worried about Connie as she had to protect her arm, I’m sure Glenda & her was saying many things under there breath. Even if the GPS did work , it would of not made any difference, there is no trail. Per a friend Cierrz “It is what it is!”

It was great trail after this, (compared what we had just gone through)we stopped off at Wilson Ranch for a lunch break. I checked out the area, the building is gone, but the corral & old machinery still in the area. There is a spring, water was on the trail but you could not get to it as it was back in a lot of brush & fence line. The gate into Lonely Dell was a welcome sight.

This was a great hike, don’t expect to find much of any trails, Paria River is the trail on much of it. Keep close eye on mileage if you are looking for major springs, bring a filter for a backup, sturdy water shoes would be good, although my old pair of boots worked fine. If you want a major well groom trail this is not the hike for you, if you want solitude, beauty & some adventure go for it!

Havasupai, Arizona

Posted on April 6, 2015 by Connie

03-15-2015 Sunday, left Phoenix for Havasupai around 1pm. We arrived at the Canyon Hotel in Seligman in time to enjoy a glass of wine to start the St. Patty’s day adventure. We all ate dinner at Lilo’s café. Very good and very busy. New people to the group were Dana (HDmama), who we met in the Superstitions in January, CArias, who we met on the JMT a couple years ago, and Audrey, Nancy’s niece. Also, had a couple from Canada, Michelle and Allen, and Peggy P. Yes, there were a lot of us, 13! Baker’s dozen to celebrate St. Patty’s day. 8 of us stayed at the Lodge and 5 stayed at the campground. Never got a picture of everybody at the same time.

Stopped in Williams to visit with Jackie Canyon Lodge, Seligman

03-16-2015 Monday, we left for Supai about 60 miles on Indian highway 18. Pretty rough with big pot holes. Don’t go too fast! Got to the check in around 9:30 where we left our duffle bags with the Indians to have them brought down to the bottom. Maximum weight 130# per mule, max number of duffel bags, 4. $135.00 to the Lodge or $185 to the campground.

Look and listen while hiking. The mules come running down the trail with no leader so stay close to the mountain and move out of the way as soon as you hear anything different. Peggy got knocked down by a pack hanging on the mules.

Highly recommend the first cafe you come to as you enter the village. Wonderful root beer floats and Indian Fry Bread! Recommend here because the cafe in the village is only open at certain times and are very rude about telling you they are not open or when they are open.

When calling for reservations have your questions lined up, they do not offer any more information than what you ask. But once there, what a difference from the last time, the trail was clean, there were people doing maintenance on the trail and picnic tables were put out in a few places closer to town. Sorry to say there are still starving horses in the village, however, the work mules seem to be in pretty good condition. I was caught off guard when a resident took up conversation with us and made us feel welcome.

The Lodge is nice. No frills but comes with shampoo, soap and towels. Outside our room were a couple picnic tables and 2 grills. We ate hamburgers and beans at the café for dinner. The Lodge had picnic tables where we enjoyed the sunset and a little wine along with the game of Spoons. Now that is a fast game!

The grocery store has just about everything you could need.

03-17-2015, Tuesday, we hiked down to the falls. First was Navajo Falls with 2 falls. Wow! Beautiful! Then came Havasupai Falls. Magnificent! Then the campgrounds where we met up with the rest of the gang. Right at the campground by the 2 story, really nice bathrooms, you can buy Indian Fry bread and soda! We were surprised to see that.

Walked to Mooney Falls where lots of changes have happened over the last 10 years. Yes, it’s still a “take your life in your hands” type of descent to the falls. Connie got to the bottom with great trauma as she’s not getting any younger. Holding on to the hand and foot holds down slippery rocks, slippery chains, and slippery wooden ladders and lots of slippery rocks at the bottom is quite a challenge even for the younger people. At the bottom, Connie put on Crocs, slipped, fell, and broke her wrist! A trail angel helped her get up and then he was gone. God bless our trail angels! She did manage to climb out with 1 finger on the broken arm and using the other to pull up. Could have been a whole lot worse being a canyon!

Our St. Patty’s day potluck went on with lots of fun food and decoration. Thanks Judy! You never fail with the St. Patty’s festivities.

Wednesday, We started hiking about 7am and got to the trailhead around noon. Stopped Delgadillos Snow Cap for ice cream, malts, and hamburger.

AZT Pass 16-17

Posted on January 30, 2015 by Connie

AZT Passages 16-17, In 2008, we hiked through these passages. At that time the trail was marked intermittently with many ribbons and cairns going in different directions. Some were surely put there as a potential trail to follow but as we tried we encountered miles of bush whacking through mesquite trees, thorny bushes and cat claw and found ourselves further away from our waypoint. We did find our way but with much distress. But not this time! Thank you Arizona Trail Association and all the volunteers!
January 16-19, 2015, Starting at Picket Post Trailhead, we knew we would have more water holes than in 2008 as the area was covered with snow and rain just 10 days before. Pass 16 was greener with many damp spots but nowhere a sign of a puddle. FR4, Trough Springs and the metal tank was totally dry and no sign of water in the creek, but then a miracle, Judy found a small pot hole by the road. Our spirits were lifted with the discovery. Another few days and this would have been gone too. Several Jeeps and quads went by so I think we may have been able to bum some water had we not found the pothole. Not sure they would have given us 9 liters. We were each able to get 3 liters to carry for the next 11 miles. Arriving at the dirt tank we found we had to share the water with the local live stock. It certainly needed filtering, boiling, and Clorox for good measure but always thankful whenever and wherever we find water.
Day 2: 1 mile from camp was Ajax Rd. There was 1 1/2 gallons of water left by a trail angel but we already had 3 liters each so we left it for the next hiker in need. The new trail must have been a feat to construct. It was beautifully done. The new AZT book described it as “dramatic geology and one of the best sceneries compared to the Grand Canyon.” We agree! For several miles we were blessed with the shade of the mountain making the experience even more delightful! We were still hopeful to find water in the catchments but it was as dry as Pass 16. Eleven miles later we arrived at the Gila River near Cochran. This area may be quiet during the week but arriving on a 3 day weekend was anything but quiet. There were SUV’s, quads, kids, people using axes and chain saws (after dark) and at midnight a couple of people were target shooting with a 6 shooter and rifle for an hour and 15 minutes. With no moon we could only guess what they were shooting at. None of us slept very good this night.
Day 3: We started out early today to avoid the heat of the day. It was in the low 70’s but still seemed very warm carrying the extra water weight. Putting deodorant on our feet helped with the sweating perhaps avoided more hot spots. We were told there was no water going forward even though we bordered the Gila River for 15 miles. However, we did find 3 places to access the Gila through Tamarac forests (salt cedar)so next time we won’t carry so much water. Other times we were high on the ridges overlooking the Gila and railroad track. We passed several mines and examined artifacts of mining equipment. Around 3pm and 10 miles later we found a beautiful spot we would call home for the night in a large wash near the Gila. Tomorrow we would be ending our trek at Kelvin Bridge so it was unanimous to relax and talk about our adventure around a nice fire. We devoured anything we had left except for breakfast food. The stars were amazing. We could see forever into the universe! Thank you God! You always give us more than we expect.
Day 4: This morning it was 6 ½ miles to Kelvin Bridge where we would be picked up and taken back to Picket Post TH for our car. The original trail followed the railroad track but the new trek goes up the ridge, following the mountains coming close to Ray mine. We agree these passages are amazing but be prepared to carry extra water.
Helpful hints: Carry at 3 liters of water or cache at FR4 & Ajax Rd. Absolutely need an umbrella, big hat and blister aid products, 2 cold breakfasts and dinners to conserve water usage. Carried apples that had lemon juice on them

Picket Post-Kelvin Bridge 40 miles

Superstitions

Posted on January 10, 2015 by Connie

January 5th, 2015 First hike of the year is always amazing in the Superstitions. Started hiking the Peralta Trail to Freemont Saddle around 10. The terrain is always rocky but that is what gives the Superstitions so much character. Along the trail we met Mike, a volunteer, trimming the bushes along the path. Later, at the Saddle he showed up again just in time to show us how to get to Geronimo’s Cave. It’s about 1 mile from the Saddle. You can also access it from the lower trail on the Peralta. What a great lookout place for Geronimo! You can see in all directions. No wonder he liked it here. Almost stepped on a Bull snake on the way back. Continued over the Saddle to find a compact, icy, snowy path. With perseverance we were able to get down to an altitude with little evidence of snow. However, the trail was in dire need of maintenance. We camped at the base of Weaver’s Needle. We thought the creek would be running but could only find water in the holes. Our water filter, Sawyer Squeeze Water Filtration System, quit working. Nothing would come through it even though it worked on several trips in the past and it has always been cleaned out after every trip. The weather couldn’t have been better even though it was 82 degrees hiking out.

Jerome

Posted on November 21, 2014November 21, 2014 by Connie

11-07-2014 Spent the day with all the girls in Jerome. Could not have asked for better weather. Parking at the edge of town proved to work out well no matter where we walked. Bloody Marys are excellent at the Spirit Room. We all gave a cheer to Colleen who was going to the “Jerome Tattoo” for a little “smiley face.” Had lunch at the Haunted Hamburger Restaurant. It was a little strange how the sandwiches are served but were good. Later in the evening we drove to Prescott to spend the night at Judy’s cabin but we were quite jolted when we got a phone that her husband had been in an off road roll-over accident close to Table Mesa road. Her husband had 4 broken ribs and collapsed lung. His passenger had huge cuts on his head and hand. Looking at the pictures it’s a miracle they didn’t die. They did survive and was able to walk away even with their injuries. Thank You God!

White Tanks Mountain, Arizona

Posted on March 11, 2014 by Connie

February 8, 2014 Today we blindly were lead on a very strenuous and wonderful hike in the White Tank Park area. west of Phoenix. Normally you would hike the trails but not us. We started at the Waddell TH, N33 35. 550 W112 30. 642 and then up a river bed to the Mesquite Trail, N33 35. 471 W112 31. 400. We went over boulders, in some places were almost impossible for my short legs to stretch. It was only 1.5 miles but took 2.5 hours to do. Other waypoints along the way: N33 35. 680 W112 30.766, N33 35.680 W112 31.101, N33 35.598 W112 31.342, N33.35.468 W112 31.375

Hiken Girls

Backpacking Arizona

Arizona