Superstition Hike
2-2-2007     54 degrees Groundhog Day    (He did not see his shadow)

Connie, Nancy & Judy started hiking at 11am on trail 104 Dutchmen’s Trail to Bluff Springs 6 miles.  ¾ of this trail is uphill so a good work out & beautiful scenery, passing Miners Needle. Arrived at 2:30p & made up a nice camp near the spring that has spring water trickling out of a pipe. We went lighter than normal, leaving our water filter at home & just taking purified tablets. Along with this Judy left her air mattress at home, & Connie bringing the wrong fuel. We worked around it by laying a layer of clothes underneath & cooking off of the fire. It got down to 31 degrees.
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2-3 Decided to have a leisurely am so left at 11 still on trail 104 towards La Barge Canyon. About 2 ½ miles found beautiful campsites & water running into a trough. Stopped off at Charlebois Spring for lunch. Again the spring was running in the trough, at both locations no water in creek. The day was warmer in the 70’s. As we passed Marsh Valley we saw no water. We continued pass Black Top Mesa towards Terrapin Pass. We decided due that water not running in the creeks prior we would go on to East Boulder Creek to camp. A lovely camping area with nice trees in area. But again water was scare. Walked about 2/10 of a mile down creek before finding water in potholes, it was doable. 8-mile day got down to high 40’s.

2-4 A day to lay around, read, bead, & journal. In the low 70’s.

2-5 Woke up in the 50’s 6a.m. Started to get ready early due to the long upward stretch pass Weaver’s Needle & over Fremont Saddle. Left camp at 7:30a.m. in the shade for a couple of hours. Beautiful day but warming up. Reached Fremont Saddle in 3 ½ hrs time for lunch, along many other people up there. Started down an came across a dog that looked like he was heat stressed, & a man that had fell & busted his head open with lots of blood around. Reached the trailhead at 12:30 with refreshments a waiting. After putting clean shirts over dirty bodies & croc’s on we headed to get real food. A hot day in mid 80’s 6 ½ miles

Great trip, would have liked to have my therma rest, & more water running in the creeks. Heard owls hooting each night & lots of quail & other birds but no animals other than tracks.