After three days of decent rain, I opted today to check out the Palominas trail head, the same area I wanted to check out last week but changed plans when CCSO was in the area. I wanted to see the water flow.
I took Fritz, Gretel, and Zana. Fritz and Zana together like to explore, leaving Gretel behind who prefers to stay close to me.
All three were excited to get out of the Honda. Getting to this trailhead is almost three times longer than the Ramsey trailhead, so all three were anxious to start running.
This trailhead was once popular with equestrians as the wash is used to get to the San Pedro river. It's mostly exposed until one reaches the shady canopy of the cottonwoods.
Recent rains etched into the banks, leaving behind water marks, fallen trees, and dead debris. The closer I got to the river, the wetter the wash until it became impassable and I had to walk up on the ridge. I didn't want any of the excited dogs to knock me into the runny mud. My clean pants were already mud-caked anyway, and my Keens coated with mud.
A week ago this was a dry wash. Today the muddy river was flowing swiftly high above its bank. I made the Palominas bridge my turn-around. There was no dry trail now. Tall grass cover the ground here and the soil was very saturated/ I wanted to get back to firm ground and away from the slick mud.
To extend the walk, I stayed in the wash and walked east-southeast, past the sandn cliffs that continue to erode with each storm, and made South Paloma trail my turn-around. This dirt road travels south just shy of the border. There is a three-foot drop from the road into the wash here; not a safe place during a flash flood. I will explore the southern part of the road another time.
I took the maintenance road back to the parking lot, passing two red crosses noting were two border crossers died.
We were moving for just over an hour. It was already 80F when we got back to the Honda at 8:30am.
I will come back here once the soil dries.
