Hiking Ash Canyon to an old mine site

Ten years ago today we brought Sara home. I thought about her all day. It's missing her that dampened my spirits a bit. I wanted to take the dogs out for a medium-distance hike (4-6 miles) but wasn't sure where. Hiking club members were hiking Granite Peak in Whetstone today, but I didn't want to drive that far. Eric had my Ford Escape anyway.

So I opted for a hike closer to home. The ridge line up Thompson peak in Ash canyon seemed like the ideal hike. That's four miles round trip with pretty views into Mexico. But once we got to Ash canyon, I opted for the more remote, more abandoned trail in a side canyon, an area I'm not even sure what it's called. Water was flowing and this would give the dogs a chance to refresh themselves at their leisure.

Actually, it has been a while since I was up this abandoned trail. I was last here with Kevin years ago, when he still hiked, and we noted that this trail was popular with illegal border crossers, just judging by the trash we'd see along the way. One time we came across a heavy roll of plastic, something a drug runner surely schlepped down the trail but then abandoned.  It was a well-trodden trail.

Today, however, it was just me and three dogs. Sammy wanted to come but I knew the five miles would be too much for him. It's sad that he gets excluded now from hikes due to his age and physical ability. I, too, will one day face that same dilemma.

I dredged uphill slowly, stopping often. The trail, an old mining trail, was badly eroded. Decomposed granite and small boulders littered the way. A new water pipe to lead to the Tombstone aqueduct was visible here. Recent rain had eroded more of the center of the trail, so I had to watch my footing. Thompson peak slowly disappeared as the trail moved northwest and around the corner. This was wilderness. Fog still shrouded the peaks.

This part of the canyon took a heavy hit from the 2011 fire. What once was a canopied hike of oaks was now mostly bared or covered by dead trees. Part of the trail was even washed away in a landslide. I could see a green saddle ahead, though, with healthy pines growing between two hilltops. That area was my goal.

The last time I was up here with Kevin, we turned around at a dry, narrow wash that we could tell was used as a landmark for border crossers because they like to leave their trash in the washes. Today there was water running, which the dogs enjoyed, and I stopped here to let them enjoy themselves.

This time I was able to hike on, further up a faint trail that the dogs quickly followed. Were they tracking the scent of people? Weeds were covering this trail and I had to pay attention to my footing. The sound of rushing water became stronger.

This was now unexplored territory for me. If something had happened to me here, I would never have been found unless by USBP personnel or scent dogs. I came across an old mining site, with several rusted pieces laying under trees. The dogs romped around, I explored. This was actually a nice flat camping area with shade, and I soon spotted trash left by border crossers: sun-bleached plastic Electrolyte bottles, rusted tuna cans, plastic wrap and sun-bleached backpacks burned by the sun. I had nowhere to place any trash and left it all there (sadly). I didn't spot any mine tailings. What was this site once used for? I saw two creeks diverging from two directions. This was a nice area to rest and turn around. How far had I hiked? Maybe three miles one way?

I made this area my turn-around spot, but not before walking around and exploring the saddle. I spotted a rockwall further upstream, with more rusted metal and trash here. Tall grass swayed here in the sun. I was high up, perhaps around 7000', and closer to Lutz canyon than Ash. I think I even saw the tailings of the upper Bear mine. It was very peaceful here, and I regretted not bringing a GPS.