I wanted to check out the fire damage from the Knob Hill fire that ravaged the western Stronghold on the 10th. Just under 3000 acres were burned. Were the old-growth trees along the creek affected? I putzed around in the morning, as usual, before packing in the hiking dogs into my truck and taking off at 12:30pm for the Dragoons. I was still not feeling too well for a strenuous hike as I'm still getting stomach cramps, but a short exploratory walk I could do. The overcast sky and cool weather were ideal for a hike. I kept Sweetie at home.
I was just outside the city limits of Tombstone at 1:13pm when Sadie was getting restless. Did she have to pee, to poop, get water? Her loud whining sounded desperate fast so I pulled over at the first turnoff, which happened to be an old mining trail meandering around the hillside. What was meant to be a quick potty break turned out to be a 1.7-mile walk on a wide mining trail flanked on either side by much prickly shrubs. The road led past a red cross memorializing a deceased border crosser, past some mining equipment, an abandoned shack, and finally some old trucks at the intersection with South Victory Trail. I was on a high point here, with views back toward Sierra Vista and Tombstone.
I had never been on any of these paths here. Was I on private property, state trust land, or city land? There were several homes nearby off S Victory Trail, a dirt road that connects with many other abandoned mining trails. I want to come back here on another overcast day and explore some more. Today was meant to be for the Dragoons and that was still 90 minutes away.
Middle March Road still showed some muddy sections from our rains but the washes were dry and whatever mud had been there was already drying up. Forest Road 687 was wetter in comparison, and Slavin Gulch was flowing. The trailhead is seven miles to the end of the road and I didn't see major damage while on FR687. I didn't look close enough. When I turned east on FR 688, I could see the burned hillsides to my north. It looks like the fire started on the last ranch before the trailhead parking area, because the burn area got right up to the first pull-off on the left side. The sycamores and pines here, however, were untouched. What relief!
It was 3pm when I pulled into a spot to park and hike. To my surprise, all the other spots were taken. Perhaps so many were out here to see the damage as well. Several RVs were off the road camping by Council Rocks.
I knew I couldn't hike for long with such a late start, but I figured I'd make it to the pass two miles up the road. I wore my yellow rain coat over my red sweater in case it drizzled. We were barely on the trail when a young family came toward us, also with two unleashed dogs and a little girl. The dogs all behaved except for the other party's smaller black dog, which got Minnie excited. I stopped briefly to talk to the parents, whose little girl seemed so thrilled to be out camping. I wanted to chat with her longer, but Minnie started barking at her as well and getting closer to her, which put me on alert.
I only hiked as far as the seasonal waterfall. It was flowing nicely today, so I went off trail down to the water, down a short, steep, rocky grade. This is what the dogs really enjoy, and I know Minnie wants nothing more than to fetch sticks and splash around in water. I had been down here by the falls before, about five years ago, with a group from Tucson. I remember the falls came out by a wide bottom, but this one was narrow and rocky. Was there perhaps another falls further up the trail? This one was only a half-mile from the start.
.
This second hike was two miles long. We finished off with a half mile around the eastern burn perimeter. The charred ground was cool and damp from the rains. There was only a faint smell of charcoal. I didn't see any burned trees besides a few small mesquites. The agaves will recover by monsoon season.
It was on the drive out of the trailhead area and heading west that I could see the fire that swept north over the hills. One home barely escape becoming engulfed, as the fire swallowed the east side of a smaller hill. The charred grass contrasted nicely in the sunlight. The homeowners here were very lucky to have escaped damage.
The dogs seemed pleased and rested on the drive home. There were lots of cows grazing off the road, some even wore cowbells, but the barking dogs kept me from getting close for some pictures.
I didn't stop at the brewpub in Tombstone since I'm still under the weather. I got home at 6pm and the dogs all rested for the night.
I'm still not feeling 100%, but am glad I was able to see the fire damage and take the dogs out for a walk. What a shame that I'm under the weather when we are having our best hiking weather yet.
No comments:
Post a Comment