I was up early today. Kevin was already up at 3:10am when I joined him. My Skagen watch says I slept 6.5 hours and I did feel refreshed. I showered, had coffee, and left the house with Kevin (in our separate cars) to join Bill for our final early morning hike in Brown Canyon. Arizona teachers are still on a walk-out today and I took advantage of the free time.
We both drove into the parking lot at the same time and promptly got started, walking counter clockwise this time to catch the rising sun. I threw on my old Marmot rain jacket because of the wind (18mph). Sunrise was at 5:35am but we missed it, getting to the ranch house five minutes earlier and walking into the canyon with the sun now behind us.
This morning we had company along the trail. Another couple with their two dogs, Rudy and Raven, were ahead of us. The dogs were offleash and startled Zeke, but he soon ran with them along the trail. We eventually passed the couple.
We finished the 5.2-mile loop in 1:43 hours. I felt good afterwards.
Monday, April 30, 2018
Sunday, April 29, 2018
Carr Reef
I was five minutes late for our 5:15am meetup. Bill was already anxious. Zeke came along.
We started our hike at 5:31am, charging up the road for four miles. The road and parking lots were quiet. We were the first ones in for the day. The morning area was cool. Zeke jumped around me with joy.
This is the standard hike the Sierra Vista Meetup does on Thursdays (it used to be Tuesdays), walking up the road for 2.2 miles to the middle falls. Sunlight hadn't yet lighted up the flowers along the way. Wild geraniums are blooming on the north slopes in the shade.
A dead coyote, not even a year old, lay decomposing and stinking at the 2.5-mile mark. The forest service couldn't remove the carcass and give the animal some dignity?
We made it to the overlook in 1:35 hours. That must be a record! It's 4.6-miles one way. Winds were calm, too. I sat and ate a chicken sandwich, gave Zeke a cup of water, and then we resumed our return walk. Bill and I agreed that this 9.3-mile hike is the best training hike out there in our area. Would we do this more often? I would, if it weren't for the 5:15am morning start! I'm getting exhausted from these early morning wake-ups. We hiked for 3:10 hours, not including the ten minutes we were on the reef. The burn area from Thursday is very obvious from this vantage point.
I was back home just before 9am. What an accomplishment, to get so many miles in this early! But now I was tired and lay on bed. I napped for a half hour, watched another German movie, and at 5pm got ready for another hike with the dogs, this time a short full moon hike along the Clark Springs trail. This is only 1.5 miles long r/t from the trailhead. It was just long enough to give the dogs some roaming space away from any crowds.
That puts today's miles in at 10.9 miles.
We started our hike at 5:31am, charging up the road for four miles. The road and parking lots were quiet. We were the first ones in for the day. The morning area was cool. Zeke jumped around me with joy.
This is the standard hike the Sierra Vista Meetup does on Thursdays (it used to be Tuesdays), walking up the road for 2.2 miles to the middle falls. Sunlight hadn't yet lighted up the flowers along the way. Wild geraniums are blooming on the north slopes in the shade.
A dead coyote, not even a year old, lay decomposing and stinking at the 2.5-mile mark. The forest service couldn't remove the carcass and give the animal some dignity?
We made it to the overlook in 1:35 hours. That must be a record! It's 4.6-miles one way. Winds were calm, too. I sat and ate a chicken sandwich, gave Zeke a cup of water, and then we resumed our return walk. Bill and I agreed that this 9.3-mile hike is the best training hike out there in our area. Would we do this more often? I would, if it weren't for the 5:15am morning start! I'm getting exhausted from these early morning wake-ups. We hiked for 3:10 hours, not including the ten minutes we were on the reef. The burn area from Thursday is very obvious from this vantage point.
I was back home just before 9am. What an accomplishment, to get so many miles in this early! But now I was tired and lay on bed. I napped for a half hour, watched another German movie, and at 5pm got ready for another hike with the dogs, this time a short full moon hike along the Clark Springs trail. This is only 1.5 miles long r/t from the trailhead. It was just long enough to give the dogs some roaming space away from any crowds.
That puts today's miles in at 10.9 miles.
Thursday, April 26, 2018
Carr Canyon Road at sunrise; brushfire
Today is the first day of the Arizona-wide teacher walk-out. My school is closed for the rest of the week. What to do? Hike up Carr Canyon road at sunrise with Bill and Zeke to beat the heat.
Bill and I met at 5:15am in the Perimeter trail parking lot. We started our walk up the road at 5:32am. We were the first ones in the parking lot and on the road. There was no traffic. It was a cool, refreshing hike. None of us wore a backpack.
The big discovery today was seeing wild geraniums poking out of the rock wall along the road. Bill noticed them. I wouldn't have seen them otherwise. They looked past their prime.
We hiked six miles in two hours. Once we made it to the middle falls, we stopped just long enough for Zeke to drink some stagnant water and then walked back down the hill. We were back by our cars by 7:30 and then drove off to our homes. It's a rewarding feeling getting such a good workout done so early in the morning.
I was tired once I got home, though. I stayed indoors and watched a German movie on Amazon, shredded some junk mail and got the recyclables ready. At 3:10pm I drove north into town, but was immediately surprised by dark smoke and flames in the distance, right in the area where I walk the dogs. It looked like a control burn as there was no one actively fighting the fire. How long had that been burning? I hadn't smelled anything while in the back yard. Sheriff deputy cars were parked along the highway but no one was closing Ramsey Road or Avenida Saracino, the two west-east roads through the burn area. I wasn't too concerned and continued my drive toward very to check on Chip's cats.
Shelly was there. She had been tending to the animals every day. Chip is still in the hospital and no one knows when he is coming home. There are only two cats left, and the two remaining ones are the two most shy around people. Tending to the animals has worn Shelly out. We agreed to meet again Monday for a chat, as we were both pressed for time today. I hadn't planned on staying around for long. I hope to keep in touch with her even after the chapter about Chip and the cats is over.
I could see the fire still smoking as I drove back home at 5:30pm. The flames were out but now the roads were closed. I had missed all the serious action while in Tombstone. Kevin was released to go home, Hereford road was closed but no mandatory evacuations were issued. It turns out the fire was started by two teenage boys on private property on Calle Ceveza, just under two miles from our house. We all are lucky it wasn't very windy out when this all happened.
Bill and I met at 5:15am in the Perimeter trail parking lot. We started our walk up the road at 5:32am. We were the first ones in the parking lot and on the road. There was no traffic. It was a cool, refreshing hike. None of us wore a backpack.
The big discovery today was seeing wild geraniums poking out of the rock wall along the road. Bill noticed them. I wouldn't have seen them otherwise. They looked past their prime.
We hiked six miles in two hours. Once we made it to the middle falls, we stopped just long enough for Zeke to drink some stagnant water and then walked back down the hill. We were back by our cars by 7:30 and then drove off to our homes. It's a rewarding feeling getting such a good workout done so early in the morning.
I was tired once I got home, though. I stayed indoors and watched a German movie on Amazon, shredded some junk mail and got the recyclables ready. At 3:10pm I drove north into town, but was immediately surprised by dark smoke and flames in the distance, right in the area where I walk the dogs. It looked like a control burn as there was no one actively fighting the fire. How long had that been burning? I hadn't smelled anything while in the back yard. Sheriff deputy cars were parked along the highway but no one was closing Ramsey Road or Avenida Saracino, the two west-east roads through the burn area. I wasn't too concerned and continued my drive toward very to check on Chip's cats.
Shelly was there. She had been tending to the animals every day. Chip is still in the hospital and no one knows when he is coming home. There are only two cats left, and the two remaining ones are the two most shy around people. Tending to the animals has worn Shelly out. We agreed to meet again Monday for a chat, as we were both pressed for time today. I hadn't planned on staying around for long. I hope to keep in touch with her even after the chapter about Chip and the cats is over.
I could see the fire still smoking as I drove back home at 5:30pm. The flames were out but now the roads were closed. I had missed all the serious action while in Tombstone. Kevin was released to go home, Hereford road was closed but no mandatory evacuations were issued. It turns out the fire was started by two teenage boys on private property on Calle Ceveza, just under two miles from our house. We all are lucky it wasn't very windy out when this all happened.
Sunday, April 15, 2018
Carr Peak at sunrise with Bill and Zeke
Today was the big early morning hike. I had fallen asleep last night without setting the alarm, but luckily the bedside light woke me up with its brightness. It was 3:50am and I decided to get up then. I made coffee, fed the dogs, filled up my water bottle, packed some clementines (I love those on a hike) and took off at 4:50am for our 5am meetup at the lower Carr Canyon parking area. I got there at 5:03 and Bill arrived two minutes later. We drove up the mountain in my old truck and got started at 5:43am, making it to the intersection with the Carr Peak trail just as the sun came up at 5:51am.
Today's hike was unique in the lighting of the trees. This is only my third sunrise hike up Carr Peak. The first one was in June 2011, two days before the Monument Fire. The second hike was in June 2014 during the World Cup. I did that one with Ellen without any dogs because of the heat. Today I had Bill and he's always a pleasure to talk to.
Today's low sun gave the mountainside a different perspective of color and shade. One could actually see the damage from the 2011 more clearly: the eastern front was laden with large barren spots of dead trees. We walked right into the golden hue that the mountains have at sunrise.
I never took my fleece sweater off. It was 48F in town, but in the low 40s at the trailhead. My hands took a while to warm up. I figured once the sun came up and heated the ground, that I would take off my sweater, but I never got warm enough. The peak was quite cold and we only stayed on it long enough for Zeke to eat his lunch. Then we scampered back down, where we warned a group of three and later two men about the cool wind. One gal came up in a tank top with no windbreaker. Aiy!
One thing Bill and I noticed was the lack of wildflowers. We saw a few yellow ones, but nothing else. The buckwheat was blooming in the aspen grove and the trees were starting to bud. It seems rather late this year for the flora to sprout.
I never took my fleece sweater off. The wind picked up during our descent and my hands got cold again. Today's hike took us 3:17 hours for 5.65 miles. I was home by 9:30am and feeling drained. My laceration on my left thigh was hurting, both ankles were sore, and I felt drained. I wanted to nap when I got home, but I had to stay awake for the vaccine clinic at 1:30am. Sweetie and Minnie were due their shots. I got to the store at 2:20pm and waited an hour. The vaccines tired out both dogs and neither bothered me about going for their daily walk!
Sweety has really come out of her shell over the last few years. While she's always shy around strangers, she didn't seem too nervous today. Whenever I got near her face, she wanted to lick me. The doctor running the vaccine clinic today is from Bisbee and does house calls. She told me she remembers both Sweety and Minnie from last year. Both were well behaved. Minnie continues to gain weight and is at 93 pounds. I'd like for her to lose ten pounds.
Saturday, April 14, 2018
Hidden Pasture (Little Rincon Mtns; 7.6 miles)
Distance: 7.6 miles
Elevation gain: 1362'
Elevation: 3892 ' - 4885'
Trailhead: North on Mescal Road off I-10 (J 6 Ranch exit; drive ten miles on road. Turn off is on right. Cross creek and find trail. Trail is unmarked)
Significance: water holes, rock formations, isolation
I first did this hike in September 2014 when SteveA led it. My eyes were burning from a grass allergy and we never finished the hike because of me. That was also my first year of experiencing such severe allergies. I have gotten them in August every year since; some years are worse than others.
Today SteveA led it again, the weather was ideal and my eyes didn't burn. There were seven of us on this hike: SteveA, RodC, PaulP, JimA, Carol from Bedford, MA, Iroz from Alaska, and me with Zeke and Sadie.
The Little Rincons are east of the Rincons and north of Benson off I-10. Mescal Road and FR35 divide the ranges. The far eastern section of Saguaro National Park and several trails to the high peaks can be accessed here. These trails are not as busy as the western edge of the park. The prominent rocky outcroppings make this a hike best done in the winter and on cooler, overcast days. The trail begins with a nice ascent, along a high rim of a narrow canyon with seasonal waterfall. There was no water today falling and the pools looked dry.
Today's high was only in the upper 60s, the last day of the coldfront. We met early and started hiking at 7:53am, under some mountain shade. I quickly lost the group when I darted ahead during a stop so that I could pee. When I returned the group was gone and I accidentally took a left turn off the trail. Zeke led me back on the right way, but I scolded him when he kept wanting to run ahead of me. I realized two miles later that he was running toward the group! I decided to hike 3.5 one way and if I didn't find the group again, I'd just leave a note on their truck to let them know I did the hike safely.
The hike out to Hidden Pasture in the shade was ideal, but by 9am it warmed up enough to get both dogs warm. The trail is marked by cairns and can be confusing at times, especially after reaching the lower pools. Catclaw grows prominently here, snagging on pants and shirts, and is harder to follow. I wore my new EMS pants that now have snags everywhere. (Old jeans would have been better for this hike.) I did the best I could to retrace the hike route from 2015, which basically follows the pools up canyon. One can see Mount Wrightson from the higher hills. A lot of the smaller pools had dried up, but there were several smaller ones along the way. Zeke enjoyed paddling in them.
The trail up and down small, rocky hills goes generally in a northeastern direction for four miles. I was tracking the route with my hiking app. At the just under three mile mark, I found the group on a rim above me and quickly ran up to them. We stayed together for the rest of the hike.
SteveA told us today's route was the farthest he had gone in Happy Valley. The end of the hike is in this high valley, boxed in by several peaks. We found a shady spot near a waterfall and oak tree where the dogs had their round steak and I chatted with Carol and Iroz. Holly would have enjoyed meeting this woman, who moved to Kodiak Island in 1978. She and her friend Carol snowbird in Tuscon seven months out of the year.
I started sneezing while under the oak tree. Rod asked me if I had another allergic reaction. I didn't think I did (it's not that time of year for me), but my sniffles never went away for the duration of the hike. Maybe there is something unique to this area that I am sensitive to.
I ate my clementines in the shade and the dogs had their steaks. Both were exhausted. They were even more tired on the return hike, with warmer temperatures now heating up the rocks around us. Zeke's fur was very warm, and twice I pushed him into deep pools so that he could cool off. He hates getting dropped in the water, but the instant coolness cheers him up.
Rod was also getting warm and we took more shade breaks on the return hike. The hike took us almost seven hours (with breaks). This area would be an absolute delight after a heavy rain. Luckily we didn't encounter any snakes today, but I did take one straight-on fall on the return hike, tripping over a rock and landing on my thighs. I got a nice superficial laceration on my upper left thigh, but no heavy bleeding. My new EMS hiking pants didn't tear, either.
The group split up after the hike. Jim had to get home and Carol and Iroz needed to get back to Tucson. I followed Rod and SteveA up into Happy Valley, but I lost them as well. This was all new terrain for me that I need to explore another time. I turned around when FR35 became more narrow, just before a cattle gate that drivers can unlock. The dogs were getting too excited about the cows along the road, and when a rancher on his horse sauntered on by with his two dogs, my dogs got even more agitated. My phone listed Cascabel as the closest community.
I stopped briefly at Pulla's in Huachuca City, a family-owned taqueria that opened in town a year ago. I really like their food and their chicken burritos are muy sobreso. I picked up a carne asada plate for Kevin, but he was already asleep when I got home at 5:30pm. The house was quiet. Sweetie and Minnie were happy to see me, but I was too tired to go out again for another walk. My thighs were now starting to feel the workout they got today.
Eric texted me later on in the evening, asking me what the name of that huge brewpub off US101 was we stopped in for dinner back in July 2013. We were returning to AZ after a few days in Monterey, CA. That was the Firestone Walker brewpub in Paso Robles (I had to look that up because I failed to mention it in the blog here). He said he really liked that place and wants to go back there on a road trip when he's returned from his deployment next January. I'm glad he liked that road trip, and I'm glad he has some traits from me after all. I got my road tripping love from my father, who never seemed to shy away from getting in his car and driving for miles and miles to explore new places.
Elevation gain: 1362'
Elevation: 3892 ' - 4885'
Trailhead: North on Mescal Road off I-10 (J 6 Ranch exit; drive ten miles on road. Turn off is on right. Cross creek and find trail. Trail is unmarked)
Significance: water holes, rock formations, isolation
I first did this hike in September 2014 when SteveA led it. My eyes were burning from a grass allergy and we never finished the hike because of me. That was also my first year of experiencing such severe allergies. I have gotten them in August every year since; some years are worse than others.
Today SteveA led it again, the weather was ideal and my eyes didn't burn. There were seven of us on this hike: SteveA, RodC, PaulP, JimA, Carol from Bedford, MA, Iroz from Alaska, and me with Zeke and Sadie.
The Little Rincons are east of the Rincons and north of Benson off I-10. Mescal Road and FR35 divide the ranges. The far eastern section of Saguaro National Park and several trails to the high peaks can be accessed here. These trails are not as busy as the western edge of the park. The prominent rocky outcroppings make this a hike best done in the winter and on cooler, overcast days. The trail begins with a nice ascent, along a high rim of a narrow canyon with seasonal waterfall. There was no water today falling and the pools looked dry.
Today's high was only in the upper 60s, the last day of the coldfront. We met early and started hiking at 7:53am, under some mountain shade. I quickly lost the group when I darted ahead during a stop so that I could pee. When I returned the group was gone and I accidentally took a left turn off the trail. Zeke led me back on the right way, but I scolded him when he kept wanting to run ahead of me. I realized two miles later that he was running toward the group! I decided to hike 3.5 one way and if I didn't find the group again, I'd just leave a note on their truck to let them know I did the hike safely.
The hike out to Hidden Pasture in the shade was ideal, but by 9am it warmed up enough to get both dogs warm. The trail is marked by cairns and can be confusing at times, especially after reaching the lower pools. Catclaw grows prominently here, snagging on pants and shirts, and is harder to follow. I wore my new EMS pants that now have snags everywhere. (Old jeans would have been better for this hike.) I did the best I could to retrace the hike route from 2015, which basically follows the pools up canyon. One can see Mount Wrightson from the higher hills. A lot of the smaller pools had dried up, but there were several smaller ones along the way. Zeke enjoyed paddling in them.
SteveA told us today's route was the farthest he had gone in Happy Valley. The end of the hike is in this high valley, boxed in by several peaks. We found a shady spot near a waterfall and oak tree where the dogs had their round steak and I chatted with Carol and Iroz. Holly would have enjoyed meeting this woman, who moved to Kodiak Island in 1978. She and her friend Carol snowbird in Tuscon seven months out of the year.
I started sneezing while under the oak tree. Rod asked me if I had another allergic reaction. I didn't think I did (it's not that time of year for me), but my sniffles never went away for the duration of the hike. Maybe there is something unique to this area that I am sensitive to.
I ate my clementines in the shade and the dogs had their steaks. Both were exhausted. They were even more tired on the return hike, with warmer temperatures now heating up the rocks around us. Zeke's fur was very warm, and twice I pushed him into deep pools so that he could cool off. He hates getting dropped in the water, but the instant coolness cheers him up.
Rod was also getting warm and we took more shade breaks on the return hike. The hike took us almost seven hours (with breaks). This area would be an absolute delight after a heavy rain. Luckily we didn't encounter any snakes today, but I did take one straight-on fall on the return hike, tripping over a rock and landing on my thighs. I got a nice superficial laceration on my upper left thigh, but no heavy bleeding. My new EMS hiking pants didn't tear, either.
The group split up after the hike. Jim had to get home and Carol and Iroz needed to get back to Tucson. I followed Rod and SteveA up into Happy Valley, but I lost them as well. This was all new terrain for me that I need to explore another time. I turned around when FR35 became more narrow, just before a cattle gate that drivers can unlock. The dogs were getting too excited about the cows along the road, and when a rancher on his horse sauntered on by with his two dogs, my dogs got even more agitated. My phone listed Cascabel as the closest community.
I stopped briefly at Pulla's in Huachuca City, a family-owned taqueria that opened in town a year ago. I really like their food and their chicken burritos are muy sobreso. I picked up a carne asada plate for Kevin, but he was already asleep when I got home at 5:30pm. The house was quiet. Sweetie and Minnie were happy to see me, but I was too tired to go out again for another walk. My thighs were now starting to feel the workout they got today.
Eric texted me later on in the evening, asking me what the name of that huge brewpub off US101 was we stopped in for dinner back in July 2013. We were returning to AZ after a few days in Monterey, CA. That was the Firestone Walker brewpub in Paso Robles (I had to look that up because I failed to mention it in the blog here). He said he really liked that place and wants to go back there on a road trip when he's returned from his deployment next January. I'm glad he liked that road trip, and I'm glad he has some traits from me after all. I got my road tripping love from my father, who never seemed to shy away from getting in his car and driving for miles and miles to explore new places.
Saturday, April 7, 2018
Perimeter Loop trail (second time in a week!)
Bill and I lucked out today. We met on time at 5:45am, were on the trail three minutes later, and got to the first overlook ten minutes later. Sky was overcast, but the sun peeked out enough to add color to the scene. It was a refreshing 57F and I didn't need to wear a jacket. We were the first people in the parking lot.
The unique thing about today's hike was the overcast sky. It had been hot and dry all week, nary a cloud in the sky, so when the overcast didn't dissipate with sunrise, I knew something was up. I was expecting that cool morning sky to disappear and the heat of the day to take over once the sun came out. That never happened during our hike. It remained cool for the duration. I could have brought Sadie with me. I only took Zeke today and he held up fine.
This was Bill's first time doing this loop. He stayed behind Zeke and me for the entire hike, stopping to take photographs and enjoying the view. He is always great company, as he's a strong, steady hiker who enjoys nature as much as I do. He stopped a lot to take pictures, but he was never far behind.
I did the same loop as Monday. The only variation was a short detour to the Carr Ruins, a popular place for portraiture photography. I took as many photos of him as he did of me.
Pink penstemons have popped up everywhere this past week and they were along the trail today. They weren't up on Monday, so that was one difference in the two hikes. The other difference was the much smaller crowd size. We met one lone hiker during our hike, and came across one family getting ready to hike in the upper Miller Canyon parking lot. There were no campers along Miller Creek.
I felt much better on today's hike than on Monday's hike, most likely because of the cooler weather. I drank as much water as on Monday and did not get a headache. I didn't stop as much, either. I thoroughly enjoyed having Bill with me as we talk about the same things: nature, spiritual fitness, humanity. We can find a lot of similarities without talking about politics or religion.
Bill enjoyed this hike. He admitted that he hadn't hiked since last October when he hiked with me and his co-worker Ray in French Joe's Canyon! He's now stoked to do more hiking and we agreed to do the Bisbee 1000 Stairclimb next Thursday and Carr Peak next Sunday (the 16th). Now that he has more time in the day (he finally retired at age 67), he wants to stay in physical shape. I have found my match. The next time Ellen and I do a challenging hike, I'm sure Bill will be ready for it.
I was on my way home by 9:04am, a time when I'm normally finishing my last cup of morning coffee before heading out to hike. Now I was already done! That gave me the entire rest of the day to putz around. The sky finally cleared up by 11am. At 5:30pm I was out again with the dogs for another 3.2-mile walk.
Wednesday, April 4, 2018
Thompson Ridge in the morning
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Last night I accepted a shift at the night school for this afternoon/evening, freeing me to get out and hike early this morning. After my morning cup of coffee, I was ready to take on Thompson Ridge with all four dogs. I could have left even earlier had I not insisted on enjoying that first cup of coffee, or texting with Maria about a third cat she adopted from Chip this week, a chubby grey tabby named Minnie. (She and hubby Jeff are such wonderful pet parents.) With daytime temperatures creeping into the mid 80s this week, starting early is the only way to get some miles in before the heat of the day.
I got to the trailhead by 7:35am and immediately started up the trail. Most of the switchback was in the cool morning shade, making this steep grade easier for both Minnie and me. I was surprised I was the only human around. That's ok with me, because Sweetie is most comfortable with just me around. Her trail etiquette is getting better, but her need to dart ahead of me despite my commands to come back still reigns.
I felt good this morning. I made it to the saddle in under 40 minutes, and to a higher hill in 42 minutes. The sun on top was slowly warming the rocks around me. This hill, at 6724' was the high point. I went downhill another 1/4 mile before extreme narrow and rocky terrain prevented further safe stepping. I turned around and went down to the truck from here. It was already 70F when I got back to my truck. Today's high will be 81F.
I will try to make these early morning hikes more often now. Starting an hour earlier would be even cooler for all of us, without sacrificing light to hike up the rocky trail safely. The dogs had a half gallon of water among themselves at the top.
I wore my new Eastern Mountain Sports Compass Slim Pants that I got yesterday. I got grey pants, but these are so comfortable, soft and stretchy, I may get a few more in various shades. The pants are currently selling for $38.50 on the company's website. I don't normally mention brands on this blog, but these 88% nylon/12% Spandex pants are perfect for me. The zippered right side thigh pocket, the narrow leg sleeves and mid-waist are all things I like about these pants. I can hike, drive, squat down in a classroom with these pants on. The current asking price is also very affordable.
https://www.ems.com/ems-women%E2%80%99s-compass-slim-pants/28555300034.html
http://www.mapmyhike.com/workout/2801424475
Monday, April 2, 2018
Perimeter Loop Trail (8.2 miles)
I woke up this Easter Monday knowing I'll be hiking the Perimeter Loop trail. This is a combination of five trails: Perimeter Trail, unmarked Carr House trail, Carr Canyon Road, Clark Springs Trail, and Miller Creek Trail. Elevation gain is 1413'. The selling point of this hike are the views east into the valley, and the challenging terrain.
Kevin had to go to work, but I was off for the final leg of my Easter break.
I didn't even get on the trail until 7:41am. It was cool for me, but I could tell that both Sadie and Zeke were feeling the warmth. I hadn't done this hike in a few years and I was looking forward to seeing any changes.
There was water trickling in two of the drainages flowing east into the valley. Both dogs stayed close to me as I went northwestward on the Perimeter trail. At the 3.75-mile mark, I took an unmarked trail north for a half mile to the historic Carr House. We skirted the house and the creek and climbed up a short, steep grade to Carr Canyon Road and continued uphill for a mile. I rested here for 10 minutes. I was a little tired and both dogs seemed exhausted. I even felt another headache develop, a sign I was dehydrated. At this point, I wondered if I had bitten off more than I could chew. I was only half-way on the trail.
No one passed me by as I walked uphill on Carr Canyon Road. I was still two miles from the high point. It was in the low 70s and by now I could feel the warmth. I had been hiking three hours.
I didn't see any other people until I got close to Miller Canyon. Several people were walking the John Cooper bike trail below me, a trail that intersects with the Clark Springs trail. That's another trail I haven't done yet. The woman in the group complimented me for how well Zeke and Sadie had been.
I was glad to finally reach Miller Creek. Now the dogs could refresh themselves and cool off. Both finally showed an interested in drinking. The hunting dogs from Beatty's Orchard were barking ferociously at something nearby. Those dogs have free reign, but the Orchard owners don't realize those dogs sound menacing. If the couple wants people to use their Bed and Breakfast, they need to provide a safer environment.
The lower in elevation I got, the more people I met on the trail. One woman picked up her toy dog and I got off the trail to give her and the dog some space. I did that again for another family with a large Chocolate Lab. My dogs seemed nonchalant about either dog, but it's nice to let others know there is no danger.
I actually was relieved to finally be back at my truck. I would have enjoyed this more had I started right at sunrise. Instead, I procrastinated again and made it harder on all of us. Nonetheless, I got it done and feel a real challenge is complete.
An hour later I met Bill at the McDonald's south of town. He had always been active hiking and working out, but his job teaching middle school kids this year has kept him busy. It was nice to see him again. We chatted about school and we both agreed that too many kids these days don't care about their schooling. They just want to pass so they can graduate and live off Mom and Dad for another decade. I've definitely noticed a decline in the kids' effort since 2012.
We agreed to do this loop hike again this coming Saturday, right at sunrise. Temperatures are now hitting the upper 80s and will be in the 90s next week.
http://www.mapmyhike.com/workout/2797696019
Sunday, April 1, 2018
Miller Canyon
Today's romp turned out to be longer and more adventurous than planned. I had originally gone to this canyon to check out the creek in the afternoon. It was 3:20pm when we started walking. I took all four dogs, but there were plenty of cars and people in the lower canyon celebrating Easter. That meant I could not have my dogs offleash around other people, and had to go into stealth mode. This meant I stayed in little-used parts of the canyon, meandered off trail, and did a lot of bushwhacking. I'm not normally a fan of bushwhacking, but I discovered plenty of social trails ("illegal trails" made by border crossers coming over at night).
I had never been in parts of Miller Canyon before. Miller Creek Trail, which one can get via the upper parking area by Beatty's Orchard, goes as far east as the Foothills estate with its homes. I didn't go quite that far, but I did explore the creek and let the dogs play in the water. Minnie loves this part of being outside most. We could see the homes in the housing area. We don't normally get this far east. The ones bordering the national forest are actually smaller cabins nestles among the pinyon pines andFro oaks. The more stately ones are closer to the state road and clear of foliage so that they can be admired by passers-by.
From the creek I decided to get more remote and crossed Miller Canyon Road to head to the overlook along the Perimeter trail to gaze down into the San Pedro Valley. We crossed two drainages with water, rather unusual at this time, before reaching the rise. The tall grass hides the rocky terrain here, and I was aware to watch for snakes. The dogs were oblivious to any dangers. A faint game trail revealed that wildlife does come up this way to drink some water.
Sadie stayed by my side during this entire walk. Minnie was close by. Today it was Zeke's turn to run amok with Sweetie. Once we got to the overlook, Sweetie disappeared again, making me fear I'd find her days later at the notorious kill-shelter of Huachuca City. Perhaps this new area to her required her to smell everything and explore longer than my patience allowed.
I sat at this overlook for a while. How many times have I sat here to watch the moon rise, to watch hawks overhead, to gaze back over the mountains and admire the view? To the east are homes, vehicular traffic, and the vast valley. To the west are the towering peaks. All this beauty is just three miles by car from my house!
I saw a waterfall near the upper Perimeter trail, cascading down boulders. Is that Clark Falls? I steered toward that direction, hiking a short section of the Perimeter trail to get to a social trail off the main trail. The falls apparently are popular enough to create a trail to.
Getting injured here is not good, and I was aware of my footing. It's now warm enough for snakes. I'll come back here after a heavy rain. Once I made it this far up the falls, I realized I was a good mile from where I had parked. I took the dogs over the closest hill, then took Miller Canyon road back down to where I was parked. In my 14 years here, this is the first time I really explored the canyon. We had hiked 3.5 miles.
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