We had a red flag warning, but the canyon kept most of the wind out. We didn't feel the wind until we were on the Huachuca Peak trail, that last mile to the rocky peak.
We started at 9:20am and parked off Garden Canyon Road on Fort Huachuca. Parking here versus the abandoned campsite 1.2 miles up the road in McClure canyon adds 2.4 miles, making this an eight-mile hike that took us 5.5 hours: 3.5 hours going up and two hours coming down. This section is not a good introduction to the hike as it's an ankle twister and exposed to the sun.
I was the slow one in the group. This is not an easy hike at all, and I knew this before we started. I should have had a decent breakfast before doing this hike. Even SteveD noted I was very slow today. I even considered turning around once we hit Pine Park, but then I knew that having a guide would be easier for them as the trail is hard to follow at times. I kept repeating the mantra from Lethal Weapon, "I'm too old for this shit!"
The access road to McClure canyon and the road from the old campsite is mostly uneven rocks and not good for ankles or paws. It also gets steep once you head away from the campsite and head uphill. I told Steve and Jeong that the trail begins right before the waterfall (which was dry today) that it gets more scenic once we are in the steep forest.
The trail work that some members of the Huachuca Hiking Club did two years ago remains. There were now only two snags in the way, dead trees that had recently been felled by strong winds. They were only minor obstacles as we were able to bend down under the first tree and walk around the second one. The bright pink markers, though, had faded. Only two remained blowing in the wind.
The trail itself is not used as much as other trails in the Huachucas. This trail is totally on Fort Huachuca and access is restricted. Steve said this was a brutal trail that felt more like a game trail. Some switchbacks past the narrow canyon were hard to follow. Luckily I knew the way and Steve and Jeong waited for me at every unknown turn.
The peak itself is fascinating from a geological standpoint. Fossilized corral are embedded in the rock, indications that this peak was once under water. Wild onion grow here under the shade of Ponderosa pine, the only place I've seen wild onion grow in the Huachucas. I pointed out both fossils and wild onion to my co-hikers, and every time Jeong would enthusiastically cry out "Oh wow!" They were both good hiking partners.
We didn't stay long on the peak. The winds were gusting too much, so we moved away from the scenic edge and had our water and snacks closer to the old fire tower look-out foundation, which burned in 1977. The plaque that was carried up to the peak by some soldiers years ago is now cracked in one corner.
We met one young mountain biker coming up that last mile on his bike. I had never seen a mountain biker up this tough road. He said he started from Peterson Peak (7912') off the Arizona Trail on the western side of the Huachucas and was heading out to the peak. Amazing! He did somehow manage to enter the post through a weakness in the post boundary fence.
The hike down was the same route going back up. That's when I realized this is a steep trail, when one looks down and sees the grade. Jeong slipped a few times with near falls, but none of us took a fall. We all did slide some, and Zeke and Sadie were so close to me by then that their bodies would unintentionally push me forward. SteveD later confessed that another hiker in the meetup "hates Zeke because he pushes his way to me." This is why I prefer being in the rear when with a group, so that my dogs don't bother others. I wish that hiker would have told me about Zeke so I could have prevented Zeke from being a "bully" as he said.
The end of the hike was rather uneventful. Jeong was up front, walking with confidence. We gave each other high fives for tackling the peak. This is my third peak over 8000' in three weeks; I don't need to bag any more for April. Sadie and Zeke did fine today and rested well the rest of the day. When I drove over to Susan's later to introduce her to Hans, Sadie wanted to stay home and rest.
I ended up having a nice visit with Susan. It was intended as a meet-and-greet with Allie, to see how she would behave around a puppy. Susan has toyed with the idea of getting a second dog, a playmate for Allie. All the dogs played independently and Hans was running around on the green grass chasing after the big dogs. The big dogs sniffed Hans but otherwise were disinterested. In the end Susan decided not to get another puppy, and she admitted she didn't want Allie to think she was less important than a new dog. Allie is a rescue dog that has come a long way in the 18 months Susan has had her.
I took a bad fall while running after Hans in Susan's yard. I seemed to have tripped on the uneven flagstone and barely fell on the little guy. My fall so close to him did startle Hans, but he was otherwise fine. I did crack my phone's glass, though. Hopefully it's just the screen protector. Got me a nice bruise on my right hip, too.
Susan told me her stories of growing up in Birmingham, England with German Shepherd Dogs. "I wasn't raised by my mom, I was raised by German Shepherds!" and she shared her experiences with her first dog, Lilly, who was put down when Susan was seven years old. The dog had developed epilepsy and her grandfather ordered her destroyed. "I never spoke to my grandfather again because he killed my dog." she said.
Hans ended up sleeping in bed with us without any accidents. I guess I lost that war of teaching Hans to use a crate at night. Kevin really loves the little boy.
***
Global cases: 2,325,615
Global deaths: 162,333
US cases: 742,677
US deaths: 39,271
Arizona cases: 4724
Arizona deaths: 180
No comments:
Post a Comment