Patio Peak with the HHC and Zeke

Distance: 6.5 miles

Elevation gain: 1500'

Significance: walking through an ocotillo forest and interesting conglomerate rock mounds; vistas

Today was the big day: I would lead members of the Huachuca Hiking Club to Patio Peak.  Weather was near ideal with temperatures 50F-67F during this hike and "mostly sunny" skies.

We were a group of 12: JimA, DougB, BarryD, SteveS, JohnS, BillC, GeneS, RodC, RyanD, couple Mike and MaryannL, Zeke and I. Most of us met at Frys and convoyed to the trailhead off Yuma Trail in Bisbee-Warren.  Mike and Maryanne met us there shortly after we arrived and we took off at 0740.  A resident of the area stopped us and asked where we were hiking to.  I told him "Patio Peak!" and he looked a bit puzzled.  "I've been to Black Knob" and walked off.  Black Knob is another peak further east of Gold Hill.

Zeke was jumping with joy to be on a hike again. Lately  I had been taking just the pups in the morning for their walk, giving Zeke and Sweetie time off.  Today he acted happy to be on the trail; my faithful hiking partner.

I led the group on the main road through the ocotillo forest, around the microwave dish tower and up the first rocky hills.  The ocotillo won't bloom for another month, so once again the main hues were light browns and beige. 

This was a first time for everyone in this group (hard to believe, with all the combined years of hiking)  so I was the bona fide leader who had to stay up front.  

I started with the route Susan and I took in late January, heading to the drainage around the south side of the conglomerate rock mound.  As expected, all the water had dried up save for a small pool suspiciously colored by bovine urine.  Zeke still drank from that water.

Once around the large conglomerate rock mound and 1.6 mile into this hike, we headed  in a more easterly direction with the saddle between Gold Hill and Patio Peak in full view.  The stockpond was now dry and dotted with cow patties, although no cows were in the area.

The next mile was straight up to the saddle, drudging up a steep and rocky quarter-mile before hitting level ground at the saddle.  We stopped at the saddle to let everyone catch up, some even gawked at the views of the hills further east, then we all continued up the final 0.8 mile to the peak where more new views awaited everyone.

Some people call this peak "Beer can Peak" after the tradition of drinking beer and then scattering them on the peak, or hanging the cans off a small shrub by two small solar panels.  I had picked up two old beer cans on this hike and found a third can at the peak.  Not liking litter in the wilderness, I packed the three cans in my bag so that the peak remains can-free moving forward.  

This was my third time in a year up this peak so my enthusiasm was not as strong as that of the others in the group.  I was focused on feeding Zeke and giving him his water.  A cool breeze refreshed us.  I still had my sweat shirt on and didn't take that off until the final mile.

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SteveS squealed with delight when he heard and saw a train churn on the Mexican side of the border moving toward Naco.  His grandfather had worked on the Pennsylvania railroad, he explained. I like the sight and sound of trains, too, and watched the sun reflection off the train caterpillar while eating my spicy chicken sandwich.

Twenty minutes later we were on our return hike, heading off the peak, then the saddle, then the treacherous 27% rocky slide down that hill before hitting tierra firma.  The vanguard stopped again at the stock pond to let the rear guard catch up before now taking the northern route around the big conglomerate rock mound.

And then I spotted the cows.  Big, black, beautiful cows standing right in the path we had to take.  I put Zeke on his leash before he spotted the Angus.He whimpered and pulled and wanted to herd in those cows.  The cows slowly backed away; even the horned bull relinquished his role as herd protector, and we all climbed up the last big hill on this hike without incident. 

It was now getting warm enough for me to shed my sweatshirt.  I'm glad the start time for this hike was pushed to 0700 instead of 0800.  This hike would have been less enjoyable in the heat.

It was here on the last big hill that I made a wrong move, taking the group 0.3 miles off course before I realized my mistake.  My Strava track had stopped tracking as well, confusing me even more.  A few whines echoed from the more senior hikers, but we did manage to all get back to our cars within 3:37 hours.

It was 11:41 when I took off, arriving at the Old Bisbee Brewing Company just as it opened.  Rod, John and Barry joined me as we enjoyed a beer each.  I had a tulip of Limey Hazy IPA, a very tasty IPA.  I normally prefer wheat beers, but this particular IPA is quite good. The upstairs patio was full of patrons by the time we left.  A man standing guard immediately claimed our table as we got up from our chairs.

I stopped at the Safeway in Bisbee to get all the dogs shank steaks to celebrate Sadie's 13th and Gretel's first birthday.  Sadie and Zeke got the biggest cuts. 

(My Samsung A70 phone's storage is currently full, so I could only take pictures with my more mediocre Motorola One phone.  This phone has great battery life, but takes awful photographs.)

https://www.strava.com/activities/4902075046