Lutz Canyon trail to the Big Bear Mine (8034')

Lutz Canyon trail is the steepest but shortest route to Miller Peak. Bill asked if I were interested in hiking this trail today so I agreed. He's helped me get back on the trails again and for that I am grateful.

Zana was my hiking dog today. It was her turn

We agreed to meet at 6am at the trailhead. We both arrived at the same time to an empty parking area. It was sunny with a cool breeze.

It has been a few years since I hiked this challenging trail. The 2011 Monument fire totally changed this trail from shaded to exposed. Our lingering drought has made new growth here impossible despite the dry creek nearby. 

Zana started out enthusiastically but was visibly tired when we got to the mine 2.8 miles up the trail. She drank her quart of water and had a can of food and would have taken a nap had we allowed her.

This mine was always a popular campsite for bordercrossers. The shaft was full of plastic water bottles and black plastic bags. During the monsoon this mine floods, but today the mine and the entire mountain range was crispy dry. We could face another dangerous fire season as we have two months before any rain falls and our flora is dying.

The higher altitude here made the wind chilly. My hands got cold fast. I never took my flannel shirt off but Bill only had one long-sleeved tshirt. We didn't stay long here because of the wind. On a milder day I may have wanted to hike to the intersection with the Crest trail, another 0.7 miles higher.

The drought has kept any flowers from blooming. The one flower we spotted was on a bushel cactus

Brown Canyon loop to the slot canyon

 This  hike was Bills decision. I took Zana and she was excited to hike today. We met shortly before sunrise in the trailhead parking lot off Ramsey Road. We were the first cars.

It was 37F at the start. My hands were a bit chilled but when the sun rose high enough to warm me up, all discomfort was forgotten.

Zana was on leash for the first mile. I took her off leash once we were alone. She did beautifully! She healed right by my feet and sometimes Bills feet. I didnt put her back on leash until the return hike the last two miles when there were now people on the trail.

The goal of the hike was to show Bill the slot canyon just off the trail at the 3.5 miles mark, just before the trail switchbacks uphill. This is a shady box canyon with several cottonwoods and red maples that still had some autumn display. 

There was smelly stagnant water in the pool that Zana went right into. No water was trickling down the falls. The only trickling water was in the water trough at the Wilderness boundary.

We then continued another .6 mile to the upper falls. This area was also very dry. By now the sun was up high to shine some warmth on us. But I never took off my flannel overshirt.

We didnt stay long. We took a few selfies at the overlook and then resumed our return hike. 

We hiked seven miles in 3:20 hours

Bisbee 1000

 Mornings are getting warm again. The full moon had set and the sun had already risen. Bill and I met just before 6am. I brought Hansel.

Todays walk focused on finding new things and we found a few murals. Bill is gwtting into the artsy things and the biographies of the local artists. This is his latest passion.