Daily Miles: 17.8, Total Miles: 475.5 I set the alarm for the first time to get an early start – still dark at 5:15am! I was guided by volcanic rock cairns across Hardscrabble Mesa and followed a powerline for several miles through juniper and pinion pines. Had my last bit of food at picturesque Oak Spring Canyon and into Pine by 3pm. Staying at Rimside Grill and cottages (actually a double-wide). Very nice and the hot shower was wonderful! Green…
Daily Miles: 19.8, Total Miles: 457.7 A bright, sunny and warm day! I got water from snowmelt in the first canyon of the morning. I stayed fairly high up all morning hiking in and out of drainages in the Mazatzal foothills and descending into the Red Hills. Had to use GPS a few times after wandering off the trail – I’d like to say the trail was poorly marked but probably just not paying attention. Ended up bushwhacking back to…
Daily Miles: 17.8, Total Miles: 437.9 Cold, cold night – my water bottle froze solid inside my tent! The storm did move through last night but very crisp morning. I had to get to a 7,000 ft ridge so trudged through fresh snow for most of the morning. The snow really added to the beauty of this place. I saw two sets of bear tracks on top and coming down the mountain below Mazatzal Peak. I really enjoyed the incredible…
Daily Miles: 5.2, Total Miles: 420.1 It started snowing about 10pm last night and flurries all night and morning along with wind, thunder and lightning. I hunkered down in the tent, got some extra rest and read a book. Looked like the storm was breaking up so headed out in the afternoon. After getting to about 6,500 ft elev, the snow was blowing sideways in gale force winds. With some difficulty, I finally got the tent set up and ate…
Daily Miles: 16.8, Total Miles: 414.9 I headed to Sunflower and the culvert crossing under the highway, surprised a deer in the creek. I saw a road sign at Sunflower advertising a topless place – maybe a re-supply option? With steady climbs, I entered the Mazatzal Wilderness – looking forward to this part of the trail. Thick manzanita and mountain shrubs gave way to rolling grasslands and scrub oak. Impressive views and interesting, colorful rock formations as I skirted the…
Daily Miles: 20.0, Total Miles: 398.1 The wind howled all night. I topped up my water bottles at the spring and continued along the contour of Four Peaks. Great views and wild country! I hiked out at Pigeon TH and road walked nine miles on a high ridge covered with ponderosa pine and oak trees with expansive views of the Tonto Basin and upcoming Mazatzal Mountains. I eventually entered the Boulder Creek drainage and began a long descent to Sycamore…
Daily Miles: 17.0, Total Miles: 378.1 I started the day with a climb up on a ridge with the last view of Roosevelt Lake and entered the Four Peaks Wilderness. A nice couple at a TH at the end of a rough road offered some water. A good thing because Granite Spring up the trail was bone dry. The trail wound around the mountains at around 5,500 ft elevation. I felt like a billy goat perched on the side of…
Daily Miles: 12.4, Total Miles: 361.1 I slept in a bit later than usual. Got up and over the last ridges and descended into Cottonwood Canyon and got water at a nice spring. Had another encounter with a large rattler coiled up on the trail. I encouraged him to move but he just crawled into a hole on the edge of the trail. He was still rattling albeit a bit muffled. I plugged the hole with my hiking pole and…
Daily Miles: 16.8, Total Miles: 348.7 I slept well on a sandbar last night – just like a firm mattress! Probably the most challenging day so far with lots of elevations gains and losses on loose rock – forgotten how rugged these mountains are. I had to force myself to be cautious with an ankle that has a tendency to roll over. I re-filled water bottles at Reavis Ranch and Walnut Spring. If anyone finds the hiking socks I left…
Daily Miles: 19.6, Total Miles: 331.9 After two nights with Mrs. Haze in Tucson, I stayed at Superior’s Copper Queen Motel last night, clean and convenient. I should have known everything would be closed up Easter morning in Superior. Even the local Circle K was cleaned out of donuts. Got back out to the TH, crossed Hwy 60 and headed towards the Superstition Mountains. I came around a bend and hit the first rattlesnake with my hiking pole about the…
