Daily Miles: 24.2, Total Miles: 174.3 It was a nice day up Turkey Creek which flowed intermittently all the way up the canyon. Exited onto a 4WD road climbing a ridge with impressive views of the Santa Teresa Range and upcoming Pinaleno Mountains. I dropped into Four Mile Canyon and tanked up on water at the BLM campground and strolled into Klondyke. Took a few pics, said hello to some horses and headed east on Klondyke Road. I turned northeast…
Daily Miles: 15.2, Total Miles: 150.1 Mrs. Haze and I set out into the Aravaipa Canyon Wilderness about 7:30am on a day the high temperature was expected to be in the mid-90’s. We quickly got to the ankle-deep, cool creek and headed upstream. The canyon walls got higher and higher providing good shade further helped by towering cottonwoods and Arizona sycamores. Although not much of a trail, it wasn’t difficult to navigate and you do get your feet wet! Along…
Daily Miles: 3.1, Total Miles: 134.9 We had a fabulous five days in Charleston SC for my mother-in-law’s 85th birthday. It was made extra special by my sons’ families and 5 grandchildren, 3 months to 7 yrs old. Beach time, carriage tour of old city, southern cooking and lots of seafood and beer. Easily gained back everything I lost so far. We drove out to Aravaipa Canyon today and I did the three-mile road walk from the ranger station to…
Daily Miles: 8.9, Total Miles: 131.8 The motel owner gave me a ride back to Aravaipa Road. She said I was the first GET hiker she has seen this year. Walked past the Central Arizona College and up the road for two miles before turning northeast on a jeep track. I eventually exited into a dry wash that got narrower and narrower and wetter and wetter. My progress was temporarily halted at a small box canyon. I managed to find…
Daily Miles: 16.3, Total Miles: 122.9 Already regretting not staying for a breakfast burrito, I said farewell to Sequoia and set my sights on Antelope Peak on a crisp, clear morning. I contoured around the peak through a thick cholla forest and scared up a herd of javelina – they split into two streams and disappeared into separate gullies. I hiked down to Beehive Wash and Putnum Wash – got water there on my AZT hike but passed this time…
Daily Miles: 21.6, Total Miles: 106.6 A good climb up to a high point in the Tortilla Mountains then down to Ripsey Wash. I got water at the “black pipe” tank and continued on the AZT/GET through a relatively flat yucca-filled desert all the way to the Freeman Road TH. The Catalinas Mountains are now prominently in view. Not the most interesting day as far as hikes go but I got through several podcasts. Sequoia, the trail angel keeping the…
Daily Miles: 20.0, Total Miles: 85.0 I made a note to myself last night to find out if bobcats can meow similar to house cats. That’s what I heard several times from my tent – I doubt a feral cat would be way out here. I refilled water bottles from Walnut Creek and headed down the wash, through the Narrows and joined the AZT at the Gila River. On the way, I skirted around a dead coyote and a dead…
Daily Miles: 16.7, Total Miles: 65.0 I wished young Clovis well on his AZT hike and was on my way by 9am. A gentle climb up Alamo Canyon with Picketpost Mountain in full view. I gave way to a few mountain bikers but surprisingly saw only a few hikers. As the morning went on, it got increasingly more cloudy and blustery and even looked like it may rain. I topped up my water bottles at the public water cache near…
I had quite a leisurely day in Superior. I wandered down to Los Hermanos of breakfast and met my first fellow GET hiker, Rain Man. Back to the motel and met six more AZT hikers. Wow, when I hiked the AZT in 2012, I only saw two other thru-hikers in 800 miles. I managed to arrange a return to the TH tomorrow with Rusty. A later start than I would like but a sure thing and avoids a long wait…
Not in a rush so a rare two cups of coffee morning. Much warmer last night and supposed to be hot and windy today and tomorrow. Good timing for a ZERO! On the way down the hill, I surprised a large herd of mule deer, 14 in total, single file, running, jumping and hopping across the trail. Saw three more before I reached US Hwy 60. Traffic was fast as I started down the highway towards Superior. A van soon…
