DWTH Day 29: Swansea Wilderness

Daily Miles: 18.1, Total Miles: 428.4

I had to blow up my air mattress last night – must have a pinhole leak. Next time I have access to a bathtub, I’ll find the leak and patch it.

I headed mostly west the first half of the day, first on a series of primitive roads and then up and down canyons through washes. In the interests of time and running low on water, I passed up a side visit to the historic Swansea copper mine site. Instead, I entered the Swansea Wilderness and proceeded back to the Bill Williams River farther downstream for some much needed water.

Finally finding an open spot along the bank of the now much smaller river, I decided to collect water without getting my feet wet. I took off my pack and crawled to the edge of the bank over some vegetation and dipped my bottle into the river. The bank suddenly gave way and I fell headfirst into the river, only three feet deep but I was dripping and spitting water. Quite the shock but refreshing on a warm day, even all alone, I had a good laugh.

I quickly entered the Buckskin Mountains to the northwest, first a long trek up a wash, then steeply exiting to a high point on a ridge with good views in all directions. The long ridge walk down was helped by burro trails.

My feet were really feeling it at the end, kind of like walking on stumps. I got down to the flatland near the now or mostly dry (I think) Bill Williams River and couldn’t find a campsite fast enough.