MRT Day 7: Old Trails and Dry Tanks

Daily Miles: 14.0, Total Miles: 89.7

I had another go at the water filling station and a fruitless search for my tent stuff sack that blew away last night. I got back on the trail, crossing Dry Beaver Creek with a few small pools upstream.

I got back on the Rim mostly via an old ranch/cattle trail. Pretty slow going but followed it well until near the top where I lost it and did my own scramble to the Rim.

I joined up with the Chavez Trail, an old wagon trail marked with rock basket cairns. The next five miles was along the edge of Woods Canyon through a scattered juniper and pinion pine forest.

I crossed I-17 at the Stoneman Lake exit and yogied 1.5 liters of water from a family in a big trailer rig. All the stock tanks I had seen up to this point today were empty.

I turned off on primitive dirt roads heading southeast – Cedar Tank had a bit of silty water. Crossed Rarrick Canyon and climbed up and around Table Mountain to my stopping point for the day. Large and quite full Mullican Place Tank. Definitely cattle action in the past but more recently an elk hangout.

Clear but gusty winds much of the day. However, as I lay here thinking about dinner, a light sprinkle has started.