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| Hiking | 19.00 Miles |
5,000 AEG |
| | Hiking | 19.00 Miles | 31 Hrs | | 1.00 mph |
| 5,000 ft AEG | 12 Hrs Break | | | |
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| no partners | | This mission was to hike Sheep Mountain and inspect the damage within the Sunflower Fire Perimeter.
According to the Tonto Mesa District Office, the Peeley and Mormon Grove Trailheads are closed to motor vehicle access, though it looked like the old Route 87 has been reopened, judging by all the cars that were down there.
The best route into the burn zone is FR 25A past the Sunflower Mine, then either take trail 86 or go up McFarland Creek.
The fire damage in the region ranges from moderate to severe, though soil erosion is a problem throughout. The West Fork of Sycamore Creek and McFarland Creek are now buried under tons of sand and debris, and heavy flooding cleared out much of the stream side vegetation. Hiking this section of the Maz country has never has been easier, the creeks are cleared, chaparral reduced, and the ravines have become thoroughfares paved with soft gravel.
The scrub oak and Manzanita have already started to make a comeback, sprouting up from the charred remnants, some having grown three feet in just a few short months. I was pleased to discover that many of the big ponderosas along McFarland Creek have survived, and the popular camp site at Trail 88 received little damage.
I took a couple of detours on the way up Sheep Mountain looking for hiker Joe. With the chaparral cleared, the hillside can be scoped with binoculars to good effect, and obstructions are few. The ravines had already been walked, so I did a couple of parallel tracks across the south face in 100' increments, and then took a ridge up to the summit. No luck, though.
Made it home looking like I had just worked a 10 hour shift in a coal mine, covered in black soot from head to toe. |
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Autumn Foliage Observation Light
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Wildflowers Observation Isolated
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West Fork Sycamore Creek |
Medium flow |
Medium flow |
| | | Much of the creek is filled with sand and gravel, but the water is flowing and accessible just about everywhere. | | _____________________
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