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From Highlands to Grasslands by jacobemerick  Overview Surprisingly diverse trail that samples a wide range of Mazatzal environments, from the manzanita and pine highlands to prickly grasslands. The first few miles were damaged during the Sunflower Fire - otherwise, much of the area is untouched and rather enjoyable. This trail is part of several great loops and destinations (Copper Camp Loop, Plateau Overlook, Sheep Creek Cabin, Davenport / Sears Loop) and is rarely done in its entirety. Hike Southern end of the trail continues the AZT after Saddle Mountain Trail leaves for a short, aimless loop through some old mining territory. Heading north, Sheep Creek Trail crosses a small drainage, follows the side of a ridge, and then drops sharply down into McFarland Canyon. At the base of this drop there is a pleasant campsite nestled under towering pines, complete with a nearby water source. These .6 miles are well-maintained, offer good views, and is easy to follow, but this is where Sheep Creek Trail leaves the AZT and heads west to more rugged lands. The route is still trackable even if it isn't maintained to the same degree as the start. It stays along the banks of a rocky tributary, slowly gaining ground, while the surrounding landscape begins to show more signs of wildfire damage. There are three crossings to navigate before reaching Squaw Flat Spring at 1.3 miles, the final one almost on top of the overgrown corral and cement trough that mark the site of the old spring itself. The next few hundred yards may be easier to navigate by simply jumping into the tributary and walking that up. An unsigned junction with Copper Camp shows up at 1.5 miles. The trail takes a sharp right here and climbs up the hill, switching back and forth with sharp twists. A reward at the top is a great view of Saddle Mountain to the south and Sheep Mountain to the north. Then, a tree-lined rocky creek shows up a short distance later, marking the boundary of Sunflower Fire, and the rest of the trail stays outside of any burn areas. For a while the tracks bounces up and up some hills, climbing up an annoying distance for a 'flat', before it hits the drop-off at 2.2 miles and offers jaw-dropping views of the western Mazzies. Now it's time to drop down into Sheep Creek. Over the next .8 miles the trail plummets a thousand feet over sharp switchbacks, with only a small hillock reprieve near the middle. Much of the hillside here is mature manzanita with a few small trees. At the base is a rocky tributary to Sheep Creek surrounded by tall pines and deciduous trees. The trail sticks to the west bank for a short distance before crossing a few times, though the crossings are not always easy to make out. If in doubt there is always the rocky creekbed that can be used as an ad-hoc route. Near 4.4 miles there is some signs of an old corral on the east bank - by this point the trail has fully committed to the east side and the forested banks have transitioned to brushy grassland. Round Spring and the site of Sheep Creek Cabin show up on the main fork of Sheep Creek at 5.1 miles. The remains of the cabin are a bit east of the trail, and there are some cool knick-knacks still floating around the area. This is the point the trail leaves the creeks behind and hauls up a short hill and is poorly defined. At the top there is a rather intact corral... The junction of Sheep Creek Trail and Sears Trail is near the northwest corner, and while the sign may be difficult to find, the corral makes for a decent marker. From here the trail swings north and heads up to a small saddle, drops a short distance, and then follows along the hillside further north, dropping slightly as it swings in and out of a few little drainages. The cairns and tread here are small and hard to make out, often competing with game tracks for the easiest way forward. At 6.1 miles it makes a sharp turn downhill and follows a ridgeline composed mostly of rolling rocks to the tributary below. After a quick crossing and back the trail stays on the west bank, which gets increasingly more choked with catclaw, before passing an overgrown corral, crossing Bear Creek, and then hauling up a short ridge. On top of the ridge the last obstacle comes into view - the conflux of Mazatzal Wash into Davenport Wash. To drop down to this point the trail first makes a quick twist to the right in order to use an east ridgeline. At the bottom of the ridgeline there is a quick crossing of Mazatzal Wash, then an overgrown jog to skip the conflux, and then another quick crossing of Davenport Wash. The trail follows the bank for a short section before climbing up the long hill towards Rock Spring. The final few dozen yards is a fun, rolling trek, and then the junction with Davenport Wash Trail shows up. From here it is over nine downhill miles to Sears Trailhead or less than two uphill miles to Club Cabin. Water Sources McFarland Spring sits near the southern end of the trail. There are a few spots along the tributary to Sheep Creek that may have water, between the spot the trail first meets it and Sheep Creek Seep, plus Round Spring and the cabin area. Club Spring is the most reliable source beyond the northern terminus. Camping McFarland Spring has the most established campsite, sitting right along the AZT. There is a clearing near Squaw Flat Spring and several potential sites along the tributary to Sheep Creek. Round Spring, and the old cabin site, have a few pleasant spots. North of that the best campsite is probably Club Cabin beyond the end of the trail. Check out the Official Route and Triplogs. 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WARNING! Hiking and outdoor related sports can be dangerous. Be responsible and prepare for the trip. Study the area you are entering and plan accordingly. Dress for the current and unexpected weather changes. Take plenty of water. Never go alone. Make an itinerary with your plan(s), route(s), destination(s) and expected return time. Give your itinerary to trusted family and/or friends.
Most recent of 16 deeper Triplog Reviews
Sheep Creek Trail #88
AZT Trail: Picketpost to Pine
I was kind of looking to see where I was at for another big trek this summer and Karl was looking to experiment with a lighter weight higher mileage backpack, so I proposed Picketpost Mountain, or the beginning of section 18 of the Arizona Trail to Pine and the end of section 26 of the Arizona Trail. Karl was down for four days and had a somewhat flexible plan for ending his trip when he needed to. Meanwhile, I was about 50-50 if I could do the entire hike and was content with just seeing how far Karl and I could get and then playing the rest of my trip by ear, or I should say by body.
Day 1: 29.92 miles 6268 aeg
We made it to our planned first night's campsite on day one, Walnut Spring. Section 18 really exceeded my expectations. This is about the best time of year to be walking though that desert right now and Whitford proved to be a real treat with the flowing water and abundance of green. The climb was grueling and relentless but it offered some very solid views of the area and was really made manageable by liberal use of switchbacks. Karl was so confident with our performance at that point in the day that he insisted we bag Montana Mountain while we were up there. I agreed, but only because I was born in Montana and I said it had to count it as our break. Reavis Ranch looked like Daytona Beech and I had not apprehensions about making the short trip past it to my cozy little campsite at Walnut Spring. Got to Walnut just at headlamp time. Blew through camp chores, made a fire, ate and got to bed as soon as we could.
Day 2: 25.67 miles 6392 aeg
We came up a little short on our proposed campsite on this day, but the hiking was great so no worries. No stranger to the Eastern Supes, but Sunday still offered me all new areas after Two Bar Ridge. Cottonwood Canyon was great! No shortage of water in there and some cool little sites in this random little riparian jungle in the far corners of the northwestern Supes. A little bit of road and then it was the traverse from hell along the 188 waiting for that damn bridge to come into sight. From the bridge it was up the stairway to heaven. Where fittingly we had a trail angel waiting for us with tons of snacks and H20. After our sugar, hops, and caffeine binge at Mills Ridge we decided to just push for Buckhorn Creek. However, on that side of Four Peaks, pushing for a few extra miles usually entails a nice chunk of aeg as well, so we earned it. I did find a set of Indian ruins though along the way, so that was cool. We were both excited to learn that after carrying all that fresh water from Mills Ridge, there was water flowing in Buckhorn Creek. Oh well no filtering to do, quicker camp set-up, quick fire and in bed even earlier than previous night.
Day 3: 31.24 miles 5239 aeg
Day three was all new ground for me. Four Peaks makes you work, but alas the beauty of nature is enhanced by the ardor of the journey. I really enjoyed this section, an instant new favorite! I hiked through perhaps one of my nicest sunrises in a long time and marked several rock pile sites along the trail for future exploring. This section just kept getting better for me as we neared Four Peaks and started contouring towards Pigeon Spring. The lingering and previous snow had some of the creeks flowing nicely along this stretch and the trail got very nice as we approached its end. The road felt a little like Mad Max with the amount of Jeeps, trucks and atvs out. However, I must say not one negative experience with any driver and I do not think I have been offered as much water in such a short amount of time as I was along that 11 mile stretch of road. One guy asked, "is there anything else I could give you?" I said I could use some sunscreen and he offered up the whole bottle. The hike down into Sycamore was also very nice, again a great time to be in the lowlands, a little water, some flowers and green. However, it was hard to appreciate at times with the fatigue and anxiety over coordinating a last minute drop off of some additional things I felt I needed, if I was going to have any chance of reaching Pine. The drop and pick went smooth, a small adventure, but relatively smooth. We did not get an ideal spot to camp, but spirits were high after our resupply.
Day 4: 24.7 miles 6297 aeg
This was the day Karl and I would be saying our goodbyes. Karl decided on a Peely exit and I would push on to Bear Spring from there. More new trail for me to start the day and again I was not disappointed. The canyons on the way up to Saddle Ridge were picturesque, there was a lot of water and signs of some pretty extensive trail work in spots. I will admit things got a little dicey after we left the quaint McFarland Spring area, but we endured. The trails definitely need some work in there. I found myself kind of embracing the ruggedness and challenge the area presented. However, I could see that area becoming another hiker's hell if they were not expecting it. Karl and I parted at Peely. Losing Karl sucked, as he and I had a good thing going the first few days. Karl was keeping our pace in the areas where I tend to day dream and I was doing what I could do to keep us at a respectable place for some of the more stout climbs. But no time to dwell, I was solo now and needed to reach Bear Spring, just another 2000 feet of aeg and a shade under ten miles. There is no sense harping on the point, but the Divide Trail is getting nasty along there and I did make it to Bear Spring before head lamp conditions, but I was obliterated from that last little push from Peely. I replaced Karl with another Carl at Bear Spring. I am going to assume he spells his with a C. Anyways, I ran into Carl, better known as Spiced Rum on HAZ. He was on the final night of a backpack to gather some information for future work in the area. We chatted it up for awhile and I am not ashamed to admit I took some extra snacks from him. He was leaving a day early and I could not believe the amount of food I was going through on these long days, so I had no problem taking the charity. Superb stuff too, some great dried fruit, trail-mix and a Rice Crispy treat. Good guy all around and a source of wealth on some other major trails that I am interested in. And what a nice little spot to camp near Bear Spring, that saddle is great, I see why toughboots is fond of the place.
Day 5: 26.9 miles 4051 aeg
This was my make or break day. I had my city creek trailhead bailout option if needed, or I was pushing for the East Verde via the dreaded Red Hills and making my final push for Pine from there. The divide trail has its ups and downs, both in terrain and condition, but overall it was pretty smooth going. There is a section of Divide Trail that is now immaculate from about the intersection with Brody Seep to the intersection with Barnhardt. Kudos to that trail crew. I stopped for way too long to soak my legs and filter water and then realized I was looking at about ten more miles to include the worst part of the Red Hills and it was nearly three. My rational side said, "set up camp here, hike out LF or Saddle Ridge tomorrow," however, my other side said, "quit making excuses and finish the original plan." I am not sure what it was, but I was really dreading the last half of the Red Hills. Out of paranoia of being too exhausted to complete the entire section and having to dry camp somewhere I carried way too much water. This weighed me down and annoyed me even more as several of the creeks and main valleys I crossed had running water in them. As it turned out, while my worries were warranted, I did just fine and to be honest felt the area did not seem as bad as it had before and I must give props to the horse(s) whose tracks I followed through the entire Red Hills section, a doable stretch, just may require more time and detail. Camped at the Verde where I was serenaded to sleep by cows, frogs, chickens, maybe peacocks, cats and perhaps even a species of monkey. A very lively river at night.
Day 6: 23.08 miles 4329 aeg
This was the one I was waiting for, the "easy" day. A nice early start, I don't think there is a better place to be in the world than a half hour before light in the mountains somewhere, just pure serenity. There were ankle breakers abound on this day of Whiterock and Hard Scrabble. A nice steady pace was all I tried to keep and I followed a liberal break plan, as I crawled into Pine. The final two sections were not my favorite, but they were also the last two sections of a 160 mile trek so they would have had to have been perfect to really capture my imagination. Nevertheless, I got through both of them and endured the lava rock tread and bland road. I did find the last few miles to be more redeeming with the scenic Oak Spring and Bradshaw tank area. It was a reunion at the trailhead with Jackie and the pups, Del Taco and then home.
Final Notes
I need to work on a better nutrition plan for these big ones. I simply did not bring enough caloric energy for the type of days I was doing and the amount of energy I was putting out. I need to go healthier and more efficient, just a good lesson to learn.
Karl played a huge role in getting me through those first four days, very glad to have him through there, he was missed later.
A good song to have stuck in your head while hiking is Passion Pit, "Take a Walk."
I can definitely go lighter on these ones too, I packed light, but by no means did I make any attempts to go ultra-light. In the future, that may be needed to knock out some of these more ambitious multi day treks.
The hardest days by far were Day four with its nearly 7000 feet gained and day five with its 27 legit miles through the Mazzies without as much as a foot of road relief until the very end.
Wildflowers
About normal to not so great, to really good in spots. Most action in the first few sections though.
Day 1: 29.92 miles 6268 aeg
We made it to our planned first night's campsite on day one, Walnut Spring. Section 18 really exceeded my expectations. This is about the best time of year to be walking though that desert right now and Whitford proved to be a real treat with the flowing water and abundance of green. The climb was grueling and relentless but it offered some very solid views of the area and was really made manageable by liberal use of switchbacks. Karl was so confident with our performance at that point in the day that he insisted we bag Montana Mountain while we were up there. I agreed, but only because I was born in Montana and I said it had to count it as our break. Reavis Ranch looked like Daytona Beech and I had not apprehensions about making the short trip past it to my cozy little campsite at Walnut Spring. Got to Walnut just at headlamp time. Blew through camp chores, made a fire, ate and got to bed as soon as we could.
Day 2: 25.67 miles 6392 aeg
We came up a little short on our proposed campsite on this day, but the hiking was great so no worries. No stranger to the Eastern Supes, but Sunday still offered me all new areas after Two Bar Ridge. Cottonwood Canyon was great! No shortage of water in there and some cool little sites in this random little riparian jungle in the far corners of the northwestern Supes. A little bit of road and then it was the traverse from hell along the 188 waiting for that damn bridge to come into sight. From the bridge it was up the stairway to heaven. Where fittingly we had a trail angel waiting for us with tons of snacks and H20. After our sugar, hops, and caffeine binge at Mills Ridge we decided to just push for Buckhorn Creek. However, on that side of Four Peaks, pushing for a few extra miles usually entails a nice chunk of aeg as well, so we earned it. I did find a set of Indian ruins though along the way, so that was cool. We were both excited to learn that after carrying all that fresh water from Mills Ridge, there was water flowing in Buckhorn Creek. Oh well no filtering to do, quicker camp set-up, quick fire and in bed even earlier than previous night.
Day 3: 31.24 miles 5239 aeg
Day three was all new ground for me. Four Peaks makes you work, but alas the beauty of nature is enhanced by the ardor of the journey. I really enjoyed this section, an instant new favorite! I hiked through perhaps one of my nicest sunrises in a long time and marked several rock pile sites along the trail for future exploring. This section just kept getting better for me as we neared Four Peaks and started contouring towards Pigeon Spring. The lingering and previous snow had some of the creeks flowing nicely along this stretch and the trail got very nice as we approached its end. The road felt a little like Mad Max with the amount of Jeeps, trucks and atvs out. However, I must say not one negative experience with any driver and I do not think I have been offered as much water in such a short amount of time as I was along that 11 mile stretch of road. One guy asked, "is there anything else I could give you?" I said I could use some sunscreen and he offered up the whole bottle. The hike down into Sycamore was also very nice, again a great time to be in the lowlands, a little water, some flowers and green. However, it was hard to appreciate at times with the fatigue and anxiety over coordinating a last minute drop off of some additional things I felt I needed, if I was going to have any chance of reaching Pine. The drop and pick went smooth, a small adventure, but relatively smooth. We did not get an ideal spot to camp, but spirits were high after our resupply.
Day 4: 24.7 miles 6297 aeg
This was the day Karl and I would be saying our goodbyes. Karl decided on a Peely exit and I would push on to Bear Spring from there. More new trail for me to start the day and again I was not disappointed. The canyons on the way up to Saddle Ridge were picturesque, there was a lot of water and signs of some pretty extensive trail work in spots. I will admit things got a little dicey after we left the quaint McFarland Spring area, but we endured. The trails definitely need some work in there. I found myself kind of embracing the ruggedness and challenge the area presented. However, I could see that area becoming another hiker's hell if they were not expecting it. Karl and I parted at Peely. Losing Karl sucked, as he and I had a good thing going the first few days. Karl was keeping our pace in the areas where I tend to day dream and I was doing what I could do to keep us at a respectable place for some of the more stout climbs. But no time to dwell, I was solo now and needed to reach Bear Spring, just another 2000 feet of aeg and a shade under ten miles. There is no sense harping on the point, but the Divide Trail is getting nasty along there and I did make it to Bear Spring before head lamp conditions, but I was obliterated from that last little push from Peely. I replaced Karl with another Carl at Bear Spring. I am going to assume he spells his with a C. Anyways, I ran into Carl, better known as Spiced Rum on HAZ. He was on the final night of a backpack to gather some information for future work in the area. We chatted it up for awhile and I am not ashamed to admit I took some extra snacks from him. He was leaving a day early and I could not believe the amount of food I was going through on these long days, so I had no problem taking the charity. Superb stuff too, some great dried fruit, trail-mix and a Rice Crispy treat. Good guy all around and a source of wealth on some other major trails that I am interested in. And what a nice little spot to camp near Bear Spring, that saddle is great, I see why toughboots is fond of the place.
Day 5: 26.9 miles 4051 aeg
This was my make or break day. I had my city creek trailhead bailout option if needed, or I was pushing for the East Verde via the dreaded Red Hills and making my final push for Pine from there. The divide trail has its ups and downs, both in terrain and condition, but overall it was pretty smooth going. There is a section of Divide Trail that is now immaculate from about the intersection with Brody Seep to the intersection with Barnhardt. Kudos to that trail crew. I stopped for way too long to soak my legs and filter water and then realized I was looking at about ten more miles to include the worst part of the Red Hills and it was nearly three. My rational side said, "set up camp here, hike out LF or Saddle Ridge tomorrow," however, my other side said, "quit making excuses and finish the original plan." I am not sure what it was, but I was really dreading the last half of the Red Hills. Out of paranoia of being too exhausted to complete the entire section and having to dry camp somewhere I carried way too much water. This weighed me down and annoyed me even more as several of the creeks and main valleys I crossed had running water in them. As it turned out, while my worries were warranted, I did just fine and to be honest felt the area did not seem as bad as it had before and I must give props to the horse(s) whose tracks I followed through the entire Red Hills section, a doable stretch, just may require more time and detail. Camped at the Verde where I was serenaded to sleep by cows, frogs, chickens, maybe peacocks, cats and perhaps even a species of monkey. A very lively river at night.
Day 6: 23.08 miles 4329 aeg
This was the one I was waiting for, the "easy" day. A nice early start, I don't think there is a better place to be in the world than a half hour before light in the mountains somewhere, just pure serenity. There were ankle breakers abound on this day of Whiterock and Hard Scrabble. A nice steady pace was all I tried to keep and I followed a liberal break plan, as I crawled into Pine. The final two sections were not my favorite, but they were also the last two sections of a 160 mile trek so they would have had to have been perfect to really capture my imagination. Nevertheless, I got through both of them and endured the lava rock tread and bland road. I did find the last few miles to be more redeeming with the scenic Oak Spring and Bradshaw tank area. It was a reunion at the trailhead with Jackie and the pups, Del Taco and then home.
Final Notes
I need to work on a better nutrition plan for these big ones. I simply did not bring enough caloric energy for the type of days I was doing and the amount of energy I was putting out. I need to go healthier and more efficient, just a good lesson to learn.
Karl played a huge role in getting me through those first four days, very glad to have him through there, he was missed later.
A good song to have stuck in your head while hiking is Passion Pit, "Take a Walk."
I can definitely go lighter on these ones too, I packed light, but by no means did I make any attempts to go ultra-light. In the future, that may be needed to knock out some of these more ambitious multi day treks.
The hardest days by far were Day four with its nearly 7000 feet gained and day five with its 27 legit miles through the Mazzies without as much as a foot of road relief until the very end.
Wildflowers
About normal to not so great, to really good in spots. Most action in the first few sections though.
2016-03-12 friendofThundergod
Sheep Creek Trail #88
Saddle Mtn / Peeley Loop
Loop hike with Kyle & Claire. We headed for the Peeley Trailhead and saw Hank and the rest of the HAZ crew who were remembering GPS Joe. We also saw FOTG and the dogs. We took our lunch and then returned to our trailhead passing the Sunflower Mine. Along the creek we saw a large pack of Coatimundi.
2015-11-14 John9L
Sheep Creek Trail #88
Mazzie Mine Mega Loop
Met up with Kyle for a lasso loop in the Mazzies. We've talked about this hike going back a year or two. I did some jeeping in the area back in 2006 and I was looking forward to returning on foot.
We started hiking at the Cross F Trailhead and followed the AZT trail northward. It was nice going with steady uphill. We continued on and split starting our loop as we headed to the northeast towards the National Mine. I was curious to see the area after they removed the Sunflower plant. We got down there and found they cleared most of the debris off the site. The large turbine is still there and the foundation. Kyle has a photo posted.
After the mine we continued north and took a lunch before connecting to the Cornocopia Trail. This led us away from the creek bottom and we eventually reconnect back onto the AZT. From there we were cruising back and decided to take a quick detour to see if anything remained at the Story Mine. Kyle and I both scoped out this area ahead of time looking at maps and satellite images. We made a short loop of this area and didn't find anything excect for catclaw and manzanita. It was borderline misery with lots of colorful language used by both of us!
From the Story Mine we made a straight shot back to the trailhead. We took one final break a few miles out and then finished our return. Along the way back we got a good look at the trail work done by the AZT Volunteers. They did nice work thank you to all!
We started hiking at the Cross F Trailhead and followed the AZT trail northward. It was nice going with steady uphill. We continued on and split starting our loop as we headed to the northeast towards the National Mine. I was curious to see the area after they removed the Sunflower plant. We got down there and found they cleared most of the debris off the site. The large turbine is still there and the foundation. Kyle has a photo posted.
After the mine we continued north and took a lunch before connecting to the Cornocopia Trail. This led us away from the creek bottom and we eventually reconnect back onto the AZT. From there we were cruising back and decided to take a quick detour to see if anything remained at the Story Mine. Kyle and I both scoped out this area ahead of time looking at maps and satellite images. We made a short loop of this area and didn't find anything excect for catclaw and manzanita. It was borderline misery with lots of colorful language used by both of us!
From the Story Mine we made a straight shot back to the trailhead. We took one final break a few miles out and then finished our return. Along the way back we got a good look at the trail work done by the AZT Volunteers. They did nice work thank you to all!
2014-04-19 John9L
Sheep Creek Trail #88
This year’s Copper Camp Loop went off pretty good. This time we stayed on the right side of the Copper Camp creek for as long as we could before crossing at the actual camp. I think it was easier than zig-zagging in the creek.
We made the long climb up Cypress ridge to the lunch spot. As we finished eating Joe turned on his used car salesman's charm and starting talking about an easier shortcut. The shortcut would cut at least a mile and 500 feet AEG from the hike. There might have been mention of a soda machine along the way. Joe had me at 500 less climbing.
We were told there was a false ridge, but Joe claimed it was good looking ridge after that. I agreed if there was no climbing involved. Well after the 3rd or 4th rock pile I put on the climbing gloves. The terrain turned nicer once we started to descend a bit, there were trees and dirt. The ridge line wasn't that bad. We pop-out almost exactly where the Sheep Creek trail pulls out of the creek bed. This was nice not to deal with the cat-claw fields. Karl and Joe did a great job scouting out the way up and down the Cypress ridge. We never hit any big drops. One interesting note is that we found a cairn about 2/3 of way across Cypress ridge.
The shortcut across the ridge actually added about 700 feet to the AEG
!
It was a fun hike with some new territory and good company. It was nice meeting Bruce.
We made the long climb up Cypress ridge to the lunch spot. As we finished eating Joe turned on his used car salesman's charm and starting talking about an easier shortcut. The shortcut would cut at least a mile and 500 feet AEG from the hike. There might have been mention of a soda machine along the way. Joe had me at 500 less climbing.
We were told there was a false ridge, but Joe claimed it was good looking ridge after that. I agreed if there was no climbing involved. Well after the 3rd or 4th rock pile I put on the climbing gloves. The terrain turned nicer once we started to descend a bit, there were trees and dirt. The ridge line wasn't that bad. We pop-out almost exactly where the Sheep Creek trail pulls out of the creek bed. This was nice not to deal with the cat-claw fields. Karl and Joe did a great job scouting out the way up and down the Cypress ridge. We never hit any big drops. One interesting note is that we found a cairn about 2/3 of way across Cypress ridge.
The shortcut across the ridge actually added about 700 feet to the AEG
!
It was a fun hike with some new territory and good company. It was nice meeting Bruce.
2014-03-29 topohiker
Sheep Creek Trail #88
My first hike with topohiker Ken and why not start it off with one of his classics, the Copper Camp Loop.
07:30 Start - Mormon Grove TH
09:30 - 5 miles in to my cache spot at 87/88 intersection.
A pleasant stroll on Saddle Mountain #91 and Sheep Creek #88 (also AZT-22).
The birds were chirping, butterfly's fluttering and the Temps are perfect.
Big views from up here. Down in McFarland Canyon area, where the AZT splits off to the Thicket Spring Trail #95. There was plenty of pooling to filter from.
10:00 - 6 Miles in to begin the drop to Copper Canyon Camp (5,450' - 3,100')
This was my favorite part of the hike. (Mile 5 to Mile 9).
The views were killer. Lion Mountain looks to be an Interesting destination... Been up on top of that one Richard?
12:00 - 9.25 - 10.25 Miles Medium to thick Cat claw starts
You run into another Riparian area in this section. Also the worse Cats Claw you'll encounter... but it's short-lived.
12:30 - 10.25 miles in, start to climb to lunch on Cypress Ridge (3,100' - 4,900')
The first 2/3's of this climb is not too bad. The last 1/3 took it out of me.
14:15 - 12 miles in, lunch
Pretty lunchtime views, and the Sales Pitch for the "Short Cut" begins.
14:40 - Start the 3 miles across Cypress Ridge to Sheep Creek #88
Nobody said No. It wasn't bad or scary... just a lot slower going than anyone planned.
Views were killer. Ken found new stains and cuts on the tops of his shoes that he had not noticed before. This was a variation of Ken's Loop that I don't think he'll be doing next year.
18:00 - 15.3 Miles in, back on a trail again (Sheep Creek #88)
I remember this from the last time back here. This trail gets a bit steep in places.
19:12 - 17 miles in, back to the Cache spot at the intersection of trails 87/88.
I'd been running low and actually Ken loaned me half a Gatorade. We all filtered water at my cache spot. I guzzled a liter. Temps were now cool at 54.
A five mile walk back to Karl's truck couldn't end quick enough.
21:23 - 22 Miles, back at the Mormon Grove TH
A short Video
http://youtu.be/OOWFc2-AdVQ
Great meeting you Ken.
Thanks for Driving and the Barley Pop Karl!
07:30 Start - Mormon Grove TH
09:30 - 5 miles in to my cache spot at 87/88 intersection.
A pleasant stroll on Saddle Mountain #91 and Sheep Creek #88 (also AZT-22).
The birds were chirping, butterfly's fluttering and the Temps are perfect.
Big views from up here. Down in McFarland Canyon area, where the AZT splits off to the Thicket Spring Trail #95. There was plenty of pooling to filter from.
10:00 - 6 Miles in to begin the drop to Copper Canyon Camp (5,450' - 3,100')
This was my favorite part of the hike. (Mile 5 to Mile 9).
The views were killer. Lion Mountain looks to be an Interesting destination... Been up on top of that one Richard?
12:00 - 9.25 - 10.25 Miles Medium to thick Cat claw starts
You run into another Riparian area in this section. Also the worse Cats Claw you'll encounter... but it's short-lived.
12:30 - 10.25 miles in, start to climb to lunch on Cypress Ridge (3,100' - 4,900')
The first 2/3's of this climb is not too bad. The last 1/3 took it out of me.
14:15 - 12 miles in, lunch
Pretty lunchtime views, and the Sales Pitch for the "Short Cut" begins.
14:40 - Start the 3 miles across Cypress Ridge to Sheep Creek #88
Nobody said No. It wasn't bad or scary... just a lot slower going than anyone planned.
Views were killer. Ken found new stains and cuts on the tops of his shoes that he had not noticed before. This was a variation of Ken's Loop that I don't think he'll be doing next year.
18:00 - 15.3 Miles in, back on a trail again (Sheep Creek #88)
I remember this from the last time back here. This trail gets a bit steep in places.
19:12 - 17 miles in, back to the Cache spot at the intersection of trails 87/88.
I'd been running low and actually Ken loaned me half a Gatorade. We all filtered water at my cache spot. I guzzled a liter. Temps were now cool at 54.
A five mile walk back to Karl's truck couldn't end quick enough.
21:23 - 22 Miles, back at the Mormon Grove TH
A short Video
http://youtu.be/OOWFc2-AdVQ
Great meeting you Ken.
Thanks for Driving and the Barley Pop Karl!
2014-03-29 The_Eagle
Sheep Creek Trail #88
Copper Camp - Cypress Ridge Loop
Ken's annual Copper Camp Loop with a twist. Everyone enjoyed the hike heading down. Ken wanted to stay out of the creek this year and attempt to follow the trail on the right. A hearty maintence crew would need to reestablish it as the creek environment has swallowed the old trail.
Hiking up and off-trail to Cypress Ridge is always a blast. Once there the dreary task of descending and going around the ridge is at hand. I mentioned riding the ridge out as an alternative for a future year. Shockingly the idea turned to this year and no objections surfaced.
The ridge was a bit longer than anticipated. Karl & I thought it was nifty. Ken & Bruce didn't share our enthusiasm. The constant low key scrambling was not their style. Karl & I waited and admired views with greater consistency across the ridge. Unfortunately Ken never really got to see the incredible views as he was concentrating on the terrain. Karl & I recalculated our options several times along the way. While I regretted ever suggesting the ridge, it all worked out.
Back on trail we started up the monster ascent back to the trailhead. While the hike had varied reviews I enjoyed the diverse company of the group. I look forward to finding a balance of terrain we all can enjoy!
4 quarts
Hiking up and off-trail to Cypress Ridge is always a blast. Once there the dreary task of descending and going around the ridge is at hand. I mentioned riding the ridge out as an alternative for a future year. Shockingly the idea turned to this year and no objections surfaced.
The ridge was a bit longer than anticipated. Karl & I thought it was nifty. Ken & Bruce didn't share our enthusiasm. The constant low key scrambling was not their style. Karl & I waited and admired views with greater consistency across the ridge. Unfortunately Ken never really got to see the incredible views as he was concentrating on the terrain. Karl & I recalculated our options several times along the way. While I regretted ever suggesting the ridge, it all worked out.
Back on trail we started up the monster ascent back to the trailhead. While the hike had varied reviews I enjoyed the diverse company of the group. I look forward to finding a balance of terrain we all can enjoy!
4 quarts
2014-03-29 joebartels
Sheep Creek Trail #88
Hmm where to go 
Ah I know the Mazatzals 
Mormon Grove TH along Saddle Mountain trail to Potato Patch then off trail. The plan was to go down Tournament Creek to Saddle Mtn Spring, there used to be a route down here but no evidence now. Potato Patch is a nice meadow but no spuds. I got to the upper end of Tournament creek about half way to the spring and gave up - too overgrown and brutal bushwacking. I went back to the trail and continued to McFarland Canyon, up to the Sheep / Copper junction and then back to the TH.
Even though I didn't get to Saddle Mtn Spring I had a great day with perfect weather.
Ah I know the Mazatzals
Mormon Grove TH along Saddle Mountain trail to Potato Patch then off trail. The plan was to go down Tournament Creek to Saddle Mtn Spring, there used to be a route down here but no evidence now. Potato Patch is a nice meadow but no spuds. I got to the upper end of Tournament creek about half way to the spring and gave up - too overgrown and brutal bushwacking. I went back to the trail and continued to McFarland Canyon, up to the Sheep / Copper junction and then back to the TH.
Even though I didn't get to Saddle Mtn Spring I had a great day with perfect weather.
2013-10-05 mazatzal
Sheep Creek Trail #88
This year’s (8th annual) Copper Camp loop was ~9 miles longer due to the locked gate. We saw fire damage from the Mormon Grove TH all the way to the Sheep Creek / Copper Camp intersection. Joe had it right with "BBQ Loop". The silver lining to the fire is that now you have longer views into the area. I could see new areas that I couldn't before. It also helped by reducing the route finding in McFarland canyon.
This year we found 2 bed frames and barrels next to the Copper Camp creek. We spent a little more time in the Copper Camp creek bed than other years. There was an awesome cool wind blowing as we climbed Cypress Ridge. We did a great on the off-trail. The route was slightly modified and we had no issues. The temps were very agreeable for most the day. It was a bit warm on the lower section of the Copper Camp loop.
Good hike with good company. 4 people started and 4 people finished!
This year we found 2 bed frames and barrels next to the Copper Camp creek. We spent a little more time in the Copper Camp creek bed than other years. There was an awesome cool wind blowing as we climbed Cypress Ridge. We did a great on the off-trail. The route was slightly modified and we had no issues. The temps were very agreeable for most the day. It was a bit warm on the lower section of the Copper Camp loop.
Good hike with good company. 4 people started and 4 people finished!
2013-04-08 topohiker
Sheep Creek Trail #88
The Cheops daily double left me psyched on life and extremely exhausted. After missing Ken's annual CCL I couldn't let this year slip away. With FR25 still closed from the 2012 Sunflower Fire 9.6 miles was added to access.
#87 and the off-trail to #88 was new territory for myself. After an unexpectedly nice pine stroll on #87 the views looking down towards Lion Mountain are stellar. Like my first Four Peaks adventure (the southern terminus of the Mazatzal range) the feeling was refreshingly uplifting.
There is some bushwhacking and more serious catclaw on this loop. Typical lightweight nylon/poly hiking pants provide enough protection. Nothing required gloves.
We were blessed with perfect weather. It only felt hot during our lunch break at the low point sitting in full sun. I dipped my spare shirt in the creek and joined Dave1's Blanco Diablos for the off-trail hike up to Cypress Ridge. My ears were cold and I was chilly at times.
Based on everything I heard from Fan, she really wanted a longer hike. It was great to meet Mike and finally hike with Ken.
Upset black-tailed rattlesnake & a young gopher encountered in midday heat. One mylar balloon. Consumed almost 4 quarts, Mike downed 7-8!
Wildflowers
Gooding's Verbena, Primrose, Southwestern Lewisia, Annual Townsend Daisy, Desert Phlox, Gilia, Wiry Lotus, Bluebonnet Lupine, Desert Globemallow, Blue Dicks, Desert Mariposa, Fairy Duster, Banana Yucca, Eaton Penstemon(?), Desert Chicory, Mexican Gold Poppy, Arizona Grape, New Mexican Thistle, Western Wallflower, something white I couldn't id, lots of unknown yellow patches
#87 and the off-trail to #88 was new territory for myself. After an unexpectedly nice pine stroll on #87 the views looking down towards Lion Mountain are stellar. Like my first Four Peaks adventure (the southern terminus of the Mazatzal range) the feeling was refreshingly uplifting.
There is some bushwhacking and more serious catclaw on this loop. Typical lightweight nylon/poly hiking pants provide enough protection. Nothing required gloves.
We were blessed with perfect weather. It only felt hot during our lunch break at the low point sitting in full sun. I dipped my spare shirt in the creek and joined Dave1's Blanco Diablos for the off-trail hike up to Cypress Ridge. My ears were cold and I was chilly at times.
Based on everything I heard from Fan, she really wanted a longer hike. It was great to meet Mike and finally hike with Ken.
Upset black-tailed rattlesnake & a young gopher encountered in midday heat. One mylar balloon. Consumed almost 4 quarts, Mike downed 7-8!
Wildflowers
Gooding's Verbena, Primrose, Southwestern Lewisia, Annual Townsend Daisy, Desert Phlox, Gilia, Wiry Lotus, Bluebonnet Lupine, Desert Globemallow, Blue Dicks, Desert Mariposa, Fairy Duster, Banana Yucca, Eaton Penstemon(?), Desert Chicory, Mexican Gold Poppy, Arizona Grape, New Mexican Thistle, Western Wallflower, something white I couldn't id, lots of unknown yellow patches
2013-04-06 joebartels
Sheep Creek Trail #88
It was a chilly 28 when we started but not too bad. I really like the variety on this one with great views along Saddle Mtn, some nice trees in McFarland and the great views along Copper.
The cat claw was pretty bad down in Copper Creek but when I came back I found it best to stay low and follow the cairns and not take the high route. I saw something black go crashing through the brush near the cottonwoods but I didn't investigate - perhaps a bear?
I struggled a bit climbing back up to Squaw Flat but made it eventually - I'm really glad I turned round at Copper Camp - definitely the right decision for me.
It was great to see Liz and Amy again and to meet Katrina, John, John, Wally, Ken and Fan.
Thanks to all - I had a really great day!
The cat claw was pretty bad down in Copper Creek but when I came back I found it best to stay low and follow the cairns and not take the high route. I saw something black go crashing through the brush near the cottonwoods but I didn't investigate - perhaps a bear?
I struggled a bit climbing back up to Squaw Flat but made it eventually - I'm really glad I turned round at Copper Camp - definitely the right decision for me.
It was great to see Liz and Amy again and to meet Katrina, John, John, Wally, Ken and Fan.
Thanks to all - I had a really great day!
2012-03-10 mazatzal
