This was a fun three days and a great group. We got a late start with the two dogs on Friday and didn't make it to camp until just after dark. Luckily, they had the fire going for us already. Day two we hit Circlestone with some others from the group. Most of them went up Mound but we stayed and napped and lounged at the ruins for a bit before heading down. On the way back we ran into Chumley and Linda completing their hike and then 9L, Claire, and Karl who had dropped off their stuff after hiking in and were heading up Circlestone. Day three we headed back to the north. It turned out to be a just a little warm for the dogs on the way out. They both slowed down for the last few miles but they powered through like champs.

Fantastic weekend trip to Reavis Ranch! We had been out here back in January of 2014 from the north, so we decided to conquer the south side now that I have a more capable vehicle. IT took us about an hour to reach the US-60 and Queen Valley Road, then another hour and 15 to drive the dirt road up to Roger's Trough. I only needed the 4 wheel drive on the last big switchback, but it was a bumpy, rocky trip the whole way. We started hiking a little after 3:30 Friday afternoon and made it to the high point right before sunset. After a nice break by Chumley's apparently 'trademark' cairn, we started the last four miles down to the ranch in the dark. There was so much moonlight we did not need our headlamps but for one wrong turn, and a few creek crossings. We hit camp about 7 and said hello to the HAZ crowd around the fire, got my tent set up quickly and then onto some beer, dinner, and revelry. A group of us took off for Circlestone and Mound Mountain Saturday morning after a leisurely breakfast at camp. Circlestone was pretty impressive, but the views from Mound Mountain really made the whole trip. We could see all the way from the Mogollon Rim down to the Santa Ritas way to the south. Amazing to be on top of the Supes! We made the trip back to camp and started tracking down firewood for the night. Sunday morning we packed up at an easy pace, and then spent a good half hour trying to get apples out of the tops of the trees in the orchard. We were able to come up with a few for each of us, my kids were really excited to get a tasty souvenir once I got home. Really great to meet so many folks from HAZ, nice to put some names and faces to a number of folks I had chatted with online, and some others I had not met before.

What a great weekend.

Started a little later than we wanted on Friday. This did give us the opportunity to both see an amazing sunset and also do some moonlight hiking. I heard on NPR that the 11th was the closest approach (Perigee) but I could not verify that once I got home. Either way it was pretty bright on the way on even in the areas with tree cover. There were many camps but the area is so big that you wouldn't even know someone was there until you walked right up on them. We were able to easily locate the rest of the HAZ group however. An evening of introductions, much beer drinking, fire stoking and good times.

This was my first field test of my soda can alcohol stove. It worked like a champ, even after I stepped on it. It ended up being very light and boiling 2 cups in about 6 minutes. I brought 4 ounces of fuel and got 3 boils. I could have gotten a 4th if I had managed the fuel a little better. I will be making a few more and testing some designs I have seen on the entirewebs.

This was also my maiden voyage of my new hammock under quilt. Thanks to the kit from Ripstop By The Roll I saved myself some coin. It took about 4 hours of sewing and kept me as warm as I needed to be. My next venture is a down Sleeping bag. What I have now is by far my heaviest piece of gear.

Saturday morning we socialized, ate some breakfast and got on trail to Circlestone around 10:30. This is a beautiful hike with some pretty rewarding views. My hiking partners decided to explore Mound Mtn. I decided a nap in the grass was a much better prospect. The trip took them about an hour and a half. Plenty of time for napping.

Back at camp we again prepared meals, attempted to get sauced, and watched chumley aggressively burn through the 2 cords of wood we had gathered a short time before. BTW...Gloves...I bring them but forgot to use them. The only injury for me was from gathering wood.

The hike out was nice and I am glad the wind kept up most of the time. We stopped and saw the grave pile for old man Reavis. What a life. What a plot of land to have had. I did hit a wall about 2 miles from the trail head. We didn't stop for lunch and my snacks were packed away. My bad. It was a rough 2 miles. Can't wait for the next Backpack trip.

It was time for another Reavis trip and this one didn't disappoint. Karl, Claire and I drove up on Saturday morning and made the hike in arriving to a vacant camp around 1:30pm. Apparently everyone was out hiking! We started setting up camp and Wally showed up to say hi. He was doing a big loop out of Campaign TH. He hung out for a bit and then continued on. From there the three of us headed for Circlestone. Along the way we passed everyone making the return. We hit Circlestone and took a handful of pics and then started our return arriving back to camp right before sunset. The rest of the evening was spent relaxing around the campfire with the group.

Sunday started out slowly as the group woke and made breakfast. Everyone took their time and packed up camp over the span of an hour or so. One by one peeps started heading out. Some went out the south route while a group of six of us (Karl, Claire, Kyle, Nicole, Nathan & myself) went out the north. On the return Karl & I detoured along the Frog Tanks Trail and headed out the Plow Saddle Trail. It's a nice drainage but was completely dry even though there's Sycamores & Cottonwoods. We regrouped with everyone near the saddle and then headed back to the trailhead arriving around mid-afternoon.

This turned out to be another fun trip. It was great meeting everyone and good times around the campfire. Thanks for Chumley for organizing and thanks for Karl for driving!

Time for my last overnighter with Rick ---- O where to go ?? I say Reavis Ranch, been there, Rick hasn't, then do Circlestone, I haven't been there Well FOTG changed my mind and said throw in Mound Mtn. while your that close, I'll be there Saturday AM. Great plan, Rick was easy, said ok without much arm twisting 0910 was at our meeting place at Reavis and Fire Line, decided to go up a bit and stash our packs and just take up our waist packs up. Here comes FOTG and he brought along Linda and Blanco. Now I'm worried----- I got 3 of the top 10 mileage wise in front of me I gave Linda a and I she had a talk with the boys, so I wasn't to far behind when I reached Circlestone One benefit of being slow and steady and following everyone, is they broke the wall of Mazzies and gave me some small opening to follow, except when I couldn't see them because of the dense thickets, but I had Lee's Track downloaded onto my Garmin ( Rick's favorite thing to hike thru ) But if you want the special views and destinations you have to grin and bear it, or you'll never see anything. Glad to meet everyone and hope to see you again, and Blanco will never leave anyone behind, but that's how he was raised thanks to Lee.

Well, after getting help from hikearizona.com for several past hikes, I finally decided to sign up. I was searching for a description for a day hike to Circlestone, but was unable to find one, so I took information from several sources and took off on my own this past tax day, Friday, April 15th. The nearest trailhead that I could determine was the Campaign Trailhead. Todd's Hiking Guide had the best description of how to get to the trailhead (http://www.toddshiking...).
The Campaign Trail #256 heads south/southwest and follows the Campaign Creek drainage, gradually increasing in elevation. The route finding is typical of route finding in desert washes - look for cairns, look for trails across the stream bed, make mistakes, go off trail, rediscover the trail, etc. Scenery was great along the way and the views kept getting better as elevation increased. I heard several large animals in the brush, but never got a peak at one. There was lots of bear scat on the trail, so I imagine it was best I didn't encounter any of those large animals I heard. The Campaign Trail eventually intersects with the Fireline Trail at between 4 and 5 miles (my phone app showed 4.93 miles, but I think it was not quite that far). There is a beautiful camp spot here for those that would like to make this an easier overnight trip. The Fireline Trail #118 (there's a sign at the junction) heads west/northwest and climbs steeply (over 1000 feet in about 1.5 miles to the Circlestone cutoff). There is a large cairn and a well worn path headed south and uphill to Circlestone at this point (I think the unofficial name of the trail is the Allen Blackman Trail). This trail climbs another 600 feet or so in about a mile. Unlike many rock piles in Arizona, you know immediately when you've arrived here. Large rock walls 5-6 feet high along with other knocked down piles, arranged in a large (around 100+ feet) circle. I guess folks are still figuring out what this Circlestone site was used for; ancient native american weather station?, alien landing spot?, livestock corral? There are several online articles about it. Whatever the reason, the location is spectacular - incredible vistas in all directions. I'll try to post some photos once I figure out how....The hike back was nice as I was more able to enjoy the views without the lung busting climb up. I didn't see a single person on the trail until I got back near the trailhead where a couple of young women were starting out on a short backpacking trip. Overall it's a pretty tough, but doable dayhike for those in good shape and with some experience in route finding. Somewhere between 14-15 miles with around 3,000 feet elevation gain - half of it gradually and half of it in a 1.5-2 mile stretch approaching the ruin. I drove to the trailhead via Globe and SR188 and came back via the Apache Trail. Got some nice shots of Canyon Lake as the sun was setting - Much more enjoyable driving the Apache Trail after a hike like that than fighting traffic on US60 from Globe.

Mike

Wildflowers
Lots of wildflowers blooming; sage, cactus, iris, and several others whose names escape me...

both of these destinations have been on my radar
from reavis ranch, it's a relatively easy dayhike at least to circlestone
mound mountain takes a little more effort
haz members have a variety of interests: mines, ruins, birds, photography, critters
i like peaks, and don't mind a little off trail for a good summit
the highest point in the superstitions is a good summit
the four of us hiked up fireline, then the circlestone trail
the ruins are impressive, and i can appreciate the effort it took to build the walls
views from there are good, too
after wandering around a bit, wade and i headed for mound mountain
i had gpsjoe's track, and wade had a good track
we worked together to stay on one of the tracks, while seeking the path of least resistance
i had read about the manzanita bashing, and didn't think there was much at all
easy travel through the pine trees, then some scrub oak and other brush toward the top
a short piece on the ridgeline, and we were there
a 4x4 foot rocky high point, summit register and benchmark
stellar views of the superstitions
enough off trail that i was glad to have a partner and the gps tracks
thought the descent would be difficult, as it usually is for me, but it wasn't bad at all
back on circlestone and fireline, all downhill
my tenth new peak for the year and a good one
thanks for hiking this one with me, wade
pretty sure you enjoyed it as much as i did
i liked fireline, and want to see where it goes, along with some of the other trails in the neighborhood
found larry and mary jo back at camp, and had time to relax, snack on wade and mary jo's appetizers, explore up to reavis gap, and have a fire
nice evening

This was day three of our Superstitions adventure. The previous day’s backpack into Reavis made us appreciate hiking with just a day pack. The morning was cool and perfect for a good outing as we left our camp in Elisha Reavis’ beautiful valley. Circlestone was the group objective. Kelly and I had an eye to topping Mound Mountain as well. Was the first time on any of these trails for any of the four.

Fireline Trail was in good shape. Conversation was flowing nicely along the way. Everyone was in good spirits after a good night in camp and a great breakfast. (Triplog for the backpacking portion of the trip is here:http://hikearizona.com...).

Didn’t take long before we were headed up a surprisingly good trail to Circlestone. A bit before arriving at our destination there was a very nice fire ring in a perfect circle with a bit of flourish to its build. MJ asked if that was our destination, obviously underwhelmed.

Everything about Circlestone is impressive but simultaneously mysterious. The location provides amazing views, but what was the significance of this site? The stone works are large and obviously required great effort, perhaps multigenerational commitment, but to what purpose? The interior rooms and walls appear a bit random, but were they? One points towards Four Peaks, perhaps the home of the Great Spirit? Others seem to coincide with the sunrise and sunset of the summer and winter solstices, a Stonehenge-like calendar? The views extend all the way to the Phoenix Valley where Hohokam canals watered villages and crops, so visual communication via large fires? A bee landed on Larry’s arm and remained peacefully for 15 minutes. Was he attempting to give us answers or had he just found a cheap source of salt? Can I come up with other things I don’t understand about this place?

We all explored and took photos. Kelly and I kept looking up towards Mound Mountain, the highest peak in the Superstitions. Larry and MJ wanted no part of what would likely be a lot of bushwhacking to the summit. Kelly and I left them agreeing to meet back at camp later.

We both had tracks on our respective GPSs to keep us somewhat on track. Immediately I got us on the wrong side of the drift fence that extends out of Circlestone. Kelly gracefully slid under as I held the barbed wire up, me less so a few seconds later. We found a trace of a trail and made good time until we were about 700’ from the summit. A thicket of chest-high scrub oaks mixed with manzanita and other thorny things made going up tough. We took the path of least resistance where we could and finally hit the ridge a few hundred feet from the summit. We rock hopped most of the rest of the way to the obvious summit boulder arriving with a minimum of bloodletting.

Artists have not the brushes or oils to recreate the hues of landscape from this vantage. Poets possess not the words to convey the elation of sitting astride a mountain range of incredible austerity and rugged beauty. Film fails to capture the immensity of what lay below.

Modern humans build homes and cities and farms and factories in the valleys and plains. The level places feed our bodies and fills our needs. But the human spirit finds succor in the high places. We equate evil with low and godliness with high. While there are canyons I love and valleys that are beautiful, nothing is as exhilarating or as spiritual as pulling yourself up onto the summit of a remote mountain top. I’ve little doubt that the builders and maintainers of Circlestone came to the same place Kelly and I now found ourselves for exactly the same reason we ventured up here. We think we know more than they did, but we don’t. We simply know different than they did. We use GPS. They knew the land too intimately to ever have needed one. We know how large the world is. They knew the place they lived in minute detail; every plant, animal, noise, and season. But we both, then, now, and I suspect forever, are in awe of high places and the eternity of the view from there and the effect it has on your soul.

We took the obligatory summit shots and signed the register under FOTG. Kelly read off entries from the tattered register, many from HAZ, worthy adventurers all, with even a few who have gone onto perhaps higher places. We pulled out our lunch with Kelly taking her’s atop the summit boulder and for a while being the highest object in the Superstitions. Each of us pointed out landmarks known and ones we weren’t quite sure of. Four Peaks loomed. The backside of 5024 and the Flatiron and the Ridgeline seemed small from here. Kelly spotted Camelback, though Phoenix was hidden in the haze of the day. The Mogollon Rim was not clear but visible. The Sierra Anchas were just over there beyond the scar of the mines at Superior. We weren’t sure which peak was White Mountain, having left our maps back in camp. Mostly we just soaked in the feeling of being on top.

Time came to leave, all be it reluctantly. We stepped off the summit, hesitating a second for one more look just to more fully etch the experience into our psyche. The climb down was far easier. Kelly led and chose a very efficient route and with little effort we emerged back on the trail just below Circlestone. Our sense of accomplishment made the hike back to camp light with great conversation. MJ and Larry greeted us in camp, everyone with huge smiles. Kelly and I were glad we had summited Mound. They were equally happy to have passed on the bushwhacking after seeing our battle scars. It was a good day.

I figured I could not continue to call myself a Supes aficionado without at least one trip up Mound. Although, I had originally set out to do Boulder Peak today as part of my quest to do every trip and side trip in the Carlson and Stewart books (Boulder Peak being the quick side trip described on page 162 of the Eastern version). However, upon reaching the ranch Mound beckoned me.

Everyone was telling me I was crazy for wanting to do Mound in August, especially, from 109 north. So that was weighing on my mind, as were the stories of Manzinita Hell, the potential for hot temperatures and my estimation that it would be a 32 mile round trip. Consequently, for once I listened to reason and decided to scale back my Saturday hike and go for the aforementioned Boulder Peak. I really took it easy on the way into the ranch and even explored a long overdue over hang and flat spot on the way in. However, after taking a look at my map, yes a real paper map, (I still bring it every time to the Supes) I noticed that Mound was really not that far from the ranch. After a glance at my G.P.S., I realized there was no way I was looking at a 32 mile day. So I decided that if I actually started moving with a purpose, I could knock out Mound and still be home at a decent hour. I was not worried about not having the route, because I was still in my backyard and had been to Circlestone several times.

I ended up knocking out the peak with relative ease. There is a little manzinita in the beginning, but I think the descriptions of "manzinita hell" are slight over-statements, that is from the Circlestone approach anyways. I would say there is about a 35 meter stretch of it that is enough to annoy most, but I have encountered much worse. In fact, Pinto Peak is probably 50 to 100 times harder on the manzinitaville scale, as are some routes into Rough and parts of the Mazzies. After the manzinita annoyance, the route was pretty straight forward and even a little pleasant dare I say, as you get to go through a small slice of relatively open pine forest capped by a steep but quick climb. Signed the register, read the long names of HAZers and headed back.

Quick Notes:

I did not look overly close, but I am going to predict a bad season for apples at the ranch. Yes it is early, however, usually even this time of year one can see the tree branches drooping with green apples, but from afar I did not really see this.

I drank a lot of water! No seriously 160-170 oz of water and 32oz of Gatorade, no exaggeration!

It was warm, but not unbearable, however, even this area of the Supes should not be underestimated in the summer, take caution.

I stopped at Tortilla Flats for my traditional Chicken Pepe sandwich, but before I could finalize order I got a text from Chumley offering steak on the house. Me somewhat known for my frugality at times, cancelled the order and headed for Tempe. Thanks Chumley! I swear he is not as bad as some say. Also big thanks to slowandsteady and Bifrost for letting the pups sleep over last night and watching them today, so I could get that nice 0600 start and 0400 departure.

I've hiked the Northern section of the trail to Reavis Ranch before, but wanted to see the Southern section of the Reavis Ranch trail. I also wanted to get a taste the famous Reavis Ranch apples and sleep under the stars at one of the many great campsites there.

The hiking group drove our high clearance vehicles to the Rogers Trough Trailhead from Mesa, which took about 3 hours. We took the road slow, had one wrong turn, and were glad to have the extra clearance and power of a 4WD. The parking lot was bigger than we expected and could easily house 10 or 12 vehicles.

The first 1.5 miles were beautiful, with some hills as you hike up Roger's Canyon. There are a couple steep sections to get you warmed up for the climb to Reavis Saddle. We got to the trail junction with the Canyon Trail in less than an hour, took a short break at the trail sign before climbing up hill to the saddle. The switch backs were great, some were very tight but then they open up as we climbed out of Grave Canyon. I totally missed the Reavis grave.

There are a couple fire rings and logs at the top of the hill on Reavis Saddle which makes for a great rest stop after the ascent. The next 4 miles were beautiful! Definitely more fun than the southern approach to Reavis Ranch. There were pine trees, stream crossings, and some open meadow areas to see. The trail was clear, except for the meadow sections where you can't actually see the trail but you can find the path of least resistance when you walk through it. It was also a little rocky at the top, but then smoothed out.

We did come across a large tree that had a large frying pan hanging from its branches. It said "Covert Ops 4/14" on it. Does anyone know what that is?

As we approached the ranch we saw that the stream had water in it and had light flow as we crossed it. There were still plenty of campsites at the ranch site, the foundation was still in ruins, and the apples were on the trees! There were many on the ground but there were still many good ones to pick in the orchard. There were rumors of a pear tree but we did not find it. I did see some bear scat and prints so I wouldn't recommend camping in the orchard it self. Those sites are also covered in apples.

After setting up camp, a small group of us went to Circlestone. It was an all up hill hike but it was very much worth it! We took the Fireline Trail until we saw large cairn(s) on uphill side of the trail and followed the cairns all the way to Circlestone. If you aren't experienced at following cairns or comfortable with a little certainty getting there may be difficult. The Circlestone structure was larger than expected - you have to see it yourself! It was also fun to speculate what the structure was built for and how old it was. The views of the superstitions and four peaks give me a different perspective, the views are on the opposite side of the 60 and Phoenix so it all looks different.

The hike back to camp was quick. We caught the sunset on some hoodoos along the Fireline Trail. We had a great night around the campfire. I got to watch the stars and the Milky way traverse the sky.

The hike back to the cars was fun, but we forget how hilly it was between the Rogers Canyon trail intersection and the trailhead. We got off the dirt roads just before it started to rain. The drive back was also 3 hours. Overall a great trip!