Reavis Ranch to Siphons Draw Backpacker - need help

[Reynolds47]

Hey There!

New to the site but AZ native. A group of friends and I are interested in hiking from the North Reavis Ranch Trailhead all the way through to Siphons Draw next spring. The goal is to experience as much of the superstitions as possible by walking through the heart of it. Our preferred goal is 25-35 miles, but obviously can be more or less as necessary.

Would anybody have helpful maps and tips, or good links to some? I need to know where to start looking for reliable water locales within the wilderness, as well the best trails to take, etc.

Any help with this would be exceptionally appreciated. Thank you!

[FOTG]

I would start with this http://hikearizona.com/map.php?X=17

and suggest using First Water TH, or Peralta TH as a finishing point...Siphon Draw is not an ideal area to end at in my opinion, as it would require some pretty mundane miles along the Lost Goldmine Trail, or some of the less than spectacular tourist trap trails...

[chumley]

Coming out on Siphon Draw is certainly a challenge because you have to get up on the ridgeline. That can be done from Peralta at Fremont Saddle, but is a real whopper of a way to end that hike.

FOTG did a trans-supes hike last winter but exited via First Water which seems like a more reasonable route choice . Read about it here: http://hikearizona.com/trip=112627

This map shows all the trails in the Superstition Wilderness. You can see that there's no trail that gets you over the ridgeline to Siphon Draw. http://hikearizona.com/map.php?X=17

This map shows all the "routes" in the Superstitions that you could link to make your trip. Note that many of these "routes" are not trails and traveling them can be extremely slow and challenging. http://hikearizona.com/map.php?X=469

[JasonCleghorn]

I also agree that I don't think I'd want the end of an epic 25-35 mile multi day backpacking adventure to be completed descending Flatiron, etc. to Siphon. I agree that you could easily substitute Peralta TH for your exfil site.

[outdoor_lover]

Siphon Draw is not an ideal area to end at in my opinion, as it would require some pretty mundane miles along the Lost Goldmine Trail, or some of the less than spectacular tourist trap trails...

Unless he opts to do the Ridgeline....He wants to get the most for his Buck and end at Siphon Draw, that's the only Route worthy....

[FOTG]

@chumley

FOTG did a trans-supes hike last winter

I think he did that as an over-night too :whistle: :wlift:

http://hikearizona.com/photoset.php?ID=33713

[chumley]

@friendofThundergod
JJ did it as a day hike.

[FOTG]

@Outdoor Lover

that's the only Route worthy

I am well aware of that Pam, but I am not going to suggest to someone completing a near trans-Supes hike to utilize the ridgeline as a worthy route. How many full packs have you carried up to the ridgeline from Carney Springs, or the saddle at the Weaver's Needle overlook? No water on top, no "maintained" trail and he mentioned a hike in the 25-35 mile hike, which implies they are not looking for the pumpkin kicker that would come with finishing on the ridgeline and scrambling down Siphon Draw...

[FOTG]

@chumley
JJ wasn't hiking with Cupcake :roll:

[Reynolds47]

Wow, thank you everyone for the swift help. This is really going to kickstart the trip for us. Coming out of First Water does sound a lot more reasonable, but exiting on the icon that is Siphons Draw seemed picturesque to me. As I dig deeper Ill see our gear status and personal capabilities to find the right route. Thanks so much again!

[hikeaz]

A few of us have hiked Trans-Sups from various points - it's a great trip!
I have started at Miles, Campaign and Tule, exiting at First Water (making it easy for my P/U driver).
Water is generally not much of an issue if you plan wisely (no May-Sept, though), as there are myriad perennial springs in-route. To me, February/March is about optimum as snow is less of a threat, but cooler hiking days remain and you'd have longer daylight hours, if necessary.
To include Flat Iron (via the Ridgeline E-W) it may be best to come out and hit Coffee Flat and shoot straight over to Carney. You can shortcut down Randolph Canyon if you come up-and-out toward Woodbury from Angel Basin (a must-see stop for the prehistoric ruin), rather than heading over to Fraser Canyon, where the trail runs - they will join just short of Dripping Springs. I would recommend one of these routes over the catclaw-infested Red Tanks (the 'Red' comes from the color of (your) blood) if you come out this way. The only real 'crux' re. water is from Reed's Water over the Ridgeline and down Siphon. It may be prudent to cache some @ Peralta/Carney beforehand. It will be a 'grunt' to backpack up Carney and true, the Ridgeline is not a named trail (though it is more well-worn that quite a few other named 'trails' in the Sups). By the time you head down Siphon your pack should be empty and pretty light if you packed prudently in the first place.

[SuperstitionGuy]

Reavis North to Reavis to Circlestone to Rogers Cliff Dwellings to Tortilla Trailhead via Fish Creek to Trap Canyon and through Trap Canyon to LaBarge to Black Top Mesa and out to First Water.

[FOTG]

@SuperstitionGuy

Tortilla Trailhead via Fish Creek to Trap Canyon

Really? You are kidding right? Look I know its cool to let people know you know the Supes, but its a tad irresponsible to be recommending that this guy tackle an entirely off-trail route down Fish Creek Canyon and Trap. First of all Fish Creek does not even go to Tortilla TH and second of all there has not even been a route posted on HAZ that covers the entire length of Fish Creek Canyon, did you mean Tortilla Creek? Even if you did, I would still not recommend that as a viable backpacking trip for the majority of people. Trap Canyon is fun and cool, but is borderline class 3 scrambling in spots, will require waste deep wading in the spring in spots, and might take even a vet. backpacker several hours to complete the canyon with a group and full packs..

[SuperstitionGuy]

He is 22 years old and appears to be an experienced backpacker and he wants to do the following and I quote "The goal is to experience as much of the superstitions as possible by walking through the heart of it." The route I recommended was a brief outline without the detail one would want to know unless they were interested. There is a route from Fish Creek to the Tortilla Trailhead on HAZ. There is a trail from the Tortilla Trailhead right to the entrance of Trap Canyon. The exit from Trap Canyon dumps you onto the La Barge Canyon trail. The route through that part of Fish Creek is a cake walk for this young man. The route through Trap is a little harder but I believe not as difficult as many here on HAZ have previously described. Trap is very short and normally dry and even when water flows it is really not that difficult. Trails hour after hour two or three days in a row can be very boring and they just might appreciate the off trail routes. With a good map and GPS preset coordinates they would do just fine.

[FOTG]

There is a trail from the Tortilla Trailhead right to the entrance of Trap Canyon

Yes I am aware of that, the trail goes by Hoolie Bacon ;)

Trap is very short and normally dry and even when water flows it is really not that difficult

Here is a pic of your normally dry Trap Canyon and the 30 foot climb needed to bypass the neck deep water below, one of a few if you plan on going the entire length of the canyon, oh and even a four foot pour over can become a hassle when pushing over some water ;)

http://hikearizona.com/photo.php?ZIP=376177

[JasonCleghorn]

Alright guys, neutral corners...

[SuperstitionGuy]

Here is a pic of your normally dry Trap Canyon and the 30 foot climb needed to bypass the neck deep water below,

If Cup did it they can do it. ;) Just sayin...

[FOTG]

@SuperstitionGuy
I will give you that one lol She has also done Rough Canyon Then again she would probably be somewhere in the top 15 or so on HAZ if I kept track of her self-momentum :wlift:

[garyc57]

@friendofThundergod
I've always wanted to put a GPS on my dog to see how many more miles she racks up vs. my plodding along!