3 Day Hike Suggestion Coconiono/Tonto

[sajor75]

Hello everyone, i need suggestion on a 3 day hike, preferably loop and close enough from Phx but not intrested in desert landscape, I want to get into thru hiking and this would be my little crash course, i will be hiking solo and this will be my crash course. Thanks.

[JasonCleghorn]

sajor75,

HAZ is a wonderful place chock full of information. While HAZ folks are super nice, they also tend to be self sufficient sorts. So... You really should try to learn how to use the site. Click up at the top of the page on Find, then choose Forest Preference either Tonto or Coconino, then choose Backpack YES. Then choose Loop.

You'll find a TREASURE TROVE of information on here but people here will want YOU to learn how to do that.

If you have specific questions not covered within the routes or the triplogs, you obviously can ask them!

I'm certainly not meaning to sound rude, at all, but just pointing out that every question that you've asked so far can easily be found WITHIN HAZ, just at your fingertips in less than 30 seconds.

[sajor75]

Who is eddie lol

[CannondaleKid]

Who is eddie lol

I wondered the same thing... could it be Eddie Haskell on Leave It To Beaver? :whistle:

My guess is Jason just wanted you to feel at home with the rest of us wacky folks on HAZ. ;)

[JasonCleghorn]

Some kind of autocorrect, but I don't know what I would have typed as a salutation! Oh well...

[Al_HikesAZ]

Hey - be thankful his autocorrect didn't name you Pumpkin. That is the default name of affection around here. That is the default for a lot of things here on HAZ.
You ok with that Jimmy?

[sajor75]

Now that's just creepy, how do you know my name.

[Al_HikesAZ]

Jimmy - one thing you will learn is how quickly topics careen off topic on HAZ. Please be patient with us.

It is tough recommending backpacking trips for you since your profile doesn't show any hikes you have done or enjoyed. And neither do your other internet accounts.

You can use the TRAILDex using the FIND function to look for backpacking trips with your parameters. It will give you some great suggestions but doesn't necessary identify loop hikes.

One loop that is popular at this time of year is the Cabin Loop on the Mogollon Rim. http://hikearizona.com/decoder.php?ZTN=797

In the Mazzies, you might want to consider the Barnhardt Sandy Saddle Loop. http://hikearizona.com/decoder.php?ZTN=913

I hope others will help me in recommending backpacking loops that we can dialogue about with careening off topic.

[Al_HikesAZ]

Now that's just creepy, how do you know my name.

Lucky guess. Claro? That was my Uncle's brothers name. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. I'm sort of the Columbo around here. Thanks for confirming it. I was curious as to how Jason came up with Eddie. Now lets keep this topic on topic and find some loops you will enjoy.

[ljcygnet]

One issue I have with recommending hikes to a stranger is I just don't know your skill level or your preferences. I don't want to suggest a long hike to someone only to hear that they had to airlift them out, or worse, because they got in over their head.

Hiking is such an individual think. I live in the back country -- I literally commute to work on the Control Road, and I stop sometimes and hike trails (or just random ridges or waterways) along it the same way that people from the valley might stop and walk up Shaw Butte. I started backpacking when I was thirteen. Many hikes other people consider difficult -- Chevelon comes to mind -- are on my short list of favorites that I think of as easy. Brambles, no trail, bugs, unpredictable weather, water crossings ... none of that bothers me.

As an example of individual abilities -- despite my experience, I'm not a distance hiker, and never will be. I've got a lot of arthritis and asthma and minor heart problems. It ain't happening. Six or seven miles a day is about my limit before I have to quit. I hear people planning on, say, doing the Highline in three days, I'm like, "Yikes! That's crazy!" .. because my abilities do not lend themselves to long distance hiking. (I figure it would take me a week to do the Highline -- and I'd do it at the very end of winter, when there's plenty of snowmelt for water. Cold doesn't bug me, but I dislike hiking in the heat, or having to push myself for very long distances.)

You may be really athletic, but have limited experience, and the lack of experience could get you in trouble. I've had to help backpackers a few times when they got in trouble due to lack of experience. (And the Highline comes to mind as a hike that can get inexperienced people into trouble real quick if they don't know what they're doing, simply because the weather can change in a hurry, water is not always easy to find, and there's a lot of opportunity for mechanical injury on those hills.)

On the other hand, you may have LOTS of experience but lack the physical stamina, and I could suggest a hike that has several miles between water sources ... and you could end up in physical distress or worse

I would suggest reading the trail descriptions, then asking questions about SPECIFIC trails. And being very honest with yourself about ability. If you haven't done overnight solo trips, do those first, then work up to long trips. And do your first long solo trips on popular trails.

[nonot]

@sajor75
You need to post your trips, or else state your ability. What one person might enjoy, another might find too simple, and someone else might find too hard and make an epic of it.

Also, when are you seeking to do this trip. July trips are going to be in different parts of the state than october trips.

[sajor75]

On my experience, i done many day hikes mostly in Phoenix,Az , in sections completed all South Mountain, North Mountain and Mcdowell moutains, also done day hikes in Bolivia, South America, if it matters last 3wks been hiking a average of 10 miles 3x per wk with a 30lb pack, i been backing out a lil these days as here in Phx we are approaching the triple digits and thats no fun, know how to read a map and always carry a compass .

I only done one over night hiking trip, it was 3 days in fossil springs last year mid October, by the looks of topo maps around the Highline trail area seems there isnt too much elevation, here in Phx the landscape is more desert and rocky I would think it would be more pleasant to hike up north but that is just an assumption, depending on terrain and weather i can hike up to 15 mi per day.

[Tough_Boots]

by the looks of topo maps around the Highline trail area seems there isnt too much elevation

The Highline can be a roller coaster. Certain sections are constantly dropping into and climbing out of drainages. Some sections are surprisingly rugged. South Mountain and the McDowells certainly are rocky-- but rugged is a different thing.

[ljcygnet]

The highline has lots of rocks. LOTS of rocks. This country is ALL rocks. What isn't big rocks is little rocks.

I honestly would suggest some other hikes than the Highline for starter solos. It's rugged, VERY rocky, with a lot of potentially ankle-busting poorly maintained hills, nowhere is flat (lots of ups and downs, some steeps) and you are a long way from help if anything goes wrong. There's very few people out there, too -- you can go days without seeing anyone.

The map may LOOK like the Control Road or RR300 is close, but it's not, really -- what may look like 3 or 4 easy miles to get to a road is, in reality, incredibly tough going with sheer cliffs, impenetrable chaparral, and tons of ups and downs. There's also not a lot of water on some stretches, and what is there may be harder to find than you expect. It's a hike where you can get into trouble in a hurry, particularly if the weather turns nasty or you get hurt. Also, be aware that they'll probably be banning fires in the near future until the monsoon starts. (It's an annual thing, but this year has been a bit more dry than usual.)

The trails in the valley are groomed. The Highline isn't. It's a cow path with lots of wash outs, ruts, miles of cobbles, ankle busting rocks, slippery near-vertical hillsides, fallen trees, intersecting trails with no trail markers to show you which way to go, etc. It all adds up to make miles on the Highline a lot longer than miles in the valley. It's scenic, with incredible views, but it's a ROUGH trail.

Some suggestions for solo hikes you might want to try :

-- Horton Springs/Highline/Derrick loop (12 miles, two days. You can make it a bit longer by hiking up Promontory Butte, though that's a tough trail.) The Highline in this area is well maintained.

-- Different part of Arizona, but look at Sycamore Creek west of Oak Creek. Four miles in and out, good water the whole way, decentish trail (as of about ten years ago). It can be warm, but there's easily accessible caves along the trail you can shelter in during the day. If you want to pack water you can hike farther up than four miles and dry camp.

-- In winter, consider the Verde River N of Sheep's Crossing. Good trail, plenty of water, and you can hike for many miles. Not a summer hike, though.

-- Christopher Creek, See Canyon, any parts of the Highline E. of the Fish Hatchery are in better shape and there's a few loops you can make.

-- Once you have a bit of experience, consider West Fork. It's incredibly beautiful.

Don't try to overdo it on your first few solos, particularly with the elevation change to factor in. It's a lot easier to get hurt if you're tired, and the elevation and rough terrain can kick your butt more than you expect.

[rcorfman]

Wow, that doesn't sound like the Highline trail I hiked. Not even a little bit.

[sajor75]

@rcorfman
Hi, its always,good to hear different opinions, how was your experience hiking the highline trail.

[Tough_Boots]

Yes-- the Highline is rugged in sectons-- more so than SoMo or the McDowells. I've hiked the entire thing and I think @ljcygnet is making it sound much worse than it is. It would be a good beginner trip with plenty of places to bail and popular trailheads along the way. Just figure out your reliable water sources and you're good.

[sajor75]

@Tough_Boots
Thanks for your input, I think I'm gonna go on a couple day hikes around that area , then 1 to 3 day hikes , eventually after I get a bit more experience tackle the highline.

As for maps , do I really need one for day hikes, I was thinking hiking the HortonSprings/Highline/Derrick loop this weekday, can I just get by with downloadING the route into my phone and use navigation , if a map is suggested where can I find online free maps of the area so I print them out. South mountain has a pdf map of all its trails, is there something similar for the mountains up north. Thanks.

[Tough_Boots]

As for maps , do I really need one for day hikes,

yeah, if you don't know an area and are generally inexperienced then a map is probable a good idea

if a map is suggested where can I find online free maps of the area so I print them out.

right here on HAZ! For example, follow this link to the official route for the Derrick/Horton Loop. Zoom in how you want, choose the map overlay you want in the upper right corner, and then hit the print icon.

[ gps route ]

[joebartels]

You can import it on Route Scout

I agree with @ljcygnet, the east end is nicer