Leo Canyon near Hellsgate (Tonto & Haigler Cks.)

[montezumawell]

Greetings, Dear HAZ Members! It's been a long time since we posted here and we hope that one or more of you can help us in a "hiking-related" inquiry.
We are doing very deep and exhaustive research on every aspect of a 93 year old story. Some of you undoubtedly know the famous 1927 saga of Leo The Lion's airplane crash near Hellsgate. For those who don't know the story, a short version can be read at the link below.

In any event, the canyon of the crash site was renamed Leo Canyon, a short tributary of Haigler Creek not far from the confluence with Tonto Creek. Back in September 1927, a homegrown posse of local cowboys rode to rescue Leo The Lion. I want to describe their most probable route from Bear Flat into and back out of Leo Canyon. So, that's the help I am hoping to find here. I've read and re-read all of the awesome triplogs for all of the various Hellsgate trails and routes but none of them mentioned Leo Canyon.

I'd be fairly certain numerous HAZ members know right where Leo Canyon is located and how to get there.

Some disclaimers: The crash wreckage was long ago removed from the site. I am not interested in personally going to the crash site...only in describing how the cowboys got the lion out of that remote location. Second, the ebook I am working to produce will be free and in public domain with no ads or any connection whatsoever to commercial interests of any kind.

As a sidebar, the pilot, Martin Jensen, spend 2.5-3 days hiking out of the crash site to find help to rescue Leo. It would be very helpful if any HAZ members might feel inclined as to speculate on what route he might have used to supposedly reach a ranch near Gisela.

The lion received some cuts in the crash but survived and recovered just fine. It went on to become MGM's first "roarin' lion" in their famous movie-opening logo.

Well, here's the short story about the episode: https://leotheflyinglion.blogspot.com/2 ... story.html

(If the link gets deleted or won't work go to leotheflyinglion.blogspot.com)

An old photo of the probable crash site is attached. The long-lat for the vicinity is 34.221389 -111.078333

THANK YOU SO MUCH for your help and assistance. Happy Trails FOREVER! John Parsons

Photo Source: San Diego Air & Space Museum

[CannondaleKid]

@montezumawell
Using Route Editor here on HAZ, in the upper right just plug in the coordinates (34.221389 -111.078333) then click 'mark it' and you will see not only find Leo Canyon, but Leon Canyon Tank as well.
This is what you will see if you use the FS 2016 map overlay:

Leo Canyon 34.221389 -111.078333

[montezumawell]

Thanks, @CannondaleKid. Much appreciated. My challenge isn't finding maps of the crash site area. I have plenty of those. My challenge is addressing the most likely route in and out of Leo Canyon. I am hoping that one or more HAZ members have been in, near or around Leo Canyon during their Hellsgate adventures. I'd like to hear how those members feel about the most likely cross country route(s) into and out of Leo Canyon.

As a result of your post, I put up a few of the maps I am using for this project here:

https://leotheflyinglion.blogspot.com/2 ... -site.html

If link doesn't work use: leotheflyinglion.blogspot.com

We will soon prepare a post detailing our own speculation as to the route but first we'd prefer to hear from HAZ members. Thank You.

[joebartels]

@montezumawell
[ Mescal Ridge Trail #186 ] displays on the 1930 topo

Here is a direct and canyon route from Bear Flat to Leo
[ Route Editor ]

[CannondaleKid]

@montezumawell
Check out topohiker's GPS routes for the Bear Flat Trail #178 hike

[toddak]

What are now Bear Flat 178 and Big Ridge 177 trails would be a probable land route, passing right by the head of Leo Canyon. Joe's Bear Flat to the Tonto/Haigler confluence via Tonto Creek is easy canyoneering but definitely not a route to bring a caged lion back upstream.

Possibilities for the pilot getting from the confluence of Tonto / Haigler Creeks to Gisela:
1. Continuing down the Tonto to Gisela is a relatively easy canyoneering route, no need for ropes, just lots of wading and swimming.
2. What is now Hellsgate trail 37 exits the wilderness both to the north and south from the confluence. Either of those routes would be a reasonable escape route, but they don't get you closer to Gisela.
3. A ways downstream of the confluence is Pocket trail 38, another possible escape route from the wilderness.

[Sredfield]

Have you looked through Slim Ellison's books? I have some of them but not here in Phoenix. He cowboyed all over that country at that time. I want to recall reading at least a mention of the incident in one of them but I may be remembering something that didn't happen.

[nonot]

I would suspect that other people are correct, that they came in from the top via Bear Flat. It seems unlikely they could have used horses by going down Hellsgate to the Tonto creek and following Haigler creek upstream to Leo. I have done that on foot and would characterize the route between Tonto and the bottom of Leo canyon as "impassable to horses" starting at a point approx 1/2 mile from Tonto. If the cowboys were familiar with the area, they would have known that and accessed Leo from the north, not the south.

[montezumawell]

Many HUGE THANKS to @joebartels for his always incredible hospitality. His map finally helped us comprehend what we were trying to understand. Many Thanks also to @CannondaleKid, @toddak, @Sredfield and @nonot for their thoughtful assistance and interest in this topic. We have now posted the "Rescue Route" and feel we have a decent defensible case for its probable validity.

Ya'll dun good and we danged PROUD OF YOU! HAZ ROX!

https://leotheflyinglion.blogspot.com/2 ... route.html

Thank You, John Parsons, Montezuma Well

[Copperstate]

Hello, I am brand new here. I am interested in the best hiking route to the site. I am not a scavenger, just would like to make the trek next month. Thanks!

[toddak]

@Copperstate Bear Flat and Big Ridge trails will get you to the head of Leo Canyon, but that by itself is a pretty stout hike. Adding bushwhack down into the rugged canyon to try and find the crash site would probably put you into a backpack trip. You’d probably also have to off-trail down into Haigler or Tonto creeks for water.

[Copperstate]

@toddak
Thanks brother!