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Last night, around 7:30, I noticed a red glow coming from the Superstition Mountain Ridgeline. There were two fires burning. The first was a small fire just below the 5057 summit and the other appeared to be above the Three Sisters rock formation, above the Wave Cave. I called 9-1-1 to notify the fire dept but they were already aware of the fires.

This morning, the fires were not burning but there's still smoke coming from areas that were not burning last night. As of 07:30, as I'm writing this, there are no aircraft in the area of the fires. Don't know if the Forest Service is just hoping that there's not enough fuel up there to send a crew up to fight the fires.

hikeaz wrote: ↑Sep 17 2020 4:34 pm

wildwesthikes wrote: ↑Sep 17 2020 4:23 pm Wow I don't think I've seen a Dilbert comic since like 2003.

Actually done by a 'guest artist' , Tapper ..... invited to draw it by Scott Adams.

Jake Tapper seems to be quite a good illustrator.

Attached is a photo of First Water Road as of 09--18-20. No signs to indicate if the area is open or closed for hiking.

@AZLumberjack
I like the barricade family: five adults and one baby.

@AZLumberjack
It looks like the yellow/black tape that was originally strung across the entire thing has been broken. I've seen this in other closure areas too. The posted closure order has been damaged or destroyed at the barricades at roads along the Beeline, so it wouldn't surprise me if somebody did the same here.

I'm not sure how somebody would look at that barricade and not consider the possibility that even entry on foot is prohibited. Luckily, you are informed and have been regularly posting in and reading this forum and undoubtedly saw the closure order posted here by hikeaz on 9/3. That's not something that every person driving by those confusing barricades can say.

@chumley Reminds me of the GI Joe saying “knowing is half the battle” or something like that.

What was interesting to me is the following fine print on the map. That's why I felt okay hiking the Lost Goldmine trail as it is a county trail.

"The closure does not apply to any non-National Forest System roads, trails or lands within the closure boundary."

https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DO ... 792706.pdf

Pinal County had posted the following:

Public Notice: Due to the Superstition Fire and US Forest Service closures and restrictions on the Tonto National Forest and Superstition Wilderness area the following Lost Goldmine Trail facilities are impacted as follows:

Broadway Trailhead - Closed
Cloudview Trailhead - Open, but no access to the Forest Service managed Hieroglyphic Trail. Pinal County Open Space and Trails Department is announcing that there will be limited access to the Cloudview Trailhead (11231 E Cloudview Ave, Gold Canyon, AZ 85118) on September 23rd to allow for a pavement striping project to occur. Please respect all closure and no parking signs in the area.
Lost Goldmine Trail East Trailhead - closed due to the closure of Peralta Road. (now open 9/15/20)

chumley wrote:It looks like the yellow/black tape that was originally strung across the entire thing has been broken

The tape wasn't working very well because the FS was coming and going pretty regularly for awhile. A lot of people have been parking and hiking from here, tearing the tape and tossing the barricades aside.

chumley wrote: yellow/black tape that was originally strung across the entire thing has been broken

AZLumberjack wrote: lot of people have been parking and hiking from here, tearing the tape and tossing the barricades aside.

Which area had the tape - is this 1st water or Peralta or Needle Vista?

@wildwesthikes
Tape had been on First Water Road closure, I don't know about the others.

wildwesthikes wrote:Which area had the tape - is this 1st water or Peralta or Needle Vista?

Took a drive out to Needle Vista and the lot is wide open with only one car in sight, driver sleeping.

@AZLumberjack Needle Vista isn’t part of the Superstition Fire closure order.

@AZLumberjack
Was the man JB?

AZLumberjack wrote:Needle Vista and the lot is wide open with only one car in sight, driver sleeping.

That's just a normal day at needle vista.

hikerdw wrote:Needle Vista isn’t part of the Superstition Fire closure order.

I know, just commenting on a parking lot that gets closed often.

@AZLumberjack
It was closed when they closed for Covid and then it was closed when they closed the entire Tonto for fire danger.

@wallyfrack FYI, Noticed yesterday the striping project at the Cloudview trailhead was completed. Parking spaces are large and “socially distanced “ reducing the total parking spaces available.

Despite the Superstition Fire closure expiring yesterday, 9/30, Lost Dutchman State Park indicates that the closure is still in effect and visitors cannot leave park grounds and enter the forest. Tonto NF has no new closure order posted online, so I'm pretty sure that legally you can hike wherever you want. Tonto NF has not responded to my inquiries for confirmation of a new closure order, but I'll let you know if I hear back or when I see them post any kind of definitive update.

If it is still closed, chalk up another notch toward @friendofthundergod 's "worst managed forest in America" award. Apparently they were able to extend fire restrictions, write a new order and make that available to the public in plenty of time, but forgot to mention that the closure of the most popular trailheads on their forest will also be extended.

Bravo.

@chumley
I called the Mesa Ranger office today to inquire about the Peralta trail. Kyle said that the restricted closure order was extended through October 31st.

You look'n for this?

@rayhuston
The Tonto website shows the Peralta Trail as being closed; however, I do not see anything about "the restricted closure order" being extended. In particular, the website shows the Dutchman Trail, Black Mesa Trail, Siphon Draw Trail, and Second Water Trail, among others, as being open.